Why we need Good for Life– facts and statistics

How Good For Life works

Partners in Good for Life

Good for Life has many partners, including recreation facilities, parenting support agencies, youth groups, workplaces, hospitals, and numerous other community agencies, businesses and volunteers.

Community committees exist in Barrie-Springwater and North West Simcoe Lake Country, Clearview-Collingwood-Wasaga Beach, Southwest Simcoe and Southeast Simcoe. Local partners can access funding through Good for Life to support activities and resources to assist their local community in making healthy lifestyle choices.

Our partners in Good for Life commit time and resources to help communities make the healthy choice the easy choice.

Here are some examples of initiatives supported by the local Good for Life committees in 2006:

Community Kitchen Start-Up Support in South Simcoe
Active Parking Zones Signage in North West Simcoe
Provision of physical activity equipment for participating secondary and elementary schools in area Mayor’s Walks in Lake Country, South East Simcoe and North West Simcoe
Signage and promotional resources for the Bruce Trail
Advertising promotion of the Collingwood Mall Walking Program
Stroller Strider Program established in partnership with the Bayfield Mall in Barrie
Family Programs at the Essa Public Library
Expansion of the Good Food Box to Bradford
Monthly Good Food Box Food/Taste Demonstrations in Barrie, Collingwood, Orillia, Alliston and Midland
Keep Fit Challenge at the Danube Seniors Centre in Bradford
Physical Activity Equipment for the South Simcoe children’s’ programs
10,000 Step Pedometer programs introduced to workplaces, young parent resource centres and recreation programs
Nutrition Education Sessions held in Collingwood schools
Tumbling Tots Playgroup in Innisfil
Racing Against Drugs in Orillia and Midland
Family Fun Day in Collingwood
Construction on the Ramara Trail
Nine Mile Portage Trail Heritage Festival Walk

The value of this voluntary help by partners reaches $90,000 annually – a value that is matched by provincial funding each year by a ratio of two to one.

Programs Supported by Good for Life – 2007

Good for Life’s plan for 2007 identifies target audiences for the year as families with children aged 2-18

Family-Based Healthy Living Events

Partners coordinate community events that attract families and spread the Good for Life messages of being active, eating healthy, being smoke-free, and balancing stress.
Examples: Mayor’s Walks, Jingle Bell Skate, Active Family Challenge and other community events.

Cooking Skill, Nutrition Education
Funds are available for community groups to hire a registered dietitian or community food advisor to lead cooking skill or nutrition education sessions for children, youth and/or parents. Topics could include safe food handling, healthy cooking on a budget, and making quick, healthy meals and snacks. Please refer to Nutrition Guidelines and Checklist under Tools for Partners for the parameters of these sessions.

Food Access
Support for community partners engaged in programs that address food access and security issues such as Good Food Box and community kitchens and gardens.

Simcoe County Farm-Fresh — Buy Local
An initiative that provides listings of Simcoe County’s pick-your-own farms, farmers’ markets and other local fresh food venues. For more information, check out www.simcoecountyfarmfresh.ca

Community Access to Information
Support for resources and programming in libraries and other community agencies that provide resources to the community. Includes resource purchases, after-school programs, educational workshops and pedometer loan packs.

Active Environments
Support for trail promotion events, maintenance, signage and mapping. Active Fun Kits have been purchased and are available throughout Simcoe County. Click here for more information on the Active Fun Kits.

Workplace Health Network
Support for a Simcoe County-wide group that promotes and supports healthy workplace initiatives as well as provides professional development and educational opportunities related to workplace health. An annual recognition awards program is offered. Please click on Simcoe County Workplace Wellness Network for more information.

School Initiatives

Healthy Schools Approach

Good for Life provides funding to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit School Working Group to offer a Healthy Schools Strategy to elementary and secondary schools across Simcoe County. Four key messages that will support school communities to be healthier include:

Be Aware of the benefits of healthy living.

Be Involved with your school community to help support healthy lifestyles.

Make it Easy to be active, eat healthy and be sun-safe.

Speak out for changes that will make your school a healthier place.

Tobacco Programs

Quit and Win 2007
A province-wide contest that supports individuals to quit smoking through the opportunity to win great prizes.

Tobacco Industry Denormalization Campaign
A communications campaign that encourages the community to take action to prevent the sale and supply of cigarettes to youth.

Youth “Stomp Out Tobacco” Media Project
A community initiative geared towards engaging and mobilizing the passion and skill of youth ages 13-18 within the secondary school system to create and develop their own anti-tobacco media messages.

More information

For information about the healthy lifestyle project or becoming a partner call Good for Life project Coordinator Julie Cloutier (705)721-7520 or email julie.cloutier@smdhu.org.