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Make the place you live better by helping to make it healthier.

Healthier Tennessee Communities are places where everyone encourages and enables their neighbors to be more physically active, eat healthier, and stop tobacco use. And these places are making Tennessee a healthier state, one community at a time.

Help your city, town, county or neighborhood become a Healthier Tennessee Community. Sign up and learn more today.

Learn more about Healthier Communities first

How healthier communities benefit Tennessee

What starts at home can make a big impact all over the state.

Workforce

Healthier communities attract more employers while existing employers enjoy increased productivity and reduced absenteeism.

Healthcare

Behavior-related, chronic health conditions are lowered, helping to reduce healthcare costs.

Education

Healthy, active children are better able to learn while in school—and miss fewer days.

“ We are excited about this challenge and have our committee in place to get all of our programs underway. It’s critical to our success to bring together the right group of people from across Rhea County, including representatives from businesses, churches, and schools. ”

David Holcomb Bryan College
“ When you think about it, nothing is more important to us than the health and well-being of the people who live here. By participating in the Healthier Tennessee Communities program, we are improving the lives of so many people in Tullahoma by encouraging physical activity, better nutrition, and fewer people using tobacco. ”

Mayor Lane Curlee City of Tullahoma
“ Dynamic Dyer County looks forward to being named a Healthier Tennessee Community and to creating a sustainable difference in the quality of life here for many years to come. ”

Randy Butler YMCA CEO & Dynamic Dyer County Coach

Healthier Communities of Tennessee

These Tennessee Communities are already on their way to being named healthier places to live.

West Tennessee

Decatur County
Dyer County
Germantown

Middle Tennessee

Franklin
Tullahoma

East Tennessee

Kingsport
Loudon County
McMinn County
Rhea County

Champion a healthier community where you live.

Common Questions

What are the requirements to become a Healthier Tennessee Community?

Great question. Your community must have:

At least three sustained initiatives that enable and encourage more physical activity
At least three sustained initiatives that focus on healthy eating
At least one no-tobacco initiative

What is a wellness champion?

A wellness champion is the person in your community who will drive the healthy activities and lead the charge to create a healthy community environment. A strong wellness champion is enthusiastic about promoting wellness and leads by example with a healthy lifestyle. Look for someone who has a positive, upbeat attitude and will be excited about the responsibilities of leading the effort and tracking progress — not necessarily someone who has the most spare time.

Is funding available to support our effort to become a Healthier Tennessee Community?

Although there is no direct funding for your efforts, much of the work can be done with little or no funding and with support from the local community, either through in-kind or funding donations. Some examples would be: Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, local businesses, media outlets, city/county government, and community colleges and universities.

Can the wellness champion and local official be the same person?

Yes, they can be the same person, but we recommend that they be different. Local officials have a lot of responsibility, and the wellness champion needs to be able to devote time and effort to recruitment, coordination, and implementation within the community.

What is a wellness council?

The wellness council is a group of community members who make up the group that will guide the effort to become a Healthier Tennessee Community. It consists of at least one local leader, the wellness champion, and other community volunteers engaged in the effort.

What if I am not a local official but want my community to be designated?

Connect with your mayor, council members, county executive, commissioners or other local elected officials to see if they are interested in committing to the effort, and let them know you would like to apply.

Is there a fee for the application or to be recognized?

There are no fees associated with the designation.

We have been working toward becoming healthier for a while. Can the work we have already done count?

Yes! Any initiative that is currently in place to create a healthier community and that meets Healthier Tennessee Communities criteria counts toward your designation.