In 2014, NRPA embarked on a mission to change the way park and recreation agencies look at health and wellness during out-of-school times. NRPA made a five-year commitment to the Partnership for a Healthier America and officially launched Commit to Health on February 25, 2014 – a campaign that encourages park and recreation facilities to implement healthy eating and physical activity standards.
During those five years, park and recreation agencies committed to implementing the Healthy Eating Physical Activity (HEPA) standards at their OST sites by joining NRPA's Commit to Health campaign. Through the implementation of these standards, over 2,000 park and recreation sites have provided increased access to healthy foods and new opportunities for physical activity for nearly 500,000 youth. In 2019, we celebrated five years of successful implementation, great partnerships and new resources!
Commit to Health and OST programs are still integral parts of NRPA's work, but we're excited to move forward with a focus on community health and wellness. Moving forward, our focus shifts to elevating the role of park and recreation professionals as public health professionals, and how park and recreation agencies are perfectly suited to serve as community wellness hubs, focusing on connecting community members to health and wellness opportunities that support long-term health outcomes.
Our anniversary video touts the collective work that has been accomplished throughout the five-year partnership. Feel free to share this video, embed it on your website or save to a playlist on your own YouTube channel.
How Can You Celebrate Your Commitment to Health?
You can share the anniversary infographic, videos and resources below with your community to spread the word. If you're sharing content on social media, make sure to use #CommittoHealth and tag NRPA in your posts.
Host a celebration event! Treat your kids, families and staff to a fun cooking classes, field day or healthy treat to celebrate your achievements!
Submit a success story with your own Commit to Health story for a chance to be featured on NRPA's Success Story database.
If your park and recreation site hasn't registered to Commit to Health, it's not too late! Sign on to the national movement today!
