TSET Healthy Living Program

The TSET Healthy Living Program is a community-based grant that works to prevent and reduce tobacco use and obesity in 30 counties across Oklahoma. The first Healthy Living Program grant was awarded to GPYFS serving Caddo and Kiowa Counties beginning in July 2015. The second Healthy Living Program initiative began on July 1, 2020. 

As Healthy Living Program grantees, we will work on sustainable changes to make our communities in Kiowa & Caddo Counties healthier. We will work to improve health outcomes by preventing and reducing tobacco use and obesity rates; increasing physical activity; and improving nutrition and access to healthy food. 

Over the 5 years of this grant, we will be focusing on improving health outcomes in the areas of highest needs in Caddo and Kiowa Counties. Both Counties are supported by Collaborative Workgroups that are made up of members of our communities who are eager to improve health outcomes in Caddo and Kiowa Counties. Under this grant initiative, strong emphasis is placed on active and ongoing citizen engagement in selecting and implementing local strategies and policies to improve health.

Why is this important? Oklahoma has consistently had poor health outcomes due to very high rates of diseases related to tobacco use and physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and obesity.

• We rank 49th in the rate of fruit consumption in the nation
• 41st physically active state in the nation
• 10th highest obesity ranking – Almost 35% of the adult population in Oklahoma is obese
• Highest death rates due to chronic diseases
  

Having access to healthy foods and opportunity to participate in physical activity are more important than ever! 

The Healthy Living Program grant is housed out of Great Plains Youth & Family Services, Inc. in Hobart, Oklahoma. GPYFS is a non-profit organization, established in 1978 to
provide youth and family related programs in Southwestern Oklahoma. GPYFS has a set mission to provide, assist and facilitate a community-based and structured process that provides counseling, socialization, recreation, and education assistance to youth and their families who need support while adjusting to life situations.

GPYFS was originally awarded the Communities of Excellence in Tobacco Control grant from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) in 2007. The coverage area included Caddo and Kiowa Counties. Since that time, GPYFS has received the Communities of Excellence physical activity and nutrition grant in 2011 and the first TSET Healthy Living Program grant in 2015.

TSET released a Request for Proposals in January 2020 for the second initiative of the Healthy Living Program. Our team submitted the written grant application by demonstrating our commitment to the goals and strategies of the healthy living program and showed our capability to effectively engage businesses, cities and governments, community institutions and organizations, food assistance programs, farmers markets, food retailers, higher education campuses, and school districts within Caddo and Kiowa Counties. 

We cannot succeed in improving health in Caddo and Kiowa Counties without help from collaborative group members actively engaging our communities. For more information for upcoming collaborative workgroup meetings, email our program coordinator, Hannah McCollom at hannah@gpyfs.org. To stay up to date with local news, events, and healthy information, follow our Facebook page: TSET Healthy Living Program – Kiowa & Caddo County