Community Stories

Health improvement efforts from around the country

Where everyone chips in to improve health: How United Way of Greater Lafayette helps channel community assets

February 17, 2015

Fundraising can certainly be a challenge for community health improvement efforts, but in Tippecanoe County, IN, an interconnection of resources has proven to be...

Building a Business Case for Better Health: Allen County, OH

March 11, 2013

In Lima, OH, located in Allen County, community leaders are discovering the economic benefits of building a healthy, attractive community for residents to live...

PART II: Holmes County, Mississippi’s Ambassadors for Health

March 11, 2013

As Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only...

Maec Waewaenon: Giving Thanks and Improving Health in Menominee County, Wisconsin

December 6, 2012

Proud of their Menominee tribal culture and history, residents and leaders in Menominee County responded to being ranked 72nd of 72 counties by redoubling...

Part III: Collaborating to Improve Community Safety in Genesee County, Michigan

December 6, 2012

Public safety is an important component of every community’s overall health. In Flint, MI, located in Genesee County, the violent crime rate is over...

Working Together Creatively to Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice

September 4, 2012

Twenty years ago George Sedlacek, the Director of Community Health inMarquette County, MI, was lambasted in the local news as a “health Nazi.” Now...

In San Bernardino, CA, County Health Department Takes Lead to Improve Area’s Poor Health Ranking

April 4, 2012

The 2011 County Health Rankings ranked San Bernardino County—which spans more than 20,000 square miles and a population of more than 2 million—50th out...

Fostering a Culture of Health and Wellness in Hernando, Miss.

April 3, 2012

The 2011 County Health Rankings classified Desoto County as the healthiest county in Mississippi for health outcomes and the fifth-healthiest county for health factors...

Nashville Eyes Economic Benefits of Healthy Communities

November 15, 2011

In Davidson County, Mayor Karl Dean and public health officials are moving forward to make Nashville a healthier, more livable city by improving opportunities...

How a Low Ranking on Health Mobilized Wyandotte County, Kansas

March 21, 2011

Wyandotte County, Kansas has made significant strides toward achieving public health since it finished in the bottom of the 2010 Kansas County Health Rankings.