Creating Our VIBRANT COMMUNITY . . .

by Craig H. McFarland, Mayor, City of Casa Grande

This is how creating vibrant communities becomes actionable. The Vitalyst Health Foundation’s Elements of a Healthy Community captures the related pieces of community life.

These slices are not independent of one another. We can’t have safe communities, parks and recreation, and transportation options without economic opportunity and the revenues created to sustain public systems. We can’t have economic opportunities without educational opportunities.

The interdependence is the overarching theme in this Elements of a Healthy Community.

Recommendations include:

• Making affordable high-speed internet available to everyone, with particular focus in rural, lowincome and tribal communities.

• Prioritizing sustained funding for child care and public education; addressing funding inequities between wealthy and lowincome communities.

• Improving communication between government entities and the public.

• Breaking down silos between organizations.

• Optimizing funding and improving services by partnering and collaborating across all sectors.

• Promoting collaboration and establishing and maintaining a statewide consortium of partners sharing information and resources.

• Learning about the communities we serve, communicating in ways to reach those communities and actively centering their voices.

No matter how long someone has lived here, the invitation is always open to get involved and stay active in shaping what our community becomes.

Take the challenge and help create our vibrant community.