THUNDER BAY — Children in four Thunder Bay neighbourhoods will benefit from a funding boost for a program managed by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is giving TBDHU $1,158,000 to implement the Healthy Kids Health on the Move for Equity (HOME) program.
It supports the delivery of health and community services to an estimated 1,500 children and their families living in the Windsor Street, Academy Heights, Westfort and McKellar Park areas.
The program brings residents and community partners together for services around physical activity, nutrition, smoking prevention and cessation, mental health and other needs identified by participants.
The four neighbourhoods were identified through a comprehensive community needs assessment.
There are two main components to the Healthy Kids HOME program:
- expanding Healthy Kids sites in priority neighbourhoods, which provides a safe space for accessing health promotion programming and social services
- a four-week Healthy Kids family program to equip parents/caregivers with health-related knowledge, self-efficacy, coping skills and information on local services and resources
"From a public health perspective, neighbourhood-based initiatives aimed at promoting healthy behaviours are integral to improving overall wellbeing and reducing the risk of chronic disease," Medical Officer of Health Janet DeMille said in a statement.
The HOME program is supported by a broad range of partners on the Healthy Kids Steering Committee.
Rachel Bayes is the Healthy Kids HOME coordinator.
She said she's thrilled to work with so many community organizations to strengthen the abilities of families in these neighbourhoods to engage in healthy living strategies.
"This unique collaboration will indeed contribute to shaping healthier children and families in our city," Bayes added.
The success of the project will be evaluated by principal investigator Erin Pearson of Lakehead University, who will measure the health outcomes and impact on the community.
