RWJF Culture of Health pRIZE

GENERAL MESSAGES

• Our community has been chosen as one of the 12 finalists for the 2019 RWJF Culture of Health Prize.

• Selected from nearly 200 applicants across the country, the City of Gonzaleshas advanced to finalist status because of the great strides we’ve made in our journey toward better health for all.

• Gonzales strives to improve the lives of its citizens and over the last decade has launched dozens of initiatives and programs.  To the Gonzales community, this is a significant recognition for years of hard work by the many contributors to the city’s goal of improving the health and well-being of all residents.

• The city’s collaborations have gone beyond major companies and nonprofits as we work with our entire community to help Gonzales build a Culture of Health. Collaborative endeavors and working with our community have become hallmarks of how Gonzales operates—it is The Gonzales Way of getting things done.  We believe we rose to finalist status because of our success in realizing real progress in Gonzales on issues like youth engagement, economic development, health care access and sustainability.

• To advance in the selection process, we had to show how our work reflected the six Prize criteria:

• Defining health in the broadest possible terms.

• Committing to sustainable systems changes and policy-oriented long-term solutions.

• Creating conditions that give everyone a fair and just opportunity to reach their best possible health.

• Harnessing the collective power of leaders, partners, and community members.

• Securing and making the most of available resources.

• Measuring and sharing progress and results.

• This spring,Gonzales looks forward to hosting a Prize site visit team from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, and members of the Prize Advisory Group. We’ll give them an up-close look at how we are working to improve health and well-being for our residents–especially those who are too often left behind.

   This fall, the wining RWJF Culture of Health Prize communities will be announced.

• Each Prize winner will receive a $25,000 cash prize and opportunities to share their story and lessons learned with the country through customized communication resources. The 2019 Prize communities will also join other national and community change leaders, including past Prize winners, through the national Prize Alumni Network.

• The 11 other communities selected as RWJF Culture of Health Prize finalists are