Get Fit Kauai promotes and facilitates Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) for the Kauai community. We help educate people about the importance of policy changes as an important foundation to support and promote HEAL.
Since 2009, we have served as an important bridge-builder between Kauai community residents and our elected county and state policy makers, moving us towards healthier communities across our island.
Our efforts are carried out by our task forces, comprised of experts and concerned citizens across Kaua‘i.
Our History
Get Fit Kaua‘i (Healthy Eating + Active Living) Coalition is a dynamic association of organizations, community people, and elected officials that have been committed to promoting physical activity and healthy eating on Kaua‘i since 1994.
Since establishing its Built Environment and Safe Routes to School Task Forces in 2009, Get Fit Kaua‘i has made tremendous strides in promoting physical activity through policy change, programs, and projects. The coalition has led successful advocacy efforts for three major policy changes, including: 1) a county Complete Streets resolution (2010); 2) a statewide Safe Routes to School Bill that allocates funding from speeding traffic violations to counties for Safe Routes to School efforts (2012); and 3) a county ordinance that requires sidewalks and shorter block lengths (2013).
The coalition continues to work closely with government agencies and policymakers to ensure accountability and that these policies are being implemented in a timely manner.
Get Fit Kaua‘i has also led Safe Routes to School programs in the county. The coalition recruited interested schools and helped them to organize monthly Walk to School Days. For the 2015-16 school year, a total of 3,393 children and 676 adults across five schools participated in Walk to School Days. The coalition has also partnered with the County Public Works Department to develop infrastructure improvement plans for participating schools, and several changes to improve the safety of crosswalks have been implemented.
Other notable accomplishments of Get Fit Kaua‘i are:
Get Fit Kaua‘i is a model for how a community coalition can make meaningful changes to increase physical activity both through short-term (e.g. programs) and long-term (e.g. policy) strategies. Get Fit Kaua‘i has fostered multiple champions within the coalition, which helps to ensure that the work of the coalition is sustained at multiple layers of government and community functions.
Our task forces are comprised of dedicated volunteers and experts who work as a team to address built environments, health eating, and safe routes to schools in Kaua‘i.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Our current zoning system can make it difficult for residents to engage in active transportation, which is travel via walking, biking and transit. The Built Environment Task Force recognizes that Kauai’s land use system should support active, healthy lifestyles through human-scaled, rather than automobile-centered, development.
This is a critical task given increases in obesity and obesity-related diseases in Hawai‘i. As a task force, we are committed to helping the County make the necessary changes to its planning system in order to support healthy community design.
WORKSITE WELLNESS
Eighty-two percent of the U.S. population is linked in some way to a worksite. With the exception of sleeping, people spend more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else, making it a prime venue for promoting healthful habits.
When it comes to employee health, it takes more than just offering sick days to keep your employees healthy and productive.
Worksite health promotion programs can have a positive effect on health status, reduce absenteeism, improve productivity, and increase morale.
The Overall Goal of Get Fit Kauai’s Worksite Wellness Task Force is to increase opportunities for physical activity and healthful nutrition in the workplaces. Through healthful eating and regular physical activity, the workers of Kauai will reduce the burden of disease, increase years of healthy life, and reduce health disparities.
SAFE SCHOOL ROUTES
There are several reasons to support walking and biking to school
Get Fit Kauai has teamed with Kauai Police Department, the Department of Education, and the County of Kauai to improve safety around schools and encourage more children to walk and bike to school through Safe Routes to School program implementation.
If your school does not currently have a Safe Routes to School champion, and would like to start a SRTS program at your school, use the form below to contact Bev Brody, the Director of Get Fit Kauai.
