Solutions for a Healthier State

Organizations across the Mountain State strive to see their neighbors healthier. Through wellness, nutrition and prevention, these efforts are driving residents of all ages and demographics to take charge of their lives.

Founded in 2016, Healthy Harrison’s mission is to address West Virginia’s low health ranking and encourage communities to take control of their well-being. Initially only focusing on Harrison County, it now expands its reach statewide with the Change Your State initiative.

“While our state has long faced challenging health outcomes, we have always believed our people are defined not by statistics but by resilience, work ethic and a deep desire for better lives,” says John Nardelli, MBA, executive director of Healthy Harrison.

The organization advances its mission through community coaching and engagement and in-school wellness. Community efforts include health improvement resources, weekly mindfulness tips and a podcast featuring experts and spotlighting local programs and resources. The in-school wellness initiative delivers a daily program that encourages students to make small, healthy changes, supported by weekly co-sponsored incentives.

Healthy Harrison has also worked to change the narrative of the opioid crisis by highlighting the realities of addiction and the success stories of those who have recovered.

“Our goal is to reinforce the message that recovery is possible, resilience is abundant and our community has the collective strength to rise above this challenge,” Nardelli says. 

Healthy Harrison has seen significant changes in the physical and mental well-being of Mountain State citizens through its programs. 

“Our strength lies in helping people succeed within their own abilities and motivations through tailored, sustainable approaches,” he says. “This emphasis on empowering individuals has allowed participants to reclaim confidence and a sense of possibility in their lives.”

Starting healthy habits young can benefit children for life, and Healthy Kids Inc. is making it easier than ever to introduce
nutritious food at an early age to kids in West Virginia.

“Over the years the company has taken many forms, but three things have never changed,” Mandy Curry, founder and president of Healthy Kids Inc., says. “We are committed founders with a mission to improve health in West Virginia, keeping children at the center of everything we do and being willing to pioneer new approaches when traditional systems are not meeting the needs of children and communities.”

Healthy Kids Inc. operates two central kitchens in Morgantown and Huntington, having grown from serving 80 kids a day to 1,000. All meals are prepared by trained chefs using locally grown ingredients and follow the Child and Adult Care Food Program and/or National School Lunch Program nutrition standards. It also manufactures and supplies frozen meals beneficial for several health purposes.

“Our goal is simple,” Curry says. “We want to prove that it is possible for institutional meals to be healthy, delicious and rooted in local agriculture.”

Curry says the most meaningful achievements for Healthy Kids Inc. have been seeing children as young as 1 enjoy local vegetables and helping others realize how important what children eat is. 

“Child care centers are proud to offer meals that truly support health. Communities begin to recognize healthy food is not only possible but achievable with the right partnerships and systems,” she says.

The Center for Rural Health Development, Inc. aims to improve the health of West Virginians, create a healthy future for its residents and strengthen the state’s health care delivery system, especially in rural communities.

To help achieve its mission, the center serves as the lead agency for the West Virginia Immunization Network, West Virginia Rural Health Infrastructure Loan Fund, Institute for Health Care Governance and Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia. These organizations all serve the purpose of helping keep West Virginians healthy and making sure they have access to the best possible care.

Elaine Darling, co-CEO and director of programs for The Center for Rural Health Development, Inc., says community conditions significantly impact health.

“Every day we make decisions based upon the choices we have available to us,” Darling says. “For example, a community with no grocery store is likely to have limited to no access to healthy food options, ultimately impacting the diet and long-term health of its community members.”

The center launched Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia in 2019 to identify and address the priorities across communities in the state, which has seen momentous effects in many counties.

“This program is free to take part in, and Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia community team members receive technical assistance, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, conference scholarships and more,” Darling says.