The small town of Algoma, Wisconsin, is doing big things. Through the Live Algoma initiative, people and institutions are coming together to set goals and work as a team to address the city’s health and wellness issues.
Explore the complete storyResidents of this county in rural southeastern Kansas are banding together to foster a sense of belonging and create a shared vision of health and enhanced livelihood for all.
Explore the complete storyThis tiny city across the Tobin Bridge from Boston is tackling big urban challenges with innovation and heart.
Explore the complete storyIn Garrett County, Maryland, everyone seems to know everyone, and neighbors band together to bridge economic, cultural and health divides.
Explore the complete storyStakeholders from across Richmond, Virginia, are coming together to create agency and opportunity for all residents, empowering them to make healthy choices and forge pathways out of poverty.
Explore the complete storyHaving weathered tough times during the recession, the people of San Pablo, California, have drawn a direct line between economic well-being and health.
Explore the complete storySeneca Nation of Indians in western New York infuses its cultural strength and resilience into wide-ranging efforts to improve health.
Explore the complete storyCitizens of Vicksburg, Mississippi, are coming together to set priorities and focus on core issues like decreasing the obesity rate and improving children's learning environment.
Explore the complete storyTwenty-four contiguous municipalities northwest of St. Louis, M.O., embrace an “all-for-one” approach to heal their community.
Explore the complete storyTo bridge disparities, the people of the Columbia Gorge Region, a 2016 RWJF Culture of Health Prize winner, turned an ordinary requirement from Oregon lawmakers into an extraordinary opportunity to improve the health and wellness of all residents.
Explore the complete storyCollaboration, data driven decision-making, and a shared commitment to health anchor efforts in Louisville.
Explore the complete storyIn the largest city in northern New England, public officials and private sector leaders have taken a data-driven, block-by-block approach to better health.
Explore the complete storyA vibrant, collaborative, and coordinated approach to improved health is happening across a diverse Miami-Dade County, where 51 percent of its almost 2.7 million residents are foreign-born and at least 79 cultures are represented within its borders.
Explore the complete storySanta Monica has been building an inclusive, equitable, and diverse community for more than 40 years. The City is taking a data-driven approach to become a true City of Wellbeing where everyone thrives.
Explore the complete storyFor years, members of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe had to drive 70 miles to see a doctor. Now, the Tribe's holistic approach to health led them to open a Wellness Center, encourage youth leaders and come together for emergency preparedness.
Explore the complete storyInnovative “green” strategies have revitalized Bridgeport and created a healthy, sustainable environment. The transformation has not only boosted the economy, but is also leading to new schools, housing, green spaces—and opportunities for health.
Explore the complete storyThe people of Everett, Mass., did not wait for a crisis to address racial justice, immigration and assimilation. They dealt with the issues head-on.
Explore the complete storyKansas City is creating a safe, healthy environment for all its residents by addressing what impacts health. Over the past decade, life expectancy improved for all. The gap between white and African-American residents was reduced from 6.5 to 5 years.
Explore the complete storyLawrence is making schools a community hub where parents get help for their children and financial and employment guidance for themselves. This has helped to raise the high school graduation rate from 52% in 2011 to 67% last year.
Explore the complete storyMenominee Nation is improving health by reclaiming traditional culture and using trauma-specific interventions to foster healing from historical losses. As a result, 4-year graduation rates increased from less than 60% in 2007 to nearly 99% in 2014.
Explore the complete storyThe Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced the eight winners of the 2015 RWJF Culture of Health Prize, which honors communities that are working to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live a longer, healthier, and more productive life.
Explore the complete storyData driven decision making, partnerships, and collective impact—that is the Spartanburg way. They are connecting low-income residents to medical homes and support for the social determinants of health, resulting in a 42% drop in hospital costs.
Explore the complete storyResidents and organizations of the Bronx have united to revitalize everything from jobs and schools to housing and the environment. From 1985 to 2013, life expectancy at birth increased by 9.7 and 6.5 years for Bronx men and women, respectively.
Explore the complete storyThe Waaswaaganing Anishinaabeg (Lac du Flambeau) Tribe is drawing on cultural traditions to strengthen well-being. A youth program uses practices steeped in the Ojibwe language to improve school attendance and redirect at-risk youth.
Explore the complete storyBrownsville is highly successful in promoting active lifestyles and demonstrates the strength of community partnerships in action.
Explore the complete storyBy creating a broad collaboration of community partners, Buncombe County is on a path to long-term and sustainable change.
Explore the complete storyTo build a healthier community, Durham County is harnessing locally driven revitalization efforts to address the many factors that impact health.
Explore the complete storyRecognizing the powerful impact education has on long-term health, Spokane is improving health by expanding educational opportunities that empower young people.
Explore the complete storyThe Taos Pueblo community of northern New Mexico is drawing on its cultural traditions to address modern challenges.
