Since Blue Zones Project was implemented more than five years ago, well-being has been transformed in Fort Worth. Our city’s ranking in the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index has risen from 185th to 31st in the nation, placing us in the top 20 percent of the country’s healthiest cities. Almost 90,000 individuals have engaged with Blue Zones Project, and more than 330 worksites, schools, faith-based organizations, restaurants, grocery stores, and neighborhoods have joined the movement. As a result, Fort Worth is now a certified Blue Zones Community®, the largest in the county.
So what’s next?
Last month, Blue Zones Project ambassadors, wellness coordinators, and community leaders heard about the initiative’s future plans during an engaging summit titled “Our Well-Being Story Continues.” Matt Dufrene, vice president of Blue Zones Project in Fort Worth, kicked off the event with an update on the project’s structure. In January, Blue Zones Project moved under Texas Health Resources, the lead sponsor throughout the initial phase. Blue Zones Project will continue its work in Fort Worth under North Texas Healthy Communities, a non-profit community outreach arm of Texas Health that focuses on community health and well-being.
“We’re extremely proud to be a Blue Zones Community and we want to continue to make strides,” Dufrene said. “That involves strengthening the partnerships we’ve developed, while also identifying and implementing new ways to engage our community.” Some of those efforts include providing new wellness tools for worksites, working with partners to improve food access to underserved areas of the community, and helping build mutually beneficial school-business partnerships.
Those in attendance also heard inspiring stories from where we live, eat, play, pray and work. Well-being leaders from Blue Zones Project Approved organizations shared innovations and success stories from their own Blue Zones Project efforts. Those presenting included: Sarah Castillo, Taco Heads; Sondra Hay, community volunteer and retired from Central Market; Howard Robinson, O.D. Wyatt High School; Pastor Patrick Winfield, The Potter’s House of Fort Worth; Dana Burghdoff, City of Fort Worth; Rita Ferrer, Elbit Systems; Micheline Hynes, Tarrant Area Food Bank; and Dr. David Upton, Upton Consulting and retired from TCU.
Jennifer Gray, who manages community relations for the Texas region of Fidelity Investments, showed results from one of the company’s recent community service projects at Fort Worth ISD’s Daggett Middle School. Through its Fidelity Cares program, they provided funding and volunteers to create Blue Zones Power 9 zones across the school to encourage more movement, socialization, downshifting, school pride, and plant-based eating. Guests at the summit also learned about identifying and documenting well-being success stories from public relations consultants Sandra Brodnicki and Gigi Westerman with The S&G Group.
The afternoon was capped off with conversations with two of the city’s most fervent well-being leaders: Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Laura McWhorter, vice president of Texas Health Resources Foundation.
Mayor Price said Fort Worth’s well-being efforts are being noticed across the country. People want to live in a healthy community where they can thrive; employers also want a healthier city and workforce, so there’s been great support from the business community. With continued collaboration and engagement, she believes we can do better than 31st and become the healthiest metropolitan city in the country.
McWhorter explained how Blue Zones Project aligns with Texas Health Resources’ vision for community health. “Over the past several years, we’ve redefined Texas Health as a health system, not a hospital system,” she said. “A health system is an organization that more fully lives the mission of improving the health of the people in the communities we serve.” McWhorter said that means looking beyond the hospital walls and putting a focus on the community. “We believe that’s true ‘health care’ – and that’s why we are investing in Blue Zones Project,” she said.
Suffice it to say, the Blue Zones Project and better well-being story in Fort Worth will continue for years to come.