Building Healthy Rural Communities in North Carolina

<p>The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust is framing a new place-based initiative around an important question related to the long-term prosperity and vitality of rural communities in the state:</p> <p>What if rural North Carolina was a healthy place? For example:<br /> • What if fewer people suffered from diabetes?<br /> • What if healthy food was affordable and staying active was easier?<br /> • What if each person in the county had a doctor they knew and who knew them?<br /> • What if grandmothers and pastors and business leaders and teachers all had a say?<br /> • What if we talked about health as critical to the future success of rural North Carolina?</p> <p>The Trust launched the Healthy Places NC initiative in 2012 with the goal of investing $100 million in 10-15 economically distressed counties in order to catalyze community-driven efforts to improve health outcomes and the quality of life in target communities. To date, activities are underway in Beaufort, Burke, Edgecombe-Nash, Halifax, McDowell, and Rockingham Counties. Additional counties will be invited to participate over time.</p> <p>The Trust is engaging participant communities in long-term partnerships over 5-10 years in order to support health improvement activities that are inspired and led by local residents.  The Trust is supporting a variety of activities that extend beyond the traditional kinds of health care organizations it has typically funded. These include: enhancing recreational facilities for kids, increasing physical activity and healthy eating habits among residents, making healthy food options more accessible, and creating more spaces that facilitate physical activity.</p> <p>The Healthy Places NC [...]</p>