Explore the complete storyIn the heart of central Appalachia coal country, Williamson is committed to improving health and expanding economic development.
Explore the complete storyCambridge—best known for its world-renowned universities—is improving health equity by addressing public health challenges like obesity and school readiness. Cambridge is one the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize.
Explore the complete storyFall River, Massachusetts is one of the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.
Explore the complete storyManistique, Michigan is one of the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.
Explore the complete storyMinneapolis, Minnesota is one of the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.
Explore the complete storyNew Orleans, Louisiana, is one of the six inaugural winners of the RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.
Explore the complete storySanta Cruz County, California is one of the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.
Explore the complete storyFrom opening a county hospital to carving a network of biking and hiking rails, Allen County residents put their all into boosting health and wellness.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Allen County, Kansas / Rural
In Algoma, employers are active partners in efforts to meet the needs of the community and promote health and well-being for all.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Algoma, Wisconsin / Rural
To address intergenerational trauma and its effects, Seneca Nation of Indians bolsters programs that emphasize healing and forgiveness.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Seneca Nation of Indians (New York) / Tribal
To help families build wealth, Richmond is working to expand employment possibilities, supporting individuals along the way. The city has committed to reducing overall poverty by 40 percent by 2030.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Richmond, Virginia / Urban
From the local senior center to the police department, San Pablo institutions are working to foster community connections across cultural and generational lines.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: San Pablo, California / Urban
The Vicksburg Community Garden Park, a stone’s throw from the Mississippi River, shines as an example of how groups in Vicksburg are working together to capitalize on the city’s existing resources.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Vicksburg, Mississippi / Suburban
Rural Garrett County takes advantage of copious natural resources to bolster education, environmental health and well-being, physical activity, and community cohesion.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Garrett County, Maryland / Rural
Nonprofit, business and government partners are working together to make Chelsea a greener, and, therefore, healthier place.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Chelsea, Massachusetts / Urban
The Seneca Nation of Indians has taken a strong stand on conservation and sustainability in its territories, working to preserve its land, water, and native plants and animals and keep alive its members' traditional connection to nature.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Seneca Nation of Indians (New York) / Tribal
Frank discussions and concrete actions are key to promoting health equity in Allen County.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Allen County, Kansas / Rural
In corner stores and urban farms, the movement to improve food equity in Richmond is gaining steam.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Richmond, Virginia / Urban
In Chelsea, there’s a strong understanding that health touches every aspect of people’s lives and that citywide policies can have a big impact.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Chelsea, Massachusetts / Urban
Richmond has recognized that getting to the root of public-housing residents’ health and social problems means changing the environment in which they live.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Richmond, Virginia / Urban
For Seneca Nation of Indians, language and traditional foods are tools of well-being.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Seneca Nation of Indians (New York) / Tribal
Garrett County’s “leave no one behind” attitude has led to creative and innovative solutions aimed at expanding educational and economic opportunity.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Garrett County, Maryland / Rural
Algoma’s school district plays a leadership role in addressing health issues and rallying people around the mission of the Live Algoma initiative.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Algoma, Wisconsin / Rural
Change in Allen County often starts with one person and an idea that spreads.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Allen County, Kansas / Rural
Weekly meetings and regular cross pollination are helping police, social service providers and other collaborators in Chelsea reach people whose lives have been upended by drugs, violence, and homelessness.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Chelsea, Massachusetts / Urban
An annual walk through Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates African Americans who fought in the Civil War—and highlights Vicksburg residents' shared history across racial lines.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Vicksburg, Mississippi / Suburban
A constellation of traveling services shortens distances for residents of rural Garrett County.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Garrett County, Maryland / Rural
Partners in San Pablo are on a mission to put more residents to work by improving their readiness for employment, training them for new skills, and encouraging entrepreneurial efforts.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: San Pablo, California / Urban
On the frontlines of promoting health and well-being in Vicksburg are educators who are promoting everything from universal pre-K to better college and career preparation.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Vicksburg, Mississippi / Suburban
Through a youth commission and education efforts by the police, San Pablo is cultivating a new generation of leaders and engaging younger people in the direction of their community.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: San Pablo, California / Urban
To reverse a “dream deficit” among Algoma’s youth, Mayor Wayne Schmidt appointed high school students to community committees to help them gain a voice and a sense of purpose.
