News & Resources

Community can resolve to LiveWell

Click to read op-ed published in Greenville News by LiveWell Greenville on January 15, 2012.

Healthier lunches on the fall menu at 10 more Greenville elementary schools

Greenville News, by Liv Osby, staff writer, published June 9, 2011 — Students at 10 more Greenville County elementary schools will get healthier lunches next year as the district transitions to a more wholesome food program. 

Piloted at A.J. Whittenberg Elementary last year, the program offers menus that limit sodium, calories, fat and processed foods while encouraging more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nonfat milk.

“It’s so exciting,” said Katy Smith, executive director of the nonprofit Piedmont Health Care Foundation, which has provided funding to get the project going. “Greenville County Schools are making huge strides in forging a healthier community for our children.”

The lunches include salads, whole wheat bread, vegetarian entrees, baked versus fried foods, meals with vegetables that appeal to kids like black bean tacos and macaroni and cheese with broccoli, and more foods cooked from scratch than out of a box. Read more...

LiveWell Greenville announces plans to make Greenville County one of the healthiest communities in the nation

Greenville, South Carolina, January 18, 2011 — Making the healthy choice the easy choice is the goal of LiveWell Greenville, a broad public-private coalition that announced its plans today.  Nearly 100 coalition representatives from schools, health care, business, child care and after school programs, local government, neighborhoods and more met to launch their work to make Greenville County one of the healthiest in the nation.

“This is a call to action,” says Eleanor Dunlap. “We can make our quality of life even better by living well though policy, systems, and environments.”

Healthier food options in vending and cafeterias, more safe places to walk, bike, and play, promotion of healthy living by employers, opportunities for physical activity in child care and after school programs, and easier access to fresh fruits and vegetables are all part of the LiveWell Greenville plan, developed over the last nine months by coalition members. Read more about the LiveWell Greenville plan.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Awards Grant

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awards $360,000 Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities grant to YMCA Greenville to address childhood obesity in Greenville County; Piedmont Health Care Foundation grants $50,000 as local support. Learn more about this landmark childhood obesity project.

Furman University Releases Study

Study by Furman University finds that 41% of Greenville County youth are overweight or obese.  With funding provided by the Piedmont Health Care Foundation, researchers found that nearly half of young people in Greenville County have a Body Mass Index that is overweight or obese.  Young people of color are more likely to be affected: 49% of African American youth and 44% of Hispanic and other racial and ethnic minorities are overweight or obese.  Download the study results.