Healthy Androscoggin is looking for school districts interested in helping

youth attain better health.

LEWISTON – Healthy Androscoggin has issued a request for a Letter of Intent from any school administrative unit in Androscoggin County that is interested in partnering with them to achieve coordinated school health programming and health education through a grant from the state Bureau of Health.

The grant, which will be issued through a sub-contract with Healthy Androscoggin, is equivalent to approximately $57,000 a year to a school district. For these monies, a district is required to hire and house a full-time school health coordinator and take steps toward achieving coordinated school health within the district during the multi-year grant that ends June 2006.

“This grant is ideal for a district that is sincerely interested in bettering health of their students, staff, faculty and parents and has a vision to do so. Coordinated school health programming and coordinated school health education are concepts that, when realized, will save the district time, effort and resources.

“We look forward to working with an SAU who is ready to face the youth health crisis head-on and support a system that does so,” said Tina Harnett, Healthy Androscoggin director.

The original grant lies with Healthy Androscoggin and is received from the State of Maine/Bureau of Health. The funding source is the Fund for Healthy Maine. The overarching goal of the grant is to reduce chronic disease in all residents by reducing tobacco use and exposure, increase healthy eating and increase physical activity.

Eligible districts were mailed a request for the Letter of Intent, which is due back to Healthy Androscoggin by Friday, Jan. 23. For more information, contact Healthy Androscoggin at 795-5990.

Healthy Androscoggin is a public health organization working to promote good health by encouraging tobacco-free lifestyles, healthy eating and increased exercise. It is funded, in part, by the Fund for a Healthy Maine.