Allen County was in the spotlight last week when representatives of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) came to evaluate it as a “Culture of Health” candidate.
The county is one of 11 finalists for the prestigious prize.
The foundation is the nation’s largest with an endowment of $9.2 billion, which comes from the estate of Robert Wood Johnson II, a son of one of the founders of Johnson & Johnson, Inc. (think band-aids). A goal of the foundation is to create better health outcomes in vulnerable communities.
Thrive Allen County entered the county in the “Culture of Health” competition, which received more than 200 applicants.
On May 18, foundation representatives toured the county’s industries, parks, health clinics, community gardens, etc.
On May 19, they met with representatives from across the county and presented two questions:
1. What are you most proud of in your journey to better health in Allen County?
2. What more could you do to improve that journey?
“HEALTH IS to be thought of in a broad sense,” said Julie Willems Van Dijk, a director with the RWJF. “Where we work, play, live and worship all affect our health,” she said. “We’re looking for communities that are trying to build cultures of health in all these areas.”
The opportunity to reflect on success was a positive exercise for the group.
Jon Wells, Iola, and Cole Herder, Humboldt — both leaders in their respective communities — said they have witnessed “sea changes in attitudes” among their townsfolk.
“Ten years ago, Humboldt was in a pretty low spot,” said Herder, who serves as its city administrator.
Herder credited community conversations initiated by Thrive as helping locals realize that by putting their heads together, they could better effect change.
“We’re not waiting to be saved. We’re not waiting for a Ford Motor Company to locate in Humboldt. We’ve learned we have to do it ourselves,” he said.
Wells, who serves on the Iola Commission, said the relationship between city and county leaders has improved over the last five years.
“There’s more of a partnership today,” pointing to joint efforts to build a new hospital and revamp emergency medical services.
