Good Food Box Project (Edmonton)
The Good Food Box Project was created by Healthy Alberta Communities and its community partners to address the issue of food security at the regional and household level. The project aims to increase the accessibility of healthy, locally produced food for citizens in the Edmonton region. Structured as a social enterprise, the Good Food Box Project delivers weekly boxes of mixed produce to interested customers. A percentage of the revenue is intended to help reduce the price of the Good Food Boxes for low income families in Norwood/North Central Edmonton. The project is currently run by “Live Local”, a non-profit corporation from Edmonton.
Coalition for Active and Alternate Transportation (Medicine Hat)
Promoting the increased use of active and alternate forms of transportation was a priority identified by the Medicine Hat community. The Coalition for Active and Alternative Transportation (CAAT) attempts to address this issue by involving community members and organizations as well as municipal authorities in supporting the development of infrastructure required for active and alternative transportation (such as the installation of bike racks and building bike lanes).
Moms in Motion (Bonnyville)
The Moms in Motion program targets mothers of low socio-economic status and aims to reduce barriers to participation in physical activity. Developed in partnership with the Centennial Recreation Centre, Alberta Health Services – Community Health Services and Family Community Support Services in Bonnyville, the program offers women free use of jogging strollers, enabling them to work out with their children. Other parents in the community can rent the jogging strollers for a small fee at the Centennial Recreation Centre.
Champions for Change – St. Paul 2020
Healthy Alberta Communities and its partners worked with the residents of St. Paul and the surrounding area to create a long term vision for planning, policy and action that will guide the development of St. Paul as a healthy community. A Steering Committee (now the Board of Directors) was formed in December 2007 with a mandate to coordinate the visioning process. After obtaining broad based input from the community and businesses of St. Paul & Area, the group has launched the sustainability plan and is currently is working on implementing the action plan that includes the beautification of St. Paul, improving the walkability within the town, and directing attention towards children and youth.
Click here to visit the Champions for Change – St. Paul Vision 2020 website.
Metamorphosis (Edmonton)
Metamorphosis is a film that was developed to highlight the activities of Action for Healthy Communities, an organization dedicated to fostering capacity development and community engagement in traditionally marginalized communities. Through a partnership between Healthy Alberta Communities, Action for Healthy Communities and the Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts, the development of the film provided an outlet for video students to share their skills with community members, while creating a promotional piece for Action for Healthy Communities. This collaboration demonstrates the importance of seeking out novel partnerships within the community.
Community Gardens
The development of community gardens addresses concerns around food security while also contributing to the social and recreational needs of residents. Agencies and community volunteers came together under the umbrella of Healthy Alberta Communities to cultivate the available land within their municipalities, and offer garden plots to individuals and families of all ages. In some communities, there are also special “Giving Gardens” where produced food is donated to the local food bank. All community gardens are sustainable programs well embedded in their respective communities; community partners involved in the community gardens projects were instrumental in providing resources such as land, seeds, and the required infrastructure for the projects.
The Avenue Food Security Network (Edmonton)
The Avenue Food Security Network involves both organizations and individuals within the Eastwood/Alberta Avenue areas who are passionate about creating a community that has access to healthy, affordable and sustainable food. The network’s activities surround supporting local initiatives that address food security, such as collective kitchens, community gardens and food baskets.
Mayor’s Walk (Redcliff)
The Redcliff Mayor’s Walk is an annual fundraising event for non-profit organizations that encourages individuals and families to get active while supporting the activities of groups within their community. The event was initiated by Healthy Alberta Communities and its partners, and is currently organized by the Town of Redcliff.
Moose Adventure Challenge (Bonnyville)
The Moose Adventure Challenge is a mini triathlon that is organized annually. The triathlon includes canoeing, hiking and biking and intends to encourage community members of all ages to participate in physical activity and enjoy the countryside surrounding Bonnyville. The event is moderately physically demanding, to ensure it is equally attractive to those in the community who are less active and those who are used to a more extensive physical challenge. The Moose Adventure Challenge is organized by the Town of Bonnyville.
Healthy Restaurant Choices (Bonnyville)
The objective of the Healthy Restaurant Choices is to have healthy choices available in the restaurants of Bonnyville. Three local restaurants adapted their menus to fit the criteria developed by the dietician from Alberta Health Services – Community Health Services. The initiative was accompanied by extensive media support that promoted healthy eating in participating restaurants.