Leflore County receives health grant 11-03-2009

LEFLORE COUNTY HAS BEEN SELECTED TO RECEIVE GRANT MONEY TO HELP ADDRESS AND HOPEFULLY PREVENT, SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES. THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE "COMMUNITIES PUTTING PREVENTION TO WORK INITIATIVE," WILL BE AWARDING VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AROUND THE NATION A TOTAL OF $650 MILLION TO PROMOTE A HEALTHIER LIFE STYLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE MONEY WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THIS EDUCATION EFFORT, AND IS A PART OF THE STIMULUS MONEY PACKAGE APPROVED BY CONGRESS. LEFLORE COUNTY WAS ONE OF TWO COUNTIES IN THE STATE PICKED BY STATE OFFICIALS TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT MONEY. OFFICIALS IN LEFLORE COUNTY HAVE GREAT PLANS FOR THE MONEY. "WE WANT TO GET OFF OF THAT TOP 10 LIST OF OBESITY IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. THIS WILL GIVE US THE FUNDING, THE AWARENESS, AND EXERCISE," SAID GREENWOOD MAYOR CAROLYN MCADAMS. "THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS WE HOPE TO IMPLEMENT WITH THIS GRANT, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS WE HOPE TO MAKE IN THIS PROCESS INCLUDING FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS," SAID THOMAS GREGORY, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF GREENWOOD. LEFLORE COUNTY IS SEEKING $2.5 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE STIMULUS MONEY, BUT WILL HAVE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION BY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH. GREGORY SAID THAT LEFLORE COUNTY IS A GREAT PICK FOR THIS MONEY. "LEFLORE COUNTY IS A MORE RURAL AREA AND HAS SOME OF THE WORST PROBLEMS IN HEALTH ISSUES, SO I THINK LEFLORE COUNTY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE," HE ADDED. LEFLORE COUNTY HOPES TO RECEIVE A POSITIVE CONFIRMATION ON THE GRANT APPLICATION BY THE END OF NOVEMBER.