North Texas Healthy Communities

Following certification of Fort Worth as a Blue Zones Community in 2019, North Texas Healthy Communities (NTHC) - a well-being outreach arm of Texas Health that implements Blue Zones Project and other best practices - has continued to greatly expand its community health efforts throughout North Texas. Affiliating with under-resourced schools, faith communities, workplaces, and neighborhoods identified by Texas Health's Community Health Needs Assessment, NTHC supports community well-being by fostering equitable and affordable access to healthy foods, promoting mental health, and enhancing literacy success. These three priority areas are integrated with existing Texas Health initiatives to positively impact social determinants of health. Major efforts in 2023 included: * Surpassed more than 1 million pounds of fresh fresh fruits and vegetables provided to high-need communities throughout North Texas since 2020, serving in excess of 157,000 residents. * Doubled its Good For You fresh produce pantry program from 10 to 20 Fort Worth schools and community-based sites through an American Rescue Plan Act grant of $646,000. * Expanded Double Up Food Bucks to seven additional farmers markets and food stands with funding from the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program. * Provided more than 42,900 youth, seniors and residents with 238,354 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables through Fresh Access fresh produce distribution across 21 community centers. * Expanded the Produce Recovery Program and diverted over 190,000 pounds of produce from landfills. * Conducted six school learning garden builds/makeovers, bringing the total number of school gardens supported across North Texas to 38. * Conducted Mental Health First Aid training for 235 participants, bringing the number trained since 2021 to 451. * Supported literacy by putting 19,654 books in the hands of 9,827 students in underserved areas across four counties and six school districts, largely through the hosting of 24 Scholastic Book Fairs. participants, bringing the number trained since 2021 to 451. *Supported literacy by putting 19,654 books in the hands of 9,827 students in underserved areas across four counties and six school districts, largely through the hosting of 24 Scholastic Book Fairs.