Healthy Kids
Healthy Kids is one of Impact Alamance's key focus areas. In 2016, 59 percent of our grant expenditures were invested in building healthy environments, because healthy kids do better in school and are more successful in life. That creates a more prosperous community.
Our Healthy Kids investments include projects throughout our community that provide children and families with more access to healthy food and physical activity.
Splash Park Opens! Almost 1,400 people used the new Splash Park on its grand opening weekend at the end of May 2016. The park, funded by a $500,000 Impact Alamance grant and matching funds from the City of Burlington, is centrally located near the City's Maynard Aquatic Center at City Park.
The goal of the project was to provide children of all ages a place to safely and vigorously play, regardless of swimming skills. It provides families a place where they can play outside and be active during the hot summer months.
During its first season, the Splash Park saw 43,000 visits.
Enhancing Community Wellness During 2016, Impact Alamance made significant progress on efforts to promote physical activity throughout the community.
Impact Alamance joined with Healthy Alamance and Active Living By Design to form a group of more than two dozen individuals and organizations focused on improving our county's physical infrastructure - playgrounds, bike lanes, farmers markets and more across our community. The goal is to make the healthy choice the easy choice where we live, work and play.
In 2016, Alamance-Burlington School System adopted a community use policy for its elementary schools that opens playgrounds and walking trails for community use outside school hours. Alamance County is one of only seven counties statewide to adopt such a policy.
To celebrate and highlight the new policy, Impact Alamance partnered with ABSS to upgrade an elementary school's playground. Newlin Elementary was chosen, in part, because many children live within a safe walking distance. The school was awarded $150,000 to build an innovative playground designed with input from community members.
Impact Alamance also awarded the Town of Green Level $82,530 to build a basketball court and install outdoor fitness equipment in Green Level Municipal Park. Hundreds of people have used the new equipment during the first few months
Impact Alamance provided $40,000 to build a shelter and other infrastructure for the new North Park Farmers Market that opened in April 2016. The Farmers Market, in an area of Burlington classified as a food desert, will allow residents to buy fresh, locally grown produce and support local farmers.
