LiveWell Greenville celebrates making community 'a healthier place to live'

A few years ago, the idea of a group in Greenville County working to improve the health of the community was just that - only an idea.

Then LiveWell Greenville was launched. And with multiple successes under its belt, the organization now boasts a considerable presence in the community.

This year, it celebrates its fifth anniversary, with plans to expand its reach even farther.

“We got our start as a result of the 2008 childhood obesity report,” Sally Wills, executive director of the group, told The Greenville News.

“The Piedmont Health Foundation pulled a group of partners together who said somebody ought to do something about that. And we became that somebody,” she said. “And we’ve grown from 10-12 partners to 150 in that time. That’s a big change over five years, helping to make Greenville a healthier place to live.”

LiveWell Greenville, a partnership of public and private groups, decided to tackle several areas - schools, after-school time, the workplace, houses of worship, health care, parks and recreation, access to healthy foods, and active transportation such as biking and walking, Wills said.

And according to the group, the need is clear.

Only two of 10 middle school students and 15 percent of high school students eat five or more fruits and vegetables a day as recommended. And seven in 10 children older than 6 watch television one to three hours a day, while 30 percent of middle school students and 58 percent of high school students don’t attend a physical education class during an average school week.

“For us ... the focus has always been on how we make it easier for people to make the healthy choice in being active or the food they eat,” Wills said. “We always tried to set policy or change the physical environment or the system to make it easier for people to make the healthy choice.”

Better options

The group advocated for healthier foods in school cafeterias instead of the ubiquitous pizza, hot dogs and ice cream, for example. That led to scratch-made meals with higher nutritional values in all 85 Greenville County schools, as well as healthier options at school fundraisers and celebrations, she said.

“Another really exciting thing is that over 50 out-of-school time programs have committed to the LiveWell model, with healthy snacks and physical activity built into day,” she said.

“The old model gives kids Cheetos and Kool-Aid and asks them to sit and do their homework,” she added. “Now they get healthier snacks, fresh fruit, and many built in policies where the kids are not sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time.”

Using research from Furman University, LiveWell pushed for healthier grocery stores in areas identified as food deserts - regions without adequate access to healthy, fresh foods - which are located mainly in the northern-, southern- and western-most parts of county, Wills said.

That resulted in Mill Village Farms opening a store offering fresh fruits and vegetables in West Greenville, she said. Five new community gardens and six new mobile market stops were established as well, providing alternatives to convenience stores and fast food restaurants.

Another study identified the region’s play deserts - areas without playgrounds or parks, or those in disrepair, or not safe for children.

“Not surprisingly, they’re in the same neighborhoods as the food deserts,” Wills said. “These are the poorer and more rural neighborhoods.”

That initiative resulted in a plan to increase play in these areas in partnership with the county and the city of Greenville, according to the group.

Making an impact

Meanwhile, the number of churches involved in LiveWell at Worship, which focuses on setting nutrition standards and physical activity goals among Greenville’s faith communities, has doubled to 14.

“It’s really growing,” Wills said. “Amazing things are happening at the churches.”

Last year, 15 work sites won awards for their healthy workplace policies, she said. For example, Christ Church Episcopal School offers teachers a free salad bar, a policy that also serves to make teachers role models for healthy eating.

Katy Smith, executive director of the Piedmont Health Foundation, said that LiveWell’s impact has surpassed all expectations.

“Five years ago, we hoped that our community partnerships would result in healthier school lunches, in after-school programs and summer camps entertaining kids with fun games and exercise instead of video games, and faith communities nourishing their members’ bodies as well as their souls,” she said.

“So to see that so many of these ambitions have come true is tremendously gratifying,” she added. “The healthy choice is becoming not just the easy choice, but the default. This is how we will create a healthier next generation.”

Other initiatives are in the works as well as the group continues to expand, Wills said. A ninth group is in development that will focus on early childhood. And LiveWell is in talks with convenience stores to label their healthy foods.

“A lot of our work to date has been very global,” she said. “As we move into the future ... we want to make sure we’re making an impact in the places that need it the most.”

LiveWell Greenville will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Feb. 5 at the TD Convention Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Learn more at CelebrateLiveWell.eventbrite.com.

Learn more about LiveWell Greenville at livewellgreenville.org.