NYS Health Launches Challenge Calling for NY Residents to Submit Ideas to Create Healthier Communities
One nonprofit is asking residents in neighborhoods across New York City and New York State to open their minds and come up with ideas that will bring change right to their backyards.
In partnership with the New York State Health Foundation, the nonprofit In Our Backyards — also known as ioby — has launched a neighborhood challenge looking for project ideas aimed at creating healthier, safer and greener communities.
The challenge — which provides $100,000 in matching grants — is open to residents in six neighborhoods in New York City — including Brownsville, Claremont, East Harlem, Hunts Point, the Lower East Side and Morrisania — and three areas in upstate New York.
According to Lourdes Rodriguez, program officer for the NYS Health Foundation, the neighborhoods were selected for this challenge because they showed poor health outcomes and received low health rankings in the state. The areas are also ones that already have a large community involvement, which can be used to implement programs or spread awareness...