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What Can You Do to Make Your Community Healthier?As a community member, you have the power to advocate for healthy changes where you live. Start by bringing together a group of friends and neighbors, and talking about what needs to change. Share your vision with neighborhood groups, elected officials and the agencies in your city or town that are responsible for the areas that need improvement. Change is possible – and as a matter of fact, community advocates have made great strides all around the country. We've provided some stories of Massachusetts communities that have been successful in making healthy changes. As a policy maker, you’re in a unique position to implement changes that make your community healthier. Creating healthy environments cannot be done by any one organization. Take the opportunity to work with community coalitions to identify and prioritize changes. Bring together a cross-section of agencies including planning, housing, transportation, schools, public health and public safety to address the issues in a comprehensive way. Consider public-private partnerships to help make policies and initiatives a reality. Whether you are a policy maker or an interested community member, below are some resources that can help you get started. Promising Strategies for Creating Healthy Eating and Active Living Environments Strategies for Enhancing the Built Environment Make Your Community More Bikeable Make Your Community More Walkable Start “Walk/Ride Days” through the Green Streets Initiative Healthy Eating by Design Start a Community Garden Learn from Communities Who Have Taken Steps in the Right Direction |
This information is provided by the Department of Public Health.






