
By Health Forward Blog Team on May 6, 2016
By Health Forward Blog Team on May 6, 2016
Editor’s note: In our last feature on our 10-year report, we highlighted the efforts of municipalities that are working toward healthier communities. But neighborhood organizations are creating improvements as well, as you’ll read in this excerpt. Read more about healthy communities. In addition to municipalities, neighborhoods also are stepping up with grassroots solutions to stimulate active […]
By Health Forward Blog Team on February 5, 2016
In addition to new general service clinics, the area also has benefited from an expansion in dental care access for special needs and elderly populations. Oral Health on Wheels, a 40-foot mobile dental clinic operated by Johnson County Community College, provides professional dental cleaning and other maintenance services to special needs populations. A dental services […]
By Health Forward Blog Team on January 27, 2016
Historically, one of the most effective strategies for reducing smoking has been to increase the cost of tobacco through higher taxes. According to the American Lung Association, a 10 percent increase in tobacco cost reduces consumption by about 4 percent among adults and 7 percent among youth. Each year, 6,500 Missouri youth start smoking, while […]
By Jennifer Sykes on January 1, 2016
Communications Director
Health Forward Foundation
Everyone loves a good story. The best part of my job as as the Communications Officer at the Health Forward Foundation is being able to share the stories of our community partners as they work to create healthier communities. This isn’t always easy. While there have never been more ways to reach audiences in today’s digital […]
By Jane Mosley, PhD on December 23, 2015
Program and Evaluation Officer
Health Forward Foundation
For the past 18 months, Health Forward has been working on a project that examined how we’ve advanced health in our region over the past 10 years. The fruits of that labor is featured on our new website – Health ForwardDecadeofDifference.org. While most of the report focuses on changes that have occurred, we also heard […]
By Jessica Hembree on December 17, 2015
Policy Officer
Health Forward Foundation
On November 19, both Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, passed policies to increase the age of sale for tobacco products from 18 to 21. Having been part of many tobacco fights over the previous 15 years, this one felt different. We were quick to achieve success and fortunate to find a depth and breadth of […]
By Health Forward Blog Team on November 25, 2015
In case you haven’t heard, during 2015, we have been celebrating Health Forward’s 10th anniversary of grantmaking. Whether a celebratory picnic in the park, a luncheon and report looking back on how health has advanced in our region, or through our #AHealthy10 series, we’ve enjoyed looking back on all the amazing work that has been done […]
By Health Forward Blog Team on October 6, 2015
Ed. Note: This is a modified excerpt from our Decade of Difference report. Read more about the region’s oral health evolution in our full report. Increased oral care capacity, improved collaboration among safety net providers and a growing awareness of the relationship between oral and general health all have helped push oral health care nearer […]
By Jane Mosley, PhD on September 18, 2015
Program and Evaluation Officer
Health Forward Foundation
In 2012, then Health Forward President/CEO Steve Roling was on his way home from a conference when he had an idea, or as Steve promoted them to staff, “an opportunity.” He envisioned a small project looking back at how health has advanced in our region during Health Forward’s first 10 years of grantmaking. There were […]
By Roberta Coker on June 3, 2015
Former Chair, Programs and Grant Committee
Health Forward
In 2005 when the Health Forward Foundation was first beginning, the founding board of directors conducted many thoughtful discussions and research to focus the Health Forward’s funding. They selected the three areas of health that remain as the Foundation’s funding priorities: healthy lifestyles, mental health and safety net. While all of these areas are critical […]