“At first it was hard for me to finish walking a lap around the track and now, after 8 weeks, I not only finish, but I run part of it"
- Marta, Sunnyvale Resident

Neighborhood Wellness Walks™ gather communities for healthy activity and create social connectedness. This volunteer-driven effort creates sustainable wellness activities in any neighborhood. Our goal is to create a culture of healthy living by implementing weekly walks and building support networks.

Through community outreach, motivation, and practical tools, Generations starts up Neighborhood Wellness Walks and workshops in your community. We have created a simple “Neighborhood Wellness Walks Manual” and training for residents interested in getting their neighborhood moving. The following is an excerpt from the manual:

“We would like to thank you for your dedication to your neighborhood and for making a difference in the lives of the families in your community. Families will look forward to walking together, meeting new neighbors and building a sense of community. As a leader, you have the opportunity to make this project your own. We encourage you to take this framework and build a unique neighborhood event. We are here to help you get started and connect you to resources”

Our children are developing Type 2 diabetes at alarming rates and are on track to be the first generation have a shorter life expectancy that their parents. Neighborhood Wellness Walks™ bring environmental change to neighborhoods, offering a solution to the obesity and Type 2 Diabetes epidemic plaguing our communities.

Partners

Generations Community Wellness (Generations), the agency spearheading Neighborhood Wellness Walks™, partners with a growing number of agencies to make these events possible. The agencies include, but are not limited to, Healthy Silicon Valley, Indian Health Center, City of San Jose, Parks and Recreation Department and Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, Second Harvest Food Bank, The Health Trust, Olinder Neighborhood Association, Santa Clara County Office of Education, and School Health Clinics of Santa Clara County, City of Sunnyvale Community Services, Kaiser Santa Clara, FIRST 5, Santa Clara County Health Department and many others…

Results

After 6 weeks of the Columbia Neighborhood Wellness Walks and workshops sponsored by Kaiser Santa Clara, residents reported:

• 80% increase in knowledge about physical activity and fruit and healthy foods
• 73% increase in physical activity
• 80% increase in fruit and vegetable consumption
• 86% increase in awareness about available community resources
• 100% are more likely to use the Columbia Middle School track for exercise

If you would like more information on how to bring Neighborhood Wellness Walks to your community please email us at info@gteams.org or call 408.736.8326.