$372 Million in Prevention and Wellness Grants Awarded

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a total of $372 million in prevention and wellness oriented grants to 44 communities, using money from the 2009 Recovery Act.

The grants, made under HHS' Communities Putting Prevention to Work program, included 14 awards for tobacco cessation, 23 awards for obesity prevention, and seven grants to communities that intend to address both obesity and tobacco use.

“This is an unprecedented level of commitment to prevention,” said First Lady Michelle Obama, who had led a public campaign against child obesity. “Investing in local communities will build a healthier America, and we aim to reach more than 50 million people who are living in the communities receiving these awards.”

The grants, which came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, “will provide communities with the resources to create healthy choices for residents, such as increasing availability of healthy foods and beverages, improving access to safe places for physical activity, discouraging tobacco use, and encouraging smoke-free environments.”