For Immediate Release
June 24, 2019
The HEAL Cities & Town’s Campaign Recognizes Health Policy Achievements of Maryland Cities
Ocean City, Maryland, June 23, 2019 — For the seventh consecutive year, the Institute for Public Health Innovation’s (IPHI) HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Living) Cities and Towns Campaign has recognized Maryland municipalities for their achievements adopting HEAL policies and practices that improve their communities’ physical activity and food environments.
The annual award ceremony is held in conjunction with the Maryland Municipal League Summer Conference in the Town of Ocean City. The annual conference is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of HEAL Campaign members and connect with new municipalities interested in joining the Campaign. The Campaign provides technical assistance at no cost to municipal leaders to help them create healthy and prosperous communities by adopting HEAL policies and practices. Cities and towns join the HEAL Campaign by passing a HEAL Resolution that outlines HEAL policy and practice goals to create communities where all people can make healthy choices to eat nutritious food and be physically active.
Each year, the Campaign recognizes cities and towns that advance to higher Campaign recognition levels by achieving their healthy eating and active living goals. This year’s honorees included:
- The City of New Carrollton received Silver recognition for implementing a healthy vending initiative and developing two new community gardens for City residents.
- The City of Bowie, The City of Greenbelt, and The City of Laurel received Platinum HEAL Recognition, the highest HEAL achievement award. Cities and towns that advance to the Platinum level have attained Gold status and are able to provide evidence that their healthy eating and active living work reaches across government departments and is being evaluated and monitored.
Following the event, the HEAL Campaign will continue to engage with new cities and towns and provide technical assistance to all 66 current HEAL Campaign members in both Maryland and Virginia. For more information about the Campaign or how to join, please visit: www.healcitiesmidatlantic.org.
About the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign:
The HEAL Cities and Towns Campaign provides free technical assistance to local government leaders to help them create healthy, prosperous communities by adopting policies and practices that improve their communities’ physical activity and food environments. HEAL is a project of the Institute for Public Health Innovation, in partnership with the Maryland and Virginia Municipal Leagues and funded by Kaiser Permanente, founding partner.
About Institute for Public Health Innovation:
The Institute for Public Health Innovation develops multi-sector partnerships and innovative solutions to improve the public’s health and well-being across Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Our work strengthens health systems and policy, enhances conditions that promote health, and builds community capacity to ensure equitable health opportunities for all. IPHI is one of over 40 public health institutes across the country and a member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes.
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