Healthy living grants

The Heart and Stroke Foundation announced a series of grants intended to help community-led healthy living projects get off the ground in towns and cities across Saskatchewan. The grants are part of the Foundation's multi-year Heart Healthy Children & Youth initiative, with the ultimate goal of turning the tide on the province's growing epidemic of childhood obesity, inactivity and tobacco misuse.

Saskatchewan is a place where real, substantive change happens at the grassroots," notes Graham Addley, the Foundation's Director of Mission Programs. "We are an incredibly varied province, geographically, culturally and socially, and that means there is no one-size fits all solution."

Addley notes that the challenges and barriers to healthy lifestyles also vary from community to community. "Our grant program recognizes these differences, so we are looking for unique solutions that are developed within these communities."Examples of initiatives that could potentially be funded might include before- or after-school activity programs, breakfast clubs or healthy school snack programs, walking clubs or peer-to-peer smoke-free programs. Addley stresses, however, that these are just examples. "We are looking for innovative projects that you think will help make your community a healthier place."

The funding, called My Healthy Community Grants, will be awarded to organizations and groups in any Saskatchewan community, for projects that help children, youth and families to be more active, to be able to access healthier food choices or to reduce use of or exposure to tobacco.

During the first round of grants, five projects will be awarded $4,000 each. Information and application forms are available at www.heartandstroke.sk.ca/communities. Deadline to apply for this year's round of grants is December 20, 2011.

The program is offered through the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Heart Healthy Children & Youth initiative. The Foundation is actively involved in research, health promotion and advocacy programs focused on improving the health of Canadians of all ages, so that they can enjoy longer, healthier lives. Heart disease and stroke currently claim the lives of one in three Canadians, and is the leading cause of death for women. Learn more about the Heart and Stroke Foundation: LIKE us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Heartandstrokesask and www.facebook.com/SaskBigBike