Health is multifaceted and includes our social and emotional well-being, the health of our bodies and minds, what we eat, how we move and where we live. I’m reminded now more than ever of the importance of caring for our health and well-being and of the shared value of community health.
Community is a verb! It’s how we take care of one another and strive for wellness together. Our health and well-being impact every aspect of our lives and how we show up in the world every day. Nothing could be more important.
As Maya Angelou says: “When you know better you do better.”
Community health programs; getting kids and adults active and out into nature; keeping seniors connected and engaged; offering multicultural cooking education and nutrition classes; and providing panel discussions with medical experts on critical public health topics such as adolescent suicide, human trafficking, resilience, racism, social determinants of health, and many other topics all serve to educate, elevate and empower individuals to know better and do better – both for ourselves and for the broader community!
Our health is indispensable not just for us personally but for our community as a whole.
The COVID 19 pandemic was disruptive and devastating on many levels. However, it provided the opportunity for reflection and prioritization. The value and benefit of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness are now more apparent than ever. As we all struggled and muddled our way through fear, separation, loss, sadness, grief and the inability to live as we once had, the value and benefit of our shared community health came into focus.
Health is a necessary component in productivity, happiness, creativity, joy and life purpose. The way community members support and care for one another contributes to the total wellness of each individual and the community as a whole. When we care for and are responsible to one another, communities preserve health and provide conditions for people to become and stay healthy and to live productive, meaningful, joy-filled lives.
Here are just a few brief statistics that demonstrate the many ways that we are caring for one another with a focus on health and wellness. Here’s to living your very best life!
Healthy New Albany Community Programs
- # of community programs offered: 353 (That’s 29 a month!)
- # of attendees at Lunch & Learn public health panel discussions: 269
- # of NEW Nature programs: 52 programs with 96 participants
- # of people that received mental health education/programming at HNA: 70
– A program in partnership with the City of New Albany
- # of Senior Connection members (age 55+): 123
HNA Volunteers
- # of volunteer hours logged in 2021: 6,018 hours
Student Interns
- # of interns and Senior Seminar students working on community programs at HNA and food pantry (from OSU, Columbus Academy, NAPLS): 19 – and they were so awesome!
HNA Food Pantry – There are GOOD things happening here!
- # of pantry meals served in 2021: 146,565 (includes summer meals, holiday meals, school break meals, etc)
- # of new NAPLS families visiting the pantry in 2021: 93
- # of Rosetta Stone English Language Learners (ELL) participants: 20
- 1 pantry client enrolling at Columbus State Community College after completing ELL program!
- 1 pantry client took a full-time job as a result of the ELL program!
- # of pounds of donated food to pantry: 61,000 pounds
- Estimated monetary value of donated food: $122,000
HNA Farmers Market – Supporting our local farmers and providing fresh produce to the community!
- Average total vendor sales per week during the 2021 summer season: $12,354
- # of vendors at 2021 Summer Farmers Market: 77
2021 HNA Races – Getting kids, families and individuals active!
- # of student participants in NAPLS Kids Walk at the Early Learning Center: 530
- # of race participants each year: 3000+
