Health Improvement Organization Launches Step by Step Community Wellness Initiative
April 14, 2011
Jackson, Mich. — Step by Step is a community wellness campaign developed by the Health Improvement Organization (HIO) to address some of the largest health issues facing Jackson County: nutrition, exercise, smoking and stress.
The HIO wanted to launch Step by Step in Jackson County to help people understand what the issues are, and more importantly what they can do about them, using local resources to live healthier. Step by Step is all about helping community members with small steps everyone can take to live healthy so that we can all help make Jackson a healthier, more vibrant place to live, work and play.
There will be events and activities happening all over our area over the next three years that will help put tools in people’s hands to reinforce the initiative’s messages: (1) Let’s move; (2) Fruits and veggies – more matters; (3) Stress less; (4) Live smoke-free.
The Step by Step Community Wellness Kick-off takes place Saturday, April 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Middle School at Parkside Field House, 2400 Fourth Street in Jackson. This free community event will include hands on gardening how to’s, health and stress screenings, fun fitness games, art therapy, healthy cooking demonstrations and much more.
Community members can also sign up for the Community Wellness Challenge. The Challenge will run for six months and is set up for people to participate on their own or as part of a team.
To provide ongoing support and resources, Step by Step includes MyStepByStep.org, an interactive web site with tips about eating more fruits and vegetables, moving more, living smoke-free and managing stress. Community members can register to get tips, updates, and to have a place where they can track their own progress.
In addition to opportunities for participants to share comments, the site includes blogs and testimonials, postings of community events and more ways to help people connect. The site is also connected to Facebook and Twitter.
The HIO was founded by Allegiance Health in 2000 and has since grown to include more than 30 community stakeholders including United Way of Jackson County, Jackson County Administration, schools, mental health agencies, numerous non-profit organizations, the faith community, local businesses and other community stakeholders.
For more information, visit MyStepByStep.org or call 780-7306.