Explore the sidebarPart of Tue Sep 19 08:45:00 EDT 2017 Winner: Algoma, Wisconsin / Rural
Part of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal
55,000 Degrees is one of four organizations with lead roles in a continuum of programs that begin with preschool and bolster education and training for Louisville residents beyond their high school and post-secondary graduations.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban
Nonprofit 24:1 Community Land Trust uses a variety of subsidies to make home ownership affordable for people who would otherwise be locked out of the market.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban
Santa Monica requires developers to set aside a percentage of newly constructed units for affordable housing, using a sliding scale that depends on the overall number of units.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban
The Shoalwater Bay tribal elder participates in Federal Emergency Management Agency-sponsored drills on how to manage a tsunami emergency and prepares tribe members for how to react.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal
Artists can impact health in surprising ways.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban
Many organizations would not have the resources to research funding opportunities or to apply for grants on their own. But collectively, the Columbia Gorge Region found success, securing close to $3 million in public and private grants since 2014.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural
The concept of compassion became an intrinsic element of the city’s policy agenda when Mayor Greg Fischer made it one of his three top priorities—alongside job creation and health promotion—when he took office in 2011.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban
Founded in 1960, Camillus House provides whatever services are needed to help Miami-Dade’s more than 4,000 homeless residents move into permanent homes.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban
Residents, businesses, and leaders in health care, education and human services banded together to provide a “cradle-to-college” support system for children in Liberty City, with services ranging from neonatal nutrition to college prep classes.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban
In a shed on the reservation, Davis teaches young members how to shape logs and planks into images and characters from the legends he heard as a child. Other members teach basket-making or show children how to identify edible plants in the wild.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal
When Manchester, N.H., rolled out its Neighborhood Health Improvement Strategy, volunteers of Granite United Way seized an opportunity to shake up their organization’s investment in the city and boost its impact on health and well-being.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban
Programs Achieving Quality, or PAQ, run by the St. Louis nonprofit United 4 Children in the 24:1 footprint, gives childcare providers, whether center- or home-based, the resources to create the best learning environment possible for young children.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban
Moviegoers buy tickets at the 24:1 Cinema on Page Ave. in Pagedale, which was constructed with the assistance of Beyond Housing to revitalize commerce downtown
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban
A dozen North St. Louis County mayors and city representatives discuss matters at their monthly gathering: their struggling school district, whether they should jointly bid on computer networking and security services, the cost of road salt.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban
At the city’s community schools, the Granite YMCA offers free health and fitness programs in neighborhoods where people have little access to gyms or exercise facilities.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban
Miami-Dade County offers free activities and services to promote good health among its oldest residents.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban
"Veggie Rx" participants receive a monthly packet of vouchers worth $30 and can use them at 10 farmers’ markets or 29 grocery stores, but only to buy whole fruits and vegetables.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural
The more Latinos become involved in leadership positions around the region, the more effective the community will be at addressing their challenges.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural
Community representatives worked in tandem with a panel of health care professionals to arrive at the top 10 priorities for improving the region’s collective well-being.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural
Community health workers help people connect to services in all aspects of their lives, not just housing.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural
NeighborWorks® Southern New Hampshire has helped thousands of people break the cycle of poverty and improve their financial stability through either home ownership or providing quality affordable rental housing.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban
The Miami-Dade Parks Department teamed up with the University of Miami Health System to create Fit2Play, which is a health, wellness and obesity prevention after-school program.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban
As part of the Cradle to Career initiative, Santa Monica High School soon will have a new Thrive Center, offering mental health screening, coordinated care for the most at-risk students and a range of well-being interventions.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban
Each Manchester NH Fire Station is a designated safe environment for individuals who need help getting started with substance recovery.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban
In 2014, the state created a new governing body for the district, the Normandy Schools Collaborative, with a mandate to meet accreditation standards by 2017.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban
Virginia Avenue Park now boasts a new Pico Branch Library, a teen center, a fitness center with a boxing ring and dance studio for Zumba classes, and meeting spaces for after-school enrichment classes or birthday parties.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban
Miami-Dade is carving out more space for playgrounds, walking and cycling throughout the city.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban
Manchester set up two community schools which bring in health care, social services, family support and community-building activities to support the surrounding neighborhoods.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban
Every day from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m., pairs of specially trained officers reach out to homeless individuals on the streets of Santa Monica, Calif.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban
The opening of the seven-stop Expo rail line in May 2016, which connects downtown Los Angeles with seaside Santa Monica, prompted planners to take a closer look at travel patterns in the city.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban
One of the most sobering inequities in Louisville, Ky., may be that its most dangerous neighborhoods have violent crime rates 35 times higher than the safest ones.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban
Whatever it does, the Shoalwater tribe puts out the welcome mat for neighbors from surrounding communities.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal
The Pulling Together for Wellness group meets to discuss ideas for improving the tribe’s health and well-being.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal
Young people at YouthBuild Louisville do their daily chores, picking weeds in the garden and courtyard of their LEED-certified green campus—just one beat in the rhythm of this 16-year-old vocational training, education and community service program.
Explore the sidebarPart of Wed Sep 14 09:00:00 EDT 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban