Local Efforts towards Addressing Disparities in DeKalb

The Local Efforts towards Addressing Disparities in DeKalb (LEAD DeKalb) program and its partners implement initiatives to improve nutrition, physical activity and weight management among African Americans and Latinxs in target census tracts. They also work to increase these groups’ vaccine uptake in priority ZIP code areas.

LEAD DeKalb is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through its Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program.

The initiatives 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 policies and activities to connect pedestrian, bicycle and transit networks 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.