Nineteen Large and Small Town Mayors from the Mid South Meet to Curb Childhood Obesity and Improve Community Health

JACKSON, Miss., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today and tomorrow, the Foundation for the Mid South and the National League of Cities (NLC) will host mayors from 19 cities and towns in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana at the King Edward Hotel to focus on reducing childhood obesity in their communities.  

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The Municipal Leadership for Healthy Southern Cities project, which is sponsored by the NLC's Institute for Youth, Education and Families, helps municipal leaders use their leadership positions to more effectively influence policy to improve community health.  Specifically, efforts in the 19 communities will focus on increasing residents' access to recreational opportunities and fresh, nutritious foods.  The project is supported by Leadership for Healthy Communities, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The participating cities and towns will each form their own community action plan to improve policies to reduce childhood obesity.  Over the next two days, mayors will receive guidance from the state municipal leagues, state health departments, NLC, and the Foundation for the Mid South.

The following are the cities and towns participating:

"Our collaboration is focused on helping municipal leaders—from both large and small communities—make health and wellness a priority," said Necole S. Irvin, Senior Program Officer at the Foundation for the Mid South. "The knowledge and skills shared today and tomorrow will allow leaders to create plans that will keep their communities focused on curbing obesity and improving health, even when the work of Foundation and the National League of Cities is complete."

"High childhood obesity rates represent a grave threat to public health and often impose a financial burden on cities already struggling to provide residents with essential services," said Clifford M. Johnson, Executive Director of NLC's Institute for Youth, Education and Families.   "We commend these cities for taking it upon themselves to help make their communities healthier."

About the Foundation for the Mid South

The Foundation for the Mid South is a regional foundation dedicated to improving lives by expanding knowledge in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.  The foundation seeks to increase opportunity for residents and communities by supporting and strengthening the skills and capacities of organizations and individuals working to bring about change.  The Foundation supports efforts that

ensure high-quality education; promote physical and mental health; build financial security; and enable communities to grow and prosper.  

About The National League of Cities

The National League of Cities is the nation's oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. NLC receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through one of its national programs, Leadership for Healthy Communities.

About Leadership for Healthy Communities

Leadership for Healthy Communities is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed to support local and state government leaders nationwide in their efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic through public policies that promote active living, healthy eating and access to healthy foods.  

SOURCE National League of Cities