The Healthy Communities Coalition seeks to examine the impacts of healthy eating and active living (HEAL) policies on a county-wide scale. Findings from the review will be used to pilot a program encouraging community members to play an active role in supporting HEAL programs and policies to build healthier communities.
Our Vision:
By 2020, Eagle County will be a community that promotes and fosters a healthy environment for all.
Our Mission:
The Healthy Communities Coalition facilitates and empowers the community into action for lifelong wellness through healthy eating and active living.
The Healthy Communities Coalition is comprised of professionals, advocates, community members and leaders who are committed to fostering health among all residents in Eagle County. Coalition initiatives are focused around health eating and active living and works to build a healthier Eagle County by:
Work Groups:
Strategies/projects are selected by the Coalition using a prioritization process. When a strategy is selected, a work group forms to develop and implement that strategy. Work groups are comprised of Coalition members, and may bring in other external community members and leaders as it is relevant to that work. Each strategy work group will determine a leader to keep work organized and moving forward. The work group will determine how best to communicate and collaborate. Following the implementation of the strategy, the work group will celebrate the success, and then disband.
Healthy Communities Coalition Goals:
The targeted community for the coalition was Eagle River Valley of Eagle County. The established activities reached approximately 56,000 people, depending on the strategy. The coalition sought to:
The Plan4Health grant enabled the Healthy Communities Coalition to complete work it already set out to do in a more efficient and in-depth way. The Healthy Communities Coalition holds quarterly in-person meetings, and the built environment meetings in person or by phone as needed in the meantime. In addition, the coalition maintains communication with Coalition members through a monthly newsletter that includes updates about the Plan4Health project as well as other relevant initiatives and programs that are supporting healthy eating and active living in the community.
Due to recognized synergies with other community-based groups and as a result of significant organizational changes at Eagle County government, we are exploring the possibilities of merging coalitions and combining efforts. This would alleviate duplicated effort on maintaining coalition structures (e.g. steering committees, governance documents), reduce meetings for community partners to attend, and assure better alignment of efforts.
Check out the resources below and the coalition’s website to learn more!
Presentations and Tools
Coalition members
Eagle County
Eagle County Public Health and Environment
Eagle County Planning Department
Colorado State University Extension
Town of Gypsum
Early Childhood Partners
American Rivers
Eagle County Schools – Early Childhood Education Department
Eagle River Youth Coalition
EagleVail Community Garden
Health Links Colorado
TV 8
Mountain Harvest Coalition
The Youth Foundation
Town of Avon
Town of Eagle
Town of Red Cliff
Town of Vail
Vail Valley Partnership
Vail Valley Salvation Army
Walking Mountains Science Center
Western Eagle County Metropolitan Recreation District
Field House in Edwards