As we mentioned in our previous blog post we have three areas of focus – Education, Income, and Health and Wellness. Many have asked us why we chose these platforms and what we want to accomplish, so we decided to write a little bit about each one. This blog post will focus on Health and Wellness.
Our goal in Health and Wellness is to create a thriving community, and promoting a healthy and safe lifestyle for people of all ages. Why health and wellness? In Erie County, 25% of the adult population is obese, 40% of 5th graders in Buffalo Public Schools are overweight, and 22% of seniors experience problems with medical care, and nearly 1 in every 4 women experiences domestic violence in her life time.
We fund local programs that help those in need with preventive and routine health care, maternal and infant health care, offer support for those abused, provide transportation to doctors appointments, pharmacies, or grocery stores, and educate people on nutrition, physical activity, and healthy eating.
Last year alone 29,000 people in Buffalo and Erie County benefited from these health and wellness services available by United Way funded programs!
Stay tuned for follow-up posts with information about specific funded programs within each platform!
Living United: Buffalo & Erie County 