Novo Nordisk has launched a new US programme to support healthy lifestyle in the New Jersey area.
The Community Health Collaborative programme provides grants to local charity organisations the work to improve urban health and wellness in Trenton, New Jersey.
The launch follows a community-needs assessment in which Novo Nordisk identified two priority areas – healthy lifestyle and built environment and access to healthy foods – that best coincide with the company’s corporate giving and the community needs.
Diana Blackman, senior director of US corporate giving and social impact, said: “Our first priority was to identify the critical challenges faced by communities around our US offices, so that we could respond in a way that was not only important to Novo Nordisk, but even more important to our neighbours.
“The need for more support in engendering healthy lifestyles aligns nicely with our own expertise and allows us to make an especially meaningful impact.”
The grantees and programmes for 2014-2015 are:
| Boys & Girl’s Club of Trenton and Mercer County’s Triple Play – Eat Right, Live Right, Move Right |
| The College of New Jersey Foundation’s SNACK Smart Nutrition and Conditioning for Kids |
| Community Action Center’s Rise Healthy Initiatives 2015 |
| Isles of Trenton’s Clean and Green |
| Jewish Family & Cildren’s Services of Greater Mercer County’s Nutritional Education and Wellness Program (N.E.W.) |
| Trenton Health Team’s Stepping Up Community Health Challenge |
| YMCA of Princeton’s In This Together/Estamos Juntos En Esto |
| YMCA Trenton’s Comprehensive Approach to School Wellness |
Organisations that were awarded grants in the healthy lifestyle and ‘built environment’ sector were deemed to have initiatives to promote wellness, such as educational programmes concerning healthy choices and the benefits of an active lifestyle.
Grants to the access to healthy foods area have been given to organisations addressing access to healthier food options and those that are encouraging growth of urban agriculture activities, for example.
Jesper Hoiland, president of Novo Nordisk, explained: “The Community Health Collaborative is an extension of Novo Nordisk’s Triple Bottom Line, in which we continually work towards financial, social and environmental responsibility.
“We are very pleased to use our expertise and financial commitment to provide even greater service to out surrounding communities.”