BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY LIVING
Pioneering Healthier Communities (PHC), an initiative of the YMCA’s Activate America™, empowers communities with strategies and models for creating and sustaining positive change in support of healthy living. Communities involved in PHC have enhanced walkability and pedestrian safety, access to fresh fruits and vegetables, physical education requirements in schools, and workplace wellness efforts. just as important, community leaders have come to appreciate the importance of policy changes and environmental developments that, in time, make a major contribution to the good health of community residents.
IL PHC YMCAs:
- Two Rivers YMCA (Moline)
- Prairie Valley Family YMCA (Elgin)
- YMCA of SW Illinois (Belleville)
- YMCA of Rock River Valley (Rockford)
- Greater Peoria YMCA*
- YMCA of Danville*
- High Ridge YMCA of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago*
- YMCAs of DuPage County (Tri Town, BR Ryall, Elmhurst and Indian Boundary YMCAs)*
- Alfred Campanelli YMCA (Schaumburg)*
- Greater Joliet Area YMCA*
- YMCA of Quincy*
- Kankakee Area YMCA*
- Kishwaukee Family YMCA (Sycamore)*
- West Cook YMCA (Oak Park)*
- McGaw YMCA (Evanston)**
- Tri-Town YMCA (Lombard)*
* funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Statewide PHC
** funded by Sam’s Club
STATEWIDE PHC TEAM
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Statewide PHC Teams process of both learning how to engage community leaders and implement effective strategis, as well as leading an effective process that results in positive change.
Dr. Damon Arnold, Director
Illinois Department of Public Health
damon.arnold@illinois.gov
Elissa Bassler, CEO
Illinois Public Health Institute
elissa.bassler@iphionline.org
Adam Becker, Executive Director
CLOCC (Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children)
ABBecker@childrensmemorial.org
Jim Braun, Council Member, State Alliance PHC Project External Coach
Illinois Local Food Farms and Jobs Council
jbraun2525@yahoo.com
David Buchner, Professor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
dbucher@illinois.edu
Richard Clegg, Resource Director
YMCA of the USA
richard.clegg@ymca.net
Mary Elsner, Director, Obesity Prevention Initiatives
Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
meisner@illinoisaap.com
Melody Geraci, Deputy Executive Director
Active Transportation Alliance
melody@activetrans.org
Jill Edelblute, Policy Advocate
Illinois State Alliance of YMCA
jedelblute@ymcachicago.org
Rick Reigner, CEO and State Project Manager
Prairie Valley YMCA
rreigner@elginymca.org