By Crystal Swann
March 5, 2012

Lima Mayor David Berger and YMCA Director Jerry Courtney were presented a check by The United States Conference of Mayors and the American Beverage Association to support the City’s Healthy Living Hubs program. Healthy Living Hubs, a mobile produce program, will be established in three selected neighborhoods that are high poverty food deserts. Children and families living in and around these hubs will be provided with fitness classes, access to fresh produce via food-mobile, nutrition classes, and more.

“The Lima community is truly fortunate to have a team of organizations led by our Lima Family YMCA who have developed an initiative that will directly and positively affect the lives of children and families in our poorer neighborhoods,” stated Lima Mayor David Berger. “And now to have the financial support of the US Conference of Mayors and the American Beverage Association is absolutely terrific!”

The Lima Family YMCA will serve as the lead agency for the program. The YMCA has convened a broad-based, commission of community leaders to address nutrition and food access in the community. The commission had been meeting for nine months to study how policy, environment and community design affect health and to develop a new community health strategy. The winning proposal establishes three “healthy living hub,” population areas underserved by existing grocery stores or lacking the money to afford nutritious foods. The award from the Conference will help speed up the commission’s implementation process and put Lima on the fast track to tackling childhood obesity.