Healthy Places Halifax County
Working in Halifax County
Located in the Roanoke River and Tar-Pamlico River basins, Halifax County is one of the largest counties in North Carolina, encompassing an area of approximately 722 square miles. The county enjoys a picturesque agricultural landscape and a rich cultural heritage. In Tillery, where a group of African Americans resettled after the Civil War, home sites and a museum still stand, and in the town of Halifax, visitors can see well-preserved Colonial Era buildings. The schools and community college are major employers, as is the health care industry based at Halifax Regional Medical Center. The hospital is home to the state’s first federally qualified health center co-located in an emergency department.
We partner to prompt change.
Since 2012, Halifax County and Healthy Places NC have targeted key health issues including childhood obesity, high rates of chronic disease, and a lack of access to healthy eating and active living opportunities. Through Healthy Places NC, Halifax County residents have identified obesity reduction and access to care as two key issues to tackle.
Community Approaches
Obesity reduction.
In Halifax County, local individuals and organizations work to increase healthy eating and active living in communities with low incomes by:
Contributing to systems change approaches that increase equity through the creation of new food markets and vendors in underserved areas and promote greater control over the food system by historically marginalized groups.
Engaging in systems change approaches from the Halifax County Recreation Master Plan that create equitable access to recreation, which may include built environment, community education and engagement, and advocacy.
Supporting grassroots community empowerment of residents in Southeast Halifax County to advance the establishment of county-level recreation resources.
Funding Opportunities
Obesity Reduction in Halifax and Beaufort Counties
Like many parts of the state, rural Healthy Places NC communities are working to address high obesity rates and lack of access to active living resources. To assist stakeholders in Halifax and Beaufort counties, the Trust will support efforts that could include increasing recreational opportunities in underserved areas, conducting an equitable recreation master planning process, or promoting countywide recreation coordination.