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SHELBY — District Health Department #10 (DHD#10), in partnership with Trinity Health Shelby, is inviting families in Oceana County to participate in Healthy Weight and Your Child (HWYC), a free, 15-week program designed to help children and their families build lifelong healthy habits.
The evidence-based program, developed by YMCA of the USA, is open to children ages 7-14 and their families. Weekly sessions provide a supportive, small-group environment where participants learn about healthy eating, participate in physical activity and build positive family routines.
Each session includes a shared meal, interactive learning activities and opportunities for families to engage in guided play together.
The goals of the Healthy Weight and Your Child program are to:
• Build confidence and self-esteem in children, especially during a critical growth period in their lives.
• Support families in developing sustainable, healthy habits for the entire family.
• Encourage regular physical activity through fun, family-centered playtime.
Families in Oceana County can enroll in the program through their health care provider or by self-referring at https://www.livewell4health.org/family-healthy-weight-program. Forms and materials are available in English and Spanish.
“Once a participant has self-enrolled or been referred to us through their provider, a staff member will reach out to guide them through the next steps and plug them into the upcoming cohort,” said Katie Haner, community health coordinator at District Health Department #10.
For more information about the Healthy Weight and Your Child program, contact Melissa Reyes at 231-375-7244 or Melissa.Reyes@trinity-health.org.
For questions about DHD#10 community health initiatives, including the REACH program, contact Haner at 231-902-8528 or khaner@dhd10.org.
Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Program, DHD#10 and Trinity Health Shelby are working to make healthy food choices easier, provide safe and accessible physical activity opportunities and increase access to family healthy weight programs.
