Funded Communities
21 grantees were selected to be recipients of funds under the We Choose Health initiative.
We Choose Health was a multi-year Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) initiative to encourage and support obesity and tobacco prevention in Illinois communities. IDPH awarded almost $3.5 million in We Choose Health grants to 21 grantees, covering 60 Illinois counties and affecting an estimated 3 million people. Local coalitions consisting of community organizations, local health departments, school districts, municipalities, chambers of commerce, hospitals and health providers will receive funding to work with communities to implement proactive health programs that fall under three categories: Health Eating and Active Living; Smoke-free Living; and Healthy and Safe Built Environment.
See map for more information on grantees.
| Organization | Counties Served | Programs | 2013 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau County Health Dept. | Bureau, Putnam | 2,3,8 | $66,123 | $66,123 |
| Champaign-Urbana Public Health District | Champaign | 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 | $197,615 | $197,615 |
| Clinton County Health Dept. | Bond, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Jefferson, Lawrence, Marion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne | 1,2,3,6,8 | $279,750 | $279,750 |
| DeKalb County Health Dept | DeKalb | 1,2,7 | $105,270 | $105,270 |
| Franklin-Williamson Bi-County Health Dept. | Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Saline, White, Williamson | 2,3,7,8 | $172,090 | $172,090 |
| Henry County Health Dept. | Henry, Stark | 2,3,7 | $56,480 | $56,480 |
| Jackson County Health Dept. | Alexander, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Union | 1,2,3,7,8 | $202,895 | $202,799 |
| Kendall County Health Dept. | Kendall | 3,7 | $89,808 | $89,808 |
| Knox County Health Dept. | Fulton, Knox, Mason, McDonough | 3,4,5,6,7,8 | $134,540 | $134,540 |
| Logan County Health Dept. | Logan | 2,6,8 | $27,975 | $27,975 |
| Macon County Health Dept. | Macon | 2,3,6,7 | $131,765 | $131,765 |
| Madison County Health Dept. | Madison | 1,2,6,7,8 | $279,750 | $279,750 |
| McHenry County Health Dept. | McHenry | 2,3,5,6,8 | $278,810 | $278,810 |
| McLean County Health Dept. | McLean | 1,2,3,7 | $186,500 | $186,500 |
| Mercer County Health Dept. | Mercer, Henderson, Warren | 2,6,8 | $51,285 | $51,285 |
| Rock Island County Health Dept. | Rock Island | 3,5,8 | $134,450 | $134,450 |
| St. Clair County Health Dept. | St. Clair | 2,4,5,6,7 | $279,750 | $279,750 |
| Whiteside County Health Dept. | Whiteside, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Carroll | 1,3,5,8 | $195,825 | $195,825 |
| Winnebago County Health Dept. | Winnebago, Boone | 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 | $276,113 | $276,113 |
| Total | $3,146,794 | $3,146,698 |
As part of the Affordable Care Act, Congress made funds available for ongoing chronic disease prevention efforts in the form of Community Transformation Grants (CTG), administered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through this program, Illinois received nearly $4.8 million dollars to implement proven evidence- and practice-based approaches to improve health and wellness among its communities, at least 35 percent of which will go specifically to rural populations. As part of its CTG grant, IDPH developed We Choose Health, a sub-award program to fund organizations and coalitions working on chronic disease prevention at the local level.
For more information about the original grant application, please visit Past Funding Opportunities.
Our Stories...
Success Stories Videos
In collaboration with the Illinois Department of Public Health, the MidAmerica Center for Public Health Practice at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health produced local success stories videos featuring We Choose Health grantees, their coalitions and statewide experts.
We Choose Health - Worksite Wellness
We Choose Health - Henry County
We Choose Health - Madison County
We Choose Health - Knox County
We Choose Health - McHenry County
We Choose Health - Champaign County
We Choose Health - Baby-Friendly Hospital
We Choose Health - Rockford County
We Choose Health grantee teams were invited to participate in a one-day training to learn how to share their story to make healthy change in their communities. The training, facilitated by Prevention Speaks, gave grantees the opportunity to take their new knowledge to practice. Here you will find a sample of their stories developed during the day of training.
