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HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2014-06-25 Leesburg Joins HEAL Campaign Town of Leesburg News Release For Immediate Release Leesburg Joins the National “Healthy Eating Active Living” (HEAL) Cities & Towns Wellness Campaign Town Council approved resolution to partner with Institute for Public Health Innovation to build a healthier community Leesburg, VA (June 25, 2014) – At the Council meeting on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, the Leesburg Town Council passed a resolution to join the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign for the Mid-Atlantic which champions local government policies that improve access to healthy foods and physical activity in small and large communities throughout Maryland and Virginia. Currently, 57% of Virginia’s adults and one in three children suffer from obesity or are overweight. According to a study completed last year, Virginia spent nearly $3.4 billion treating diseases and conditions related to obesity in 2009. The HEAL – healthy eating and active living – Cities & Towns Campaign wants all Virginians to live high quality, healthy lives, and the current rate of obesity threatens that goal. Obesity is a leading risk factor for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. HEAL policies set forth a framework to create a community where all people can make healthy choices to eat nutritious food and be physically active. “A commitment to wellness programs provides significant tax cost savings at the local and state levels,” said Leesburg Town Council Member Katie Sheldon Hammler. “We are pleased to become a HEAL Town and maximize the resources offered by the Institute for Public Health Innovation that can benefit our citizens and the wellbeing of our entire community.” As part of the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign, the Institute for Public Health Innovation provides free training, support, and technical policy assistance to municipal leaders. Available (more) TOL PR 2014-06-25 Leesburg Joins HEAL Campaign Page 2 assistance include analyzing current policies that impact healthy living for citizens, suggesting ways to update such policies to increase access to HEAL, and updating administrative procedures to help make the healthy choice the easy choice for municipal employees. The HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign supports local elected officials in adopting policies that create healthy, prosperous communities. A Healthy Eating Active Living City or Town is a municipality that sets forth a framework or vision to create a community where all people can make healthy choices to eat nutritious food and be physically active. Leesburg’s partnership with the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign aligns with the Town Council objectives, such as completing any gaps in the Town’s sidewalk and trail networks to increase walkability, identifying locations for bicycle parking near employment centers, and recruiting healthy food vendors to Town sponsored events. “At the Institute for Public Health Innovation, we know that creating policies that address healthy living at a local level is critical to addressing the personal, collective, and economic impact of obesity in our region,” said Marisa Jones, director of the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign for the Mid-Atlantic. “We’re confident we can make great headway by partnering with Town of Leesburg officials to benefit the lives of Leesburg’s residents and employees.” Participation in the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign is free, thanks to support from the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States. The HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign for the Mid-Atlantic is part of a growing national campaign that is currently taking place in California, Colorado, and Oregon. The Institute for Public Health Innovation embarked on this initiative in 2012 in strategic partnership with the Maryland & Virginia Municipal Leagues. Contact: Richard Williams Director of Parks & Recreation rwilliams@leesburgva.gov 703-737-7140 # # #