In July 2010, the County Board of Supervisors approved Live Well San Diego, a 10-year strategy for healthy, safe and thriving communities in San Diego County. Over the past four years, County staff, community partners and residents have taken considerable action to achieve this vision. This past year has been our strongest yet in tracking measurable progress towards healthier, safer and more thriving communities. More than 17,000 people at almost 200 locations countywide had their blood pressure checked on Valentine’s Day as part of the Love Your Heart campaign.  More than 10,000 people joined the County at the Grand Opening of the new Waterfront Park, a central gathering place for families and visitors to play and recreate.  And the San Diego Taxpayers Association honored the County, the City of San Diego, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps with a Grand Golden Watchdog award for their coordinated and rapid response to the May 2014 wildfires.  What a great year it has been!

Looking ahead, the formal presentation of Thriving, the third and final component of the Live Well San Diego initiative, is scheduled to accompany the Year 4 report to the Board of Supervisors on October 21.

This month’s newsletter is a celebration of Live Well San Diego over the past year, featuring Live Well San Diego success stories, highlighting signature Live Well San Diego events, and anticipating the rollout of Thriving, with its focus on cultivating opportunities for all people and communities to grow, connect, and enjoy the highest quality of life.  The Thriving plan promotes stronger collaboration and coordination throughout the region among stakeholders to achieve greater results.  Implementation requires leadership, participation and action from all sectors of the community including public, private, philanthropic and non-profit organizations.  More details about the Thriving plan will be shared in the November edition of this newsletter. 

In this edition, staff share stories about a week of events and workshops with national walking expert, Mark Fenton, to improve transportation options for residents. County Land Use and Environment Group and Community Services Group representatives discuss their partnership with the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and its role in the Thriving initiative. And a featured County of San Diego employee, Angelica Fortin, with the San Diego County Library, shares her role in helping residents thrive.

We are looking forward to the presentation of the fourth Live Well San Diego annual report and video to the Board of Supervisors on October 21, 2014. That same day, from 11:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., a Partners Expo and Wellness Fair will be held on the west lawn of the Waterfront Park at the County Administration Center. Recognized Live Well San Diego partners and County departments will be hosting information tables and providing wellness screenings, give-aways, demonstrations, and activities. The Expo is an opportunity to showcase Live Well San Diego in action and is open to all community members and County employees. 

Thank you for your dedication and commitment over the past year, and we look forward to our continued progress in the years ahead. We hope to see you at the Expo on October 21 at the County’s Waterfront Park!

With appreciation,

Sarah Aghassi, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Land Use & Environment Group
David Estrella, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Community Services Group