JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – February 25, 2015 – The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast is pleased to announce Baptist Health as the 2015 recipient of the E. William Nash, Jr. Legend Award for the Y’s Community Partner of the Year. Baptist Health received the award at the 5th Annual Y-Bash held at the Florida Theatre on Tuesday, February 24. The award acknowledges Baptist Health for its corporate wellness partnership with the Y, Healthy Living Centers inside the Y and its role as a total wellness resource for our community.
The partnership between Baptist Health and the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has led to the creation and launch of two innovative programs in the past year, both of which are designed to help build a healthier future for Northeast Florida:
Healthy Living Centers
Within the Ys in Mandarin and Ponte Vedra, Baptist Health has created two Healthy Living Centers which are open five days a week, making health education, screenings, and care navigation much more accessible to surrounding communities. Within the centers, Baptist Health features “Talks with a Doc,” which are free of charge, as well as daily health risk assessments, health promotion programs, and more. More Healthy Living Centers are being developed for the future.
PATH, Personalized Approach to Health
This new corporate wellness program leverages the medical expertise of Baptist Health and the lifestyle modification expertise of the Y to help local companies dramatically improve employee health. Using an evidence-based approach, the PATH program helps employees understand their health risks, identify their readiness to make healthy changes, and then offers personalized “pathways,” which are easily accessible solutions designed to help employees improve their health and wellbeing.
“While there are many organizations whose vision and values closely align with ours, this year’s honoree really stands out,” said YMCA of Florida’s First Coast President and CEO Eric Mann. “In addition to healthy living, we share a mission for social responsibility, which this partnership fulfills through innovative programs that help build a healthier future for all Northeast Florida residents.”
YMCA of Florida’s First Coast recognizes its staff, volunteers and community partners annually at the Y-Bash, an event celebrating their community impact through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. At this year’s event, the Y announced its funding priorities for the following year and its goal to raise more than $1.6 million. This year’s four funding priorities include:
• Active Adults Creating Healthy Families and Communities
• Making Kids of All ages Safe in the Water
• Academic and Life Achievement for Our Youth
• Helping Teens Become Leaders
Funding these priorities and the dedication of community partners such as Baptist Health helps the Y build a strong, supportive foundation for the communities it serves. Past recipients of the E. William Nash, Jr. Legend Award for Community Partner of the Year include Clay County School District, UF Healthcare and Vystar Credit Union.
For more information, contact
HEATHER HOUSTON, Dalton Agency
P 904.398.5222 C 386.216.9472
E hhouston@daltonagency.com
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The Y
For more than 100 years, YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has been providing men, women and children of all ages, and from all walks of life, opportunities to build stronger bonds, live healthy and become more engaged with their communities.
