West Anniston Foundation

1710 West 10th Street
Anniston, AL 36201

The For Your Life! project is a community-based educational, screening and outreach project designed to impact the prevalence and onset of diabetes, and obesity and overweight. The project is carried out in collaboration with members of the Health Education Consortium, including St. Michael’s Clinic; Quality of Life Health Services, Inc.; Calhoun County Commission; West Anniston Foundation Community Action Taskforce; City of Anniston; East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission; Anniston City Schools; Concern for Children; Family Services Inc.; Boys and Girls Clubs of East Central Alabama; and Anniston Nutrition Associates. Low-income minority residents of Calhoun County are targeted, with special emphasis on outreach to youth groups, school systems and church congregations.

Project activities involve administration of a health survey at a variety of sites, including street outreach, door-to-door outreach, health care facilities, and school settings and events to determine the community’s level of awareness and characteristics of those who are at risk. Health education is provided to each person completing the survey. Health fairs are conducted at schools, recreational sites, and in existing Coalition members’ programs to provide one-stop services for at least 2,000 community residents living with, or at-risk for diabetes and obesity and overweight, including outreach, screening, education, referral and empowerment. Information is also provided on local health care providers. Referred participants are provided navigation services to assist in accessing care and services, and are tracked and monitored to determine where they are in the “continuum of care” and whether appointments and/or educational sessions are kept. Other means of community education include public service announcements, on-air radio presentations, and educational flyers; and materials and events targeting African American church congregations. African American women, ages 18-35, are also the focus of activities designed to increase awareness of the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity. These activities include focus groups, development of communication strategies and flyers, supermarket tours, participation in a cooking show, and development of a nutrition and fitness calendar.