Local Efforts towards Addressing Disparities in DeKalb

The Local Efforts towards Addressing Disparities in DeKalb initiative aims to improve health, prevent chronic disease and reduce health disparities among African American and Hispanic/Latino residents in target census tracts. It is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of their Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program. 

REACH focuses on making policy, systems, and environmental changes to promote physical activity, improve nutrition and increase adult vaccination rates. REACH strategies are:

• Promoting food service and nutrition guidelines and healthy food procurement in facilities, programs and organizations where food is sold, served or distributed.
• Coordinating the use and expansion of fruit and vegetable voucher incentives and produce prescription programs.
• Implementing changes to the built environment to increase walkability, such as updating sidewalks, crosswalks and/or pathways to everyday destinations.
• Implementing a family-based lifestyle change program to help children with overweight or obesity make progress toward a healthier weight. 
• Increasing the awareness of, confidence in, demand for and access to flu, COVID-19 and other recommended adult vaccinations.