LiveWell Communities: Collaborating for the Benefit of Community Health in Tough Economic Times

1. LiveWell Communities:Collaborating for the Benefit of Community Health in Tough Economic Times APA Colorado Friday, October 4th, 2012 Snowmass Village

2. LiveWell Colorado LiveWell Colorado is a non-profit organization committed to reducing and preventing obesity among all Coloradans by promoting healthy eating and active living in the places we live, work, learn and play.

3. Introductions • Rachel Cleaves, Colorado Center for Community Development, UCD • Lisa Malde, LiveWell Chaffee County • Melissa Trecoske Houghton, LiveWell Longmont • Wendy Peters Moschetti, WPM Consulting • Who is in the room?

4. LiveWell Westwood: Grassroots Partnerships for a Healthy Built Environment By Rachel Cleaves LiveWell Westwood Community Coordinator

5. Social Determinants of Health in Westwood, Denver • Demographics • 80% Latino • 50% Spanish-speaking • Built Environment Factors • Wide streets / Narrow sidewalks • Few walkable destinations • Very under-served for parks / rec • High levels of litter and graffiti • Dark streets and alleys • No grocery store • No community center

6. Mission LiveWell Westwood increases safe and affordable active living and healthy eating for all who live, work, play, and learn in Westwood. LiveWell Westwood is funded by LiveWell Colorado for approximately $1 million dollars over 7 years

7. Needs & Assets

8. Needs & Assets

9. Westwood Unidos Values • Residents at Center • Inclusive • Democratic • Transparent • Uniting • Listen for what to do

10. Asset-Based Approach Listening Conversations Resident-Centered Organization Formed Action Committees to work on the projects residents’ identified • Hired 3 residents as “Community Connectors” to connect with other residents • Conducted hundreds of “Listening Conversations” • Identified community leaders and invited them to participate

11. Westwood Unidos • Leadership Team • Guides process • Awards mini-grants Built Environment Action Committee Safety Action Committee Youth Action Committees Education Center Action Committee Food Access Action Committee

12. Westwood Unidos Lead Organizations Denver Foundation $25,000 Urban Land Conservancy $25,000 LiveWell Westwood $50,000 Extreme Community Makeover BuCu West Business Association Revision International Partner Organizations Denver Community Planning Denver City Council Gang Reduction Initiative $10,000 Denver Parks and Rec $4,500

13. Parks and Rec Partnership • 2009: The 1.2 AC site was purchased with a GOCO Land Acquisition Grant & a Community Development Block Grant in a transaction through Trust for Public Land. • 2010-2011: Extensive clean-up of the site included the demolition of the existing trailer homes & bar & environmental clean-up. • 2012: The design consultant, Stream Design LLC, was hired for the planning & design of the new neighbor-hood park. • DPR partnered w/ LiveWell Westwood to assist with community outreach.

14. Provided $4,500 Hired 2 community residents Surveyed door-to-door within ¼ mile Distributed surveys through schools, churches Met with school children Parks and Rec Partnership

15. Surveys and data collection

16. Public Meetings Up to 70 – 80 residents attending meetings Residents personally invited through a phone call and postcard Display boards used pictures for all literacy levels and languages Pizza, simultaneous translation, and childcare were provided for busy and diverse families

17. Educational Center Residents teach sewing, zumba, nutrition, English. 200 students per week within 2 weeks Residents expressed desire for educational, training, and community center Through WU network, a community space was donated Mon - Thurs ULC is working to identify a permanent community center property, and dialogue is starting with Parks & Rec

18. Other City / LWW Partnerships: • Sidewalks widened around Munroe Elementary • Morrison Road corridor plan conducted • Bike lanes installed and traffic calming measures implemented • Neighborhood Plan process slated to begin soon in partnership between Westwood Unidos and Planning Department

19. Conclusion Think outside the box: diverse residents, city agencies, and organizations often have common goals. Taking a resident-centered approach increases opportunities for funding and partnership. City agencies can connect in a meaningful way to residents by working with strong resident-led organizations.

20. HEAL and the Built Environment

21. HEAL Guides • Rural and Small Town Communities • Identify, preserve, and promote land for human food production • Make every kitchen a community kitchen • Promote healthy food retail of all shapes and sizes • Urban and Suburban Communities • Review regulatory impediments to urban agriculture • Use zoning to mitigate unhealthy food retail • Strengthen support for backyard gardens www.livewellcolorado.org/ruralhealguide  www.livewellcolorado.org/urbanhealguide

22. www.livewellcolorado.org/HEALlibrary HEAL Library

23. Key Topics • Bicycling • Walking • Trails and Parks • Complete Streets • School Environments • Community Food Production • Food Processing and Distribution • Healthy Food Retailing

24. Contribute to the Library • Visit www.livewellcolorado.org/heallibrary • Sharing relevant codes, ordinances, resolutions, policies and other tools • Email advocacy@livewellcolorado.org – provide the information requested in the Field Definitions

25. Thank You! Please Contact Us! Rachel Cleaves, Rachel.Cleaves@ucdenver.edu Lisa Malde, lmalde@chaffeecounty.org Melissa Trecoske Houghton, mhoughton@longmontymca.org Wendy Peters Moschetti, wendy@wpmconsulting.net