TSET Board of Directors Awards Healthy Incentive Program Grants to Communities and Schools

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                

Whitney Dinger, whitneyd@tset.ok.gov

Direct: 405-521-4959

Cell: 405-227-0488

TSET Board of Directors Awards Healthy Incentive Program Grants to Communities and Schools

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 28, 2019) – The TSET Board of Directors on Thursday approved 11 incentive grants for communities and schools through the TSET Healthy Incentive Program.

Grants are awarded to communities and schools that have implemented key strategies aimed at creating an environment that encourages Oklahomans to eat better, move more and be tobacco free.

In communities, key strategies for health include tobacco-free, vape-free environments, suicide prevention, supporting active transportation such as biking or walking, offering and promoting fruits and vegetables through community gardens, farmers markets and making healthy foods more appealing and affordable.

Strategies for schools include district wellness policies that focus on quality nutrition and increased physical activity to improve the health of students. Schools must also provide a tobacco-free, vape-free environment at all times.

Grant funds are often used to leverage additional partners for projects that promote health. Incentive grant amounts vary based on community population, school enrollment size and the types of health-promoting strategies implemented.

“We are proud to recognize communities and schools that are engaging in conversations about how to improve health and investing in citizens and students,” said TSET Interim Executive Director Julie Bisbee. “Preventing and reducing tobacco use and obesity in Oklahoma takes a comprehensive approach that supports healthy habits and removes barriers to healthy choices. Combined with other prevention efforts, these communities and schools are working to reduce the demand on an already stressed health care system, saving lives and saving money.”

Funds for the TSET Healthy Incentive Program are limited and the approval of the 11 grants at Thursday’s board meeting exhausts all available funds for this fiscal year. Grant applications will not be accepted for the remainder of this fiscal year, which ends June 30. The grant program is expected to re-open for the next fiscal year.

The TSET Board of Directors has awarded grants to 54 school districts and school sites and 33 communities. Over $1.9 million in grants have been provided to promote partnerships at the local level to improve health and promote healthy behaviors in schools and communities.

TSET Healthy Incentive Program for Communities Awards

TSET Healthy Incentive Program for Schools - District Awards

TSET Healthy Incentive Program for Schools - School Site Awards

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The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations working towards shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working across the state, by cultivating innovative and life-changing research, and by working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public's health. TSET. Better Lives Through Better Health.