At its February 16 meeting, Shelby City Council members voted unanimously to approve an agreement with Healthy Together Cleveland (HTC) to establish a collaborative partnership to provide support for community health and wellness initiatives.
"We are hopeful this partnership will benefit our residents by providing educational opportunities that encourage long-term, healthy living," said Mayor Stan Anthony.
The partnership will provide community engagement, support, and create community-driven solutions for providing food access, active living, and education regarding chronic disease prevention to the City's residents, including residents living in and around Holly Oak Park community.
"We thank the City of Shelby's leadership and its residents for their commitment to building sustainable community-led solutions that promote health equity and long-term impact," said Mary Elliott, Chairperson of the Healthy Together Steering Committee. "By working with communities like Holly Oak, we can make a healthy difference one resident at a time."
In 2022, Healthy Together Cleveland conducted listening sessions with residents who live in and around Holly Oak Park to gain greater insights into local health and wellness needs and opportunities. "We were struck by the honesty and eager participation at these sessions," said Jordan Frye, Healthy Together Cleveland Project and Program Coordinator. "Now we want to take this information and create programs and events to improve the health and well-being of residents in the City and Cleveland County."
Why This Partnership is Important
This partnership with the City of Shelby is the second of its kind that Healthy Together Cleveland has established with a local municipality. In 2024 HTC partnered with Kingstown, NC to improve access to active living opportunities and healthy food choices for the town's 600+ residents. Through this partnership, the Kingstown Community Engagement Group (KCEG) was formed with more than 50 active members, park improvements were completed and a $30,000 Community Progress grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation was secured to support their vision of a community center.
Healthy together Cleveland wants to see similar outcomes for the City of Shelby starting this year. Healthy Together Cleveland will invite residents near the Holly Oak Community for conversations to better understand what their needs, challenges and vision are to improve health. We know meaningful community change takes time, but by bringing residents together and amplifying their voices, we can spark collective action and build momentum toward a healthier, thriving Holly Oak Community.
Some Key Health & Wellness Facts for Cleveland County, NC.
• Cleveland County faces a critical challenge with food insecurity, affecting 16.4% of its residents, which is higher than the state average. This means more than 16,370 residents are struggling to access nutritious food.
• Diseases of the heart, cancer, and diabetes are the leading causes of death in Cleveland County.
• More than 35% of residents lack reasonable access to parks and recreational facilities, which are vital for promoting physical health.
Healthy Together Cleveland is a community coalition committed to improving health outcomes in Cleveland County by uniting community members, leaders, and organizations to align and enhance health and social initiatives. As part of The Duke Endowment's Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas grant, the coalition uses a collective impact framework to drive meaningful collaboration and lasting change. For more information, contact Jordan Frye, Project & Program Coordinator, at jordan.frye@atriumhealth.org.
Cleveland County is a county located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the western Piedmont, on the southern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 99,519. Its county seat is Shelby, NC. Cleveland County comprises the Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area.
Submitted by Mary Elliott