HOULTON, Maine — The Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) has selected Houlton and 10 other Maine communities to implement projects in the foundation’s “Healthy Community” grant initiative.
Healthy Houlton, a project of Aroostook County Action Program, will receive $187,500 from this grant.
The grants are part of MeHAF’s work to improve health and promote collaborative, locally led efforts that can help transform communities into supportive environments that enable people to live healthier lives.
MeHAF is awarding $2,059,833 for the eleven three-year projects.
Healthy Houlton has been developed by a wide cross-section of Houlton organizations and residents, including its most vulnerable neighbors, to reduce the problem of childhood obesity. Healthy Houlton works closely with Adopt-A-Block of Aroostook (AABA), a revitalization model based in the faith community.
Thanks in part to AABA’s efforts, Healthy Houlton has created rapport with families who are challenged to make ends meet. Working together on a number of collaborative initiatives, Healthy Houlton is working with families to improve healthy patterns of living including meal choices and even growing their own food.
“Our goal is to empower our vulnerable neighbors to teach equally vulnerable children to grow their own food,” said Alison Gooding, ACAP community education specialist, who oversees the work of Healthy Houlton. “We are confident that Houlton’s unique resources will continue to contribute to the success of this grant.”
For further information on Healthy Houlton, contact Gooding at 207-532-5311 oragooding@acap-me.org.
