Wellness Fund Provides Boost to Cape Breton Projects
HEALTH PROMOTION--Wellness Fund Provides Boost to Cape Breton Projects
Cape Breton residents can look forward to healthier communities thanks to a boost of almost $58,000 from the Office of Health Promotion.
The funds are being shared by the Cape Breton District Health Authority's six community health boards. Each board will use its portion of the funding to award Wellness Initiative grants to successful applicants in their communities.
"Community health boards engage people at the local level and help create healthier communities," said Health Promotion Minister Rodney MacDonald. "Supporting the people and projects on the front line is an important part of our plan to build a healthier Nova Scotia."
The support comes from Health Promotion's $348,000 provincial Wellness Fund and will be directed toward projects that encourage physical activity, healthy eating, injury prevention, addiction prevention, healthy sexuality and tobacco control.
The Wellness Fund helps non-profit community groups and organizations develop local health promotion and illness prevention projects and programs.
"Our community health boards help to identify the needs in a community through initiatives like this," said Barbara LeBlanc, chair of the North Inverness community health board. "This money from Health Promotion is helping us reach our goal of making Cape Breton one of the healthiest places to live."
Ms. LeBlanc said community health boards in the Cape Breton district have received numerous requests for support from groups and organizations.
The community health boards recently advertised for proposals and are now reviewing almost 100 applications from groups eager to promote healthier lifestyles. Decisions will be made before the end of March.
"Community health boards have an important role. They are the eyes ears and voice of communities across the province and they make a difference at the ground level," said the minister.
Community health boards work with district health authorities to identify community health challenges. Their volunteer members support initiatives that promote healthier living and illness prevention.