The Rapides Foundation is launching a new grant opportunity for local congregations. DASH for a Healthy Lifestyle is designed to enhance awareness of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle and comes with the how-to’s to accomplish lifestyle changes and goals.

DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a proven, evidence-based nutrition and exercise program studied at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge. Evidence shows a combination of lifestyle changes – increasing physical activity, fruit, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods, reducing calories and sodium, and losing weight – will have a major impact on lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of hypertension and heart disease.

In 2012, staff members from The Rapides Foundation attended a week-long training program at Pennington to become qualified to teach and train others in the DASH implementation program. These staff members will provide support to churches throughout the program. One or more volunteers from each church will be trained to lead DASH in groups of up to 20 parishioners.

The Rapides Foundation is inviting all church congregations to apply for this 2-year grant opportunity and sign and submit a commitment form by 5 p.m. on Jan. 23. The form can be downloaded from this page on our website.

For more information, please attend the DASH Workshop on Jan. 9 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at The Rapides Foundation Building, 1101 Fourth St., Alexandria. The workshop is not mandatory. Church leaders can also call 318.443.3394 or 800.994.3394.

DASH for a Healthy Lifestyle is a part of the Foundation’s Healthy Lifestyle program, which is aimed at fighting obesity in Central Louisiana by providing Central Louisiana residents with resources to lead healthy lifestyles. This project is funded by The Rapides Foundation and administered by CMAP, the Cenla Medication Access Program. Print