Wellness Fund Provides Boost to South Shore Projects

HEALTH PROMOTION--Wellness Fund Provides Boost to South Shore Projects

Residents in the South Shore Health District can look forward to healthier communities thanks to a financial boost of almost $27,000 from Nova Scotia's Office of Health Promotion. Funds will be awarded to successful applicants through the area's two community health boards.

The support comes from Health Promotion's $348,000 Wellness Fund and will be directed toward projects that encourage physical activity, healthy eating, injury prevention, addiction prevention, healthy sexuality and tobacco control.

"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 Wellness Fund helps non-profit community groups and organizations develop local health promotion and illness prevention projects and programs.

"The wellness funding allows our community health boards to support grassroots projects that are extremely important to the health of our communities," says South Shore Health vice- president of community health Alice Leverman.

The district's two community health boards, Lunenburg County and Queens County, will seek project proposals that involve healthy eating and acting living initiatives for youth and seniors, and tobacco control.

"We all have a role to play in achieving our vision of a healthier province. Government has a role in public education, support for sport and recreation, and in prevention of addiction, and injury. Community health boards also 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.