HEALTHY LOMBARD (HL) ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2019
The Healthy Lombard Foundation is a 501c3 village-wide initiative that was created in 2010 to address the epidemic of Childhood Obesity and promote a Healthy Lifestyle for all individuals. To accomplish this mission, Healthy Lombard uses a Triple A Approach of Awareness, Activities and Achievement.
Following is a review of our efforts during 2019.
AWARENESS
- As of December 2019, HL identifies 38 Partners with links to them from the HL website.
- Major Sponsors have their logo linked on the main page of the HL website.
- The Healthy Lombard website contains a Calendar for Community Events, a daily blog, links to all partners and generated over 60,000 hits per month since its creation in 2013.
- Continuing in 2019, the website resource links and blog topics were reviewed and revised to focus more closely on including only those that support the mission of Healthy Lombard
- HL partners with the College of DuPage Nursing Department to acquire student-generated, health-themed posts for its daily blog.
- In 2019 we invited students from High School District 88, Elementary School District 44, and the Islamic Foundation School to compose and submit articles for the HL Blog
- HL maintained sites on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
- HL keeps monthly records of the number of hours volunteered by board members
- For the 4th. year, Co-Chaired the Glenbard High School District 87 Wellness Fair
- Promoted “Apple Crunch Day” throughout Lombard and surrounding suburbs
- Distributed information and signage to promote Teal Pumpkin, a campaign that encourages distributing non-food items to kids at Halloween
- Distributed Certificates of Support and window clings to all Healthy Lombard Partners to display as a way to build awareness of the organization.
- Publishes a monthly Healthy Happenings on-line newsletter featuring events and information provided by our partners to distribute to individuals and families that participates in a Healthy Lombard activity. In 2019 we had 260 subscribers with an open rate of 28%.
- Provided partners with information on upcoming Health Fairs in the area
ACTIVITIES
Winter
- #ISPY –We invited kids (ages 5 – 10) to play the “I Spy with my Little Eye” game with a new twist. Participants were asked to post an original candid snapshot on our Healthy Lombard Facebook Page of Holiday Season activities with the hashtag #I Spy beginning December 1 to January 1 to have a chance to win a $50 Gift Card.
- On-line Activities – In addition to an original Healthy Lombard crossword puzzle, a list of other indoor activities were posted for kids. These included games such as a marshmallow straw race, a snow shovel relay race, snowman bowling, mitten hunt, snow in the chimney, musical snowflakes, and snowball toss.
Spring
- Go Fly A Kite – Healthy Lombard sponsored a “Go Fly A Kite” activity at the Lombard Park District’s Time for Tots event in April 2019. Each child was given a kite kit and encouraged to decorate the kite with stickers and markers. Then volunteers help the tots assemble the kites even adding tales and flying string. They were then encouraged to try to fly their kites either in the park district’s field or at home. To encourage this follow-up, participants were asked to take a photo of the child with their kite an send it to [email protected]for posting on the Healthy Lombard Selfie Page AND on the Kiwanis Club of Lombard website.
Summer
- Flat Apple participants logged almost 33,000 minutes of activity this past summer. This summer program was designed to keep kids active during non-school months. A new Activity Tracker Sheet was introduced in 2019. Each time a participant (ages 4 – 14) logged 300 minutes on their sheet, he/she earned a participation ticket. Students also took selfies showing themselves engaging in healthy activities (swimming, playing ball, etc.) and posted them on the Healthy Lombard Selfie Facebook page. One Participation Ticket was awarded for each shared.
- Was a sponsor for a series of Healthy Kid Running Series held on six consecutive Sundays at the end of summer.
Fall
- Sponsored G.Y.M. Bags for primary grade students at St John Lutheran School and as part of the after-school programs at the Tri-Town YMCA the Lombard Park District. Total bags available now equal 50.
- Partnered with the Kiwanis Club of Lombard to distribute 350 Comfort Dolls to local pediatric hospitals, doctor offices, and missionaries to use with children to reduce the stress of having to undergo a medical procedure.
ACHIEVEMENT
- New organizations/business asked to be included at each of the Quarterly Meetings
- Received the GHP Magazine’s 2019 Award for Excellence in Obesity Education
- Receives referrals from:
- The Lombard Chamber of Commence
- Yorktown Center Shopping Mall
- and other organizations as the group to contact on how to become involved in improving the wellness of the residents
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- HL’s budget for 2019 was $11,500. These funds were obtained through private donations, Amazon Smiles donation, and our five levels of sponsorships from local businesses and organizations
- In 2019, the HL Board consisted of Founder & Board President Jay Wojcik, Vice President Alissa Majchrowicz, Secretary Jennifer McGrath, Finance Officer Kevin Lindsay, and board members Lee Fuller, Rohma Katrawaia, Ashley Marsh, Joe McCann, and Nancy Nance. Also assisting in the role of Advisor is former board member Stephanie Schiszik. In total, the board donated 565 hours of service to Healthy Lombard in 2019.
- Serve as a community partner on:
- The District 87 Wellness Committee, since 2012
- THE DCHD’s FORWARD Initiative since 2010.
- West Suburban Philanthropic Network since 2014
- Giving DuPage
- FORWARD’s Healthy Municipalities Committee
Actively Supports:
– Illinois Public Health Institute
– The Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity (IA
