The Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Campaign will provide technical assistance to the state’s regional planning commissions to incorporate the recommended interventions outlined in the HEAL NH Action Plan, specifically the section addressing Communities and Municipalities. “This statewide planning will go a long way toward integrating the plan’s concepts of the built environment to create healthy communities,” according to Terry Johnson, HEAL Executive Director. Examples include accessible sidewalks, appropriately placed cross walks, traffic calming techniques and safe parks.

Sandi Van Scoyoc, President of the HNHfoundation, stated the HUD funding “is a huge success for New Hampshire, for the statewide planning community, and for HEAL.  This is one of the most important planning grants ever to come to New Hampshire and it’s a great example of the power of collaboration and leveraging local dollars for maximum impact.”

“We are thrilled to get to work on this innovative effort,” said Kerrie Diers, Executive Director of the Nashua Regional Planning Commission. “We will be working with local communities, regional and state partners to take a comprehensive look at planning for New Hampshire’s future. Housing, transportation, food systems and the built environment are all interdependent issues that we need to look at from local, regional and statewide perspectives.”

According to Diers, the three-year project will create a template by which the state’s nine RPCs can identify local issues and priorities while coordinating technical expertise and public outreach.

The HNHfoundation is New Hampshire's leading funder dedicated to increasing access to health and dental insurance coverage for children and preventing childhood obesity.