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Chelsea, Massachusetts, is one of eight winners of the 2017 RWJF Culture of Health Prize awarded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Prize honors communities for their unwavering, innovative and collaborative efforts to ensure all residents have the opportunity to live healthier lives.
Chosen from more than 200 applicant communities across the country, Chelsea's award winning efforts include: providing services to the city's most vulnerable; ensuring Chelsea is a welcoming community for all; tackling public health issues such as air pollution, obesity, substance use, violence, trauma and homelessness; and, engaging the city's youth in environmental and food justice projects. The MGH Chelsea HealthCenter and the Healthy Chelsea Coalition are proud partners for many of these initiatives.
Mass General's Center for Community Health Improvement Associate Director, Leslie Aldrich, served as co-applicant, along with Roseann Bongiovanni, Executive Director of GreenRoots, in bringing this coveted award to Chelsea.
"Being nationally recognized for this work, despite the many health challenges this community has faced and that still exist, reflects the community's resilience and commitment to one another," said Leslie Aldrich. "The partnerships that have been forged in the effort to make Chelsea a healthier place to live are true and lasting and what make Chelsea such a unique and special community."
Leslie and Roseann, along with City Manager Tom Ambrosino, Dan Cortez from the Chelsea Police Dept., Jose Agustin Iraheta Zaldana from Chelsea Thrives, and the Chelsea Collaborative's Sylvia Ramirez will travel to New Jersey next month for the formal awards ceremony. Upon their return, there will be a community celebration.
"I am so very proud of the City and all its non-profit partners," says Tom Ambrosino. "This prestigious award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation serves to confirm the incredible, collaborative work that occurs daily in this community to improve the health and well-being of its residents."
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