Healthy Savannah, in collaboration with the City of Savannah, is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Healthy Communities Mini Grant Program. This is the third year the non- profit organization has awarded these grants to deserving organizations. Through the program a total of $5,000 will be distributed amongst the winners and is intended to fund initiatives that result in sustainable environmental and/or policy change which promotes physical activity or improves nutrition for the community.

Those selected include Design for Ability, Girls on the Run, Memorial Health, Mercer University School of Medicine student Megan Papierniak, Savannah Urban Garden Alliance and Savannah Food Policy Council.

The Healthy Savannah Healthy Communities Project strives to combat the obesity epidemic in our community and the chronic diseases which contribute to it (including diabetes, heart disease and stroke). By increasing physical activity and eating healthier this disease can be prevented.

When selecting the recipients, applicants were asked to provide services which correspond with the Mini Grant Program’s three priorities. The priorities include increasing the number of active community environments, providing access to health-promoting foods and increasing the number of people who have access to low cost or free recreational opportunities.

“On behalf of Healthy Savannah, I am pleased to award mini-grants to these deserving organizations. They all are doing great work. The health of our community is a top priority of Healthy Savannah and the YMCA and I believe that this funding will provide these groups with the opportunity to make an even larger impact locally”, said Joel Smoker, Volunteer Chair of Healthy Savannah and Chief Operating Officer of the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. He added, “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, the work you continue to do for our city is truly life changing”.