Healthy Schools Healthy Communities (HCSC) is working to make it easier for kids to get active and eat healthy in Texas County.
HSHC is an initiative of the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) primarily designed to address childhood obesity. Houston and Cabool are both benefiting from a five-year grant program funded by the initiative.
“Change is starting to happen,” said Texas County HCSC wellness coordinator Valerie Leonard. “In the coming weeks and months, we will be implementing many programs and improving the built environment in the county to work toward our goal of decreasing childhood obesity by 5 percent.”
Some of the HCSC programs to watch for this year include:
•Walking Clubs for families (including the Houston Mayor’s Walking Challenge that is currently underway featuring group walks Tuesday and Thursday evenings and goal-oriented prize giveaways).
•YMCA Kids’ workout class.
•Bicycle Rodeo.
•Cooking classes for parents.
•Gardening and nutrition classes for parents.
•“Fit Family Fun Night” at the Texas County Fair.
Those activities will be supported by several improvements funded by the initiative:
•Colored walking routes.
•Park improvements.
•A community garden in Cabool.
•A storage building for Houston’s community garden.
•Healthy concessions at city events.
•Statewide branding for healthy food items in grocery stores.
•Supplementary funds for industrial community kitchen at Houston.
•A Houston Farmers Market sign.
Leonard said pedestrian safety is also on the list of things to be addressed in the two cities.
“We will be setting aside a portion of our grant dollars and applying for MoDOT funds for crosswalk improvements in our communities,” she said. “This will be a great opportunity to leverage the funds we’ve been given in order to make a larger impact. By improving the crosswalks, more people are able to actively commute to their destinations in a safer manner.”
Leonard said she hopes more people in Houston and Cabool become aware of HCSC and get involved.
“With your support, we can help more Texas County children and families build healthier futures,” she said.
To learn how to get involved in HCSC-funded community efforts and events, and to view updates and other upcoming announcements log onto www.texascountyhshc.com. Texas County HCSC is also on Facebook at Texas County HSHC.