DM/A Secures 20K Improvement Grant for DM/A Client
The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and PA state recently announced the 2020-2021 grantees that would be receiving a total of $155K to increase physical activity options in their communities1. East Hempfield Township – one of our Municipal clients – was awarded $20K due thanks to the work of one of our own.
Now, here’s why this is good news: People can reach 100 years in age if they live in “‘walkable’ neighborhoods where they don’t need a car or public transport to get groceries or visit friends” according to Insider.com2. They cite a Washington State University study to support this claim.
Carol L. Reichbaum, M.S.L., M.S.P.A., – the director of WalkWorks – suggests “Activity-friendly routes connected to everyday destinations can make it safe and convenient for people of all abilities to walk, bike or wheel. Planning healthy, compact, complete communities is needed to support active transportation. Doing so will not only lead to improved health, it will also address other major concerns, including congestion, economic vitality and sustainability.”
In May, Joellyn Warren – former staff member and a certified planner – submitted an initial application letter outlining the township’s plans to use the grant to help citizens improve walking or biking access to several community centers like Penn State Hospital and Amos Herr Park located along Main Street and Harrisburg Pike. Once the grant administrator gave the signal to continue, she crafted a more detailed narrative and recruited several letters of support from various stakeholders. Joellyn submitted the final grant application in July.
After the grant announcement, she organized the first planning meeting with township staff on October 31st. Joellyn will continue to gather data and analysis for the project in the coming months. She will also organize and attend the remaining stakeholders’ meetings to discuss project details from now until the Spring of 2021. The project must be implemented by September 2021.
Scott Hain, P.E., director of our Municipal Services team stated “Joellyn’s expertise and prior experience was vital to securing this award for our client and the EHT community.”
Funding for WalkWorks is provided by DOH through the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant and the State Physical Activity and Nutrition Grant, both from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1PA State WalkWorks Grant Announcement: https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Health-Details.aspx?newsid=1104
2Insider.com Article: https://www.insider.com/living-in-walkable-neighborhood-could-help-you-live-100-study-2020-6.
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