Empowering Wellness: The Role of Health Forward Foundation in Building Healthier Communities
When it comes to wellness, it’s not just about individual efforts towards a healthy lifestyle. Creating healthier communities is essential to creating a sustainable culture of wellness. Health Forward Foundation is an organization dedicated to promoting health and equity in the Kansas City region through community-centered policies, practices, and investments. This article will explore the role of Health Forward Foundation in building healthier communities.
Introduction
The importance of creating a culture of wellness cannot be overstated. Healthier communities bring a variety of benefits, such as increased productivity, lower medical costs, and improved quality of life. Health Forward Foundation is dedicated to creating and sustaining initiatives that promote health equity for all citizens in the Kansas City region. They seek to promote community-centered initiatives that provide long-lasting solutions for the benefit of the community.
Grants and Investments
Health Forward Foundation focuses on providing funds and grants for evidence-based approaches that directly impact community health and equity. They invest in programs, policies, and systems that work to advance health equity in the community. In 2020, Health Forward approved over $10.2 million in grants and investments to support organizations and initiatives that are working towards a healthier community.
Healthy Communities Initiative
One particular initiative that Health Forward Foundation has taken on is the Healthy Communities Initiative. This is a multi-year initiative that began in 2016, with a goal of empowering communities to create and implement policies, systems, and infrastructure that encourage better health and wellness. It provides funding and resources to municipalities in the Kansas City region to encourage collaboration and community participation in health-centric efforts.
Policy and System Change
Health Forward Foundation acknowledges that lasting change requires not just individual behavior changes but also systemic changes. They advocate for policies and systems that promote health equity. Health Forward Foundation works towards identifying policies and practices that work against health equity, and then actively lobbies for changes in policy.
Conclusion
Health Forward Foundation’s work in building healthier communities through grants and investments, initiatives such as the Healthy Communities Initiative, and policy and system change is critical to creating sustainable, long-term change in the Kansas City region. Through an active, evidence-based approach to community health, Health Forward Foundation plays a crucial role in creating a culture of wellness in the community. By empowering communities to take control of their health, Health Forward Foundation is making strides towards their vision of a healthy and equitable Kansas City region.
