Project EMMA - Eat Better, Move More, Age Well
Project EMMA: Eat better, Move More and Age Well is a project of the Council on Aging of Buncombe County supported by a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation and is in partnership with Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) and the YWCA of Asheville.
Project EMMA focuses on two major Health related goals:
1. Improving Access to/and increased consumption of fresh local foods.
2. Increased Physical Activity and overall mental well being
through chair exercises and alternative therapy programs.
The project involves five county nutrition sites and Asheville Terrace Apts., Battery Park and Vanderbilt as well as home food delivery program individuals.
The 2005 Buncombe County Health Center Community Health Assessment surveyed Senior Nutrition program participants (ages 60-92) and identified various health related issues such as arthritis, high blood pressure, difficulty walking, diabetes and depression. Increasing intake of fruits and vegetables and regular physical activity are known to improve health in older adults. EMMA was developed to increase opportunities for healthy living for Senior Dining participants, and residents in Vanderbilt and Battery Park Apartments.
Through a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation Healthy Active Communities Programs, which targets vulnerable populations, the Council on Aging of Buncombe County and its partners, ASAP and YWCA were able to implement the project and it is now in its second year.
Project EMMA was funded for $44,500 in July 2007 for one year, the grant was renewed for Project EMMA phase II for $95,500
in July of 2008 for one year. The increased funding allowed The Council to increase exercise programs at Dining Sites, provide more Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, and improve advocacy to include local foods in programs serving older adults.
The community partnerships have been integral to the success of this project. Reaching out to intergenerational groups, such as schools from elementary age to college, broadened the dimension of the benefits received by the older adults who participated in the project. Partnering with ASAP has allowed us to support local farmers as we improve access to fresh local foods for seniors, and partnering with the YWCA has given us access to highly skilled exercise instructors.
Future goals of Project EMMA are to become sustainable within the community as well as to replicate the project throughout the state of North Carolina.
