YMCA Seeks Participants for New Hope for Health Initiative
Jun 14 In July, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee will launch a Hope for Health initiative in four Middle Tennessee communities, and efforts are underway to identify and recruit participants willing to take part in a program targeting female health seekers, particularly mothers, who've been unable to succeed in their prior efforts to lead healthier lifestyles.
Hope for Health is a pilot outreach effort of the YMCA made possible by an anonymous donor with a passion for improving the health and wellness of people in underserved communities. YMCA President and CEO Journey Johnson hopes the initiative will not only help Middle Tennesseans struggling with their health, but will also provide some key learning for future YMCA health outreach efforts. "One of the key areas of focus for our YMCA's new Hope for Life strategic plan is Improving Health, and not just the health of our current Y members. Tennessee continues to face alarming obesity and chronic disease rates, and we’re committed to helping reverse those trends. We know increasing our health outreach efforts and making wellness programs available to those who need it most is one way we can be part of the solution."
Hope for Health funders say recent studies published about the strong influence maternal health can have on the health of children is one reason they wanted to target a female demographic, with a special emphasis on mothers. Mothers’ excessive weight gain during pregnancy and low breast feeding rates, for example, have both been shown to increase a child’s risk of obesity, and many researchers believe cultivating healthy habits in moms and future moms could be a key to reducing childhood obesity rates.
Hope for Health will be offered free of charge to 25 women in its first phase. Participants will be paired with an Improving Health Coach and after an assessment of current health, will work with their coaches to determine reasonable goals to work toward over an initial period of 12-weeks. The program will take a holistic approach to improving participant health, providing ongoing education and support that go beyond increasing physical activity. Working alongside their coaches, participants will set their own realistic goals and will receive ongoing support to build confidence, improve eating habits and overcome past social and emotional barriers to leading a healthier lifestyle. After the initial 12-weeks participants will receive continuing follow-up care to support the sustainable lifestyle changes.
The YMCA is currently accepting applications for participants in four communities: Bordeaux/Northwest Nashville, East Nashville, Maury County and Robertson County. Participants will work with their coaches in local YMCAs as well as various locations in their community. The Y will partner, for example, with the Family Center in Maury County and the Renewal House in Bordeaux to offer the program and may utilize similar partnerships in other areas to increase accessibility for participants. The program is open to women ages 18 to 45, and those interested should contact the Improving Health Coach in their area for more information:
Bordeaux (Northwest YMCA) -- Ken Turner, kturner@ymcamidtn.org or (615) 589-6058
East Nashville (Margaret Maddox YMCA) -- April Wood, awood@ymcamidtn.org or (615) 668-7189
Maury County (Maury County YMCA) -- Lindsey Howell, lhowell@ymcamidtn.org or (931) 698-2545
Robertson County (Robertson County YMCA) -- Roseanne Wyatt, rwyatt@ymcamidtn.org or (615) 290-3237
> Hope for Health Application
Hope for Health is a pilot outreach effort of the YMCA made possible by an anonymous donor with a passion for improving the health and wellness of people in underserved communities. YMCA President and CEO Journey Johnson hopes the initiative will not only help Middle Tennesseans struggling with their health, but will also provide some key learning for future YMCA health outreach efforts. "One of the key areas of focus for our YMCA's new Hope for Life strategic plan is Improving Health, and not just the health of our current Y members. Tennessee continues to face alarming obesity and chronic disease rates, and we’re committed to helping reverse those trends. We know increasing our health outreach efforts and making wellness programs available to those who need it most is one way we can be part of the solution."
Hope for Health funders say recent studies published about the strong influence maternal health can have on the health of children is one reason they wanted to target a female demographic, with a special emphasis on mothers. Mothers’ excessive weight gain during pregnancy and low breast feeding rates, for example, have both been shown to increase a child’s risk of obesity, and many researchers believe cultivating healthy habits in moms and future moms could be a key to reducing childhood obesity rates.
Hope for Health will be offered free of charge to 25 women in its first phase. Participants will be paired with an Improving Health Coach and after an assessment of current health, will work with their coaches to determine reasonable goals to work toward over an initial period of 12-weeks. The program will take a holistic approach to improving participant health, providing ongoing education and support that go beyond increasing physical activity. Working alongside their coaches, participants will set their own realistic goals and will receive ongoing support to build confidence, improve eating habits and overcome past social and emotional barriers to leading a healthier lifestyle. After the initial 12-weeks participants will receive continuing follow-up care to support the sustainable lifestyle changes.
The YMCA is currently accepting applications for participants in four communities: Bordeaux/Northwest Nashville, East Nashville, Maury County and Robertson County. Participants will work with their coaches in local YMCAs as well as various locations in their community. The Y will partner, for example, with the Family Center in Maury County and the Renewal House in Bordeaux to offer the program and may utilize similar partnerships in other areas to increase accessibility for participants. The program is open to women ages 18 to 45, and those interested should contact the Improving Health Coach in their area for more information:
Bordeaux (Northwest YMCA) -- Ken Turner, kturner@ymcamidtn.org or (615) 589-6058
East Nashville (Margaret Maddox YMCA) -- April Wood, awood@ymcamidtn.org or (615) 668-7189
Maury County (Maury County YMCA) -- Lindsey Howell, lhowell@ymcamidtn.org or (931) 698-2545
Robertson County (Robertson County YMCA) -- Roseanne Wyatt, rwyatt@ymcamidtn.org or (615) 290-3237
> Hope for Health Application
