Champions for Change

"Be a Champion for Change"

Healthy Communities Support Healthy Lives

We hear it all the time - where you live is important to your health. Everyone deserves a safe and healthy place to live, learn, work, play, and shop. So, the Public Health Department is working hard to help our Butte County communities make healthy changes in their neighborhoods.

Changes you can make are:

• Asking for more fresh fruits and vegetables in the places where we eat and shop.
• Increasing our local food security (food security is defined as existing "when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life").
• Partnering with schools to increase healthy menu options and physical activity.
• Increasing adult access to sufficient and safe places/programs to be physically active.
• Partnering with local parks and other departments to increase the number of safe places for our kids to play.
• Promoting and supporting local farmer markets.
• Creating and supporting community gardens so all of our neighbors can enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Finding safe routes to encourage walking and biking in our communities.

Champions for Change

Champions for Change are people - just like you - who are using their power to help their families prevent chronic disease. These diseases include:

• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Certain types of cancer

Champions are committed to helping their families and friends eat more fruits and vegetables and be more physically active. They are also involved in making healthy changes in their neighborhoods.

You Are Not Alone

The Network for a Healthy California (Network) is here to help you be a champion. Meet the Butte County Network Champions and learn more about how to become a champion for your health, your family, and your neighborhood. If you are interested in becoming a local advocate for the Champions of Change Program in Butte County or would just like a little more information, please email Lori Hungerford or call 530-538-7506.

Meet Oroville Champions

• Cissy Smith (PDF) (African American Family and Cultural Center)
• Karen Williams (PDF) (Food Service Director, Thermalito Union School District)

Services / Programs Available

Community Meetings

Every month, a group of local area agencies and community members in both Oroville and Gridley meet to discuss and develop ways to make healthy changes in their neighborhoods. If you would like to be a part of either the Oroville Mobilize for Health or Gridley GROW groups, please email Lori Hungerford or call 530-538-7506. These groups are open to all community members that would like to make nutrition or physical activity changes in their area.

Classes / Workshops / Events

Please continue to check our Butte County Public Health FaceBook page for local nutrition / physical activity workshops and classes taught by our Health Education Specialists; as well as, outreach events that are occurring in your area.

More great physical activity and nutrition tips; as well as programs that are happening in our local communities from partnering programs can be found on Facebook at UC CalFresh Nutrition Program or Centers for Healthy Communities.

Also, visit Cultivating Communities NV and GRUB Chico for more great tips and classes.

Free Resources

For free resources from Champions for Change including tasty recipes, physical activity tips and exciting ways to make healthy changes please visit the Champions FaceBook page or online at the Champions for Change website.

Food Assistance

For local CalFresh / SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) information or to receive food assistance, please call the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services at 530-879-3479 (Chico) or 530-538-7711 (Oroville).

Online

Visit BenefitsCal or CalFresh for more information.