A total of $14,250 has been awarded to the health district to help its mission, addressing
living healthy in the Galveston County community.
Galveston County Health District (GCHD) received a generous sub-grant from the statewide nonprofit It’s Time Texas, whose mission is to empower Texans to lead healthier lives and build healthier communities. Thanks to It’s Time Texas’ partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and their Healthy Kids, Healthy Families grant, the Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) project will kick off this spring and be completed by the end of 2022.
The It’s Time Texas and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas’ funding was given to community-based organizations who deliver effective programs and services that improve critical health outcomes and address root causes of health disparities by removing barriers to access and advancing community conditions for health and wellness.
“We are very excited to be entering year two of this partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas,” said Amy McGeady, CEO of It’s Time Texas. “It’s Time Texas is proud to support the work of these community organizations who are pursuing a pathway to health equity and are removing barriers to health access within Texas.”
The health district launched its HEAL program in 2019, and with this grant, will expand to include healthy eating, active living outreaches in the community, rebuild its Diabetes 101 education and management program through virtual platforms and bring back its HEAL 5K and 1K Fun Run.
“We are thrilled to partner with It’s Time Texas and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas to expand our HEAL program in the community,” said GCHD Director of Community Health Services Ashley Sciba, MPH, BSN, RN. “This gives us a chance to not only bring back our HEAL Fun Run, which we are so happy about, but also the opportunity to work with local schools in our community. Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States. It puts children at risk for health problems now, and down the road. We’re excited to work with students and help them learn ways they can make healthier choices.”
Learn more about HEAL at gchd.org/HEAL and follow the project’s progress throughout the year by visiting: cich.itstimetexas.org.
