Coplin Health System’s FARMACY program, which brings local produce to community members, received a $966,000 grant to be used over four years. (Photo Provided)
ELIZABETH — To work towards a healthy community, several organizations are coming together to expand services around the region to promote positive lifestyles.
Sarah Barton, senior projects manager for Coplin Health Systems, shared a few updates on this effort.
The project Barton said she is most excited about is the FARMACY program and the $996,000 grant it received to expand the program over the next four years.
The program helps people have access to fresh, local produce and educates community members on how to develop healthy habits.
“The FARMACY program is going to be really comprehensive. It is going to expand the reach and the resources to additional counties,” Barton said.
She enjoys “being able to partner region-wide and address social barriers, develop resources that create efficiencies between all of the organizations in the region that are interested in promoting good overall health.”
A couple projects are coming up in June including the Dash for Diabetes and a new program called Move More MOV.
Launching next month, Move More MOV is an exercise program which offers workout tutorials, community resources and challenges. The website movemoremov.com has information about different activities available in Calhoun, Doddridge, Pleasants, Jackson, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties.
“Our providers are going to start to prescribe healthy exercise to patients, and this is a new resource for them and the community,” Barton said. “We would love to have other clinics join us in this effort and it is open to the whole community.”
The annual Dash for Diabetes 5K walk/run event has been promoting awareness for diabetes by encouraging healthy eating and regular exercise for the past four years. The event will be June 12 at Washington Riverfront Park in Ravenswood.
Registration is open now through May 21 at coplinhealth.com/5k. For people 18 and older, it is $20 to participate. For participants 17 and younger, it is $10. After the May 21 deadline, participation fees increase by $5.
Proceeds will benefit Coplin Health Systems’ diabetes initiative and Ravenswood Recreational Youth program.
With these updates, Barton feels the COVID-19 pandemic helped bring communities together to work towards a common goal.
“The pandemic really demonstrated the strength of community partnerships and because of it, we’ve really been able to expand our services to address a lot of the healthcare care needs and social barriers in the region,” she said. “The best thing is how they’re all focused community wide.”
Candice Black can be reached at [email protected].
