March 10th, 2004
For Immediate Release
Contact: AoA Press Office (202) 357-3507

PHILADELPHIA - Today, the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA), announces selection of 17 You Can! Program Champions at the 2005 Joint Conference of the American Society on Aging and the National Council on the Aging. The You Can! Steps to Healthier Aging campaign aims to boost physical activity and improve food choices among older Americans, and has enrolled more than 1,850 partners nationwide since the campaign launch last September.

The 17 Program Champions are partnering organizations that exemplify what it means to offer nutrition education and physical activity programming for older adults at the community level. Champions were selected from nominations submitted by national You Can! partners and AoA program experts. AoA has announced the You Can! Program Champion initiative in March to celebrate National Nutrition Month®, sponsored each year by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). ADA is a You Can! partner and participated in the review of nominations for You Can! Program Champions.

“The You Can! Program Champions are working with us as partners to encourage healthier lifestyle choices among older adults that can save and improve the quality of many lives,” said AoA Assistant Secretary Josefina Carbonell. “AoA congratulates these You Can! Champions for joining the campaign and for spreading the word about the importance of prevention among the older adults in local communities.”

The You Can! Steps to Healthier Aging Campaign is a part of President George W. Bush’s Healthier U.S. initiative and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Steps to a Healthier U.S. initiative, created to help all Americans make healthier choices. For older Americans, healthy choices are especially important. Medical research shows that a healthy diet and physical activity can help older adults maintain their mobility and independence and reduce the onset of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.

You Can! Program Champions are:

• Baltimore County Department of Aging; Baltimore, MD (PDF)
• Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma; Quapaw, OK (PDF)
• State of Delaware, Division of Services for Aging and Adults With Physical Disabilities (PDF)
• Lahey Clinic; Burlington, MA (PDF)
• Aging and Independence Service, County of San Diego; San Diego, CA (PDF)
• Danville/Boyle County Senior Centers; Danville, KY (PDF)
• City of Farmington Hills Senior Division; Farmington Hills, MI (PDF)
• Cortland County Area Agency on Aging, Nutrition Program; Cortland, NY (PDF)
• Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center; East St. Louis, IL (PDF)
• Tamarac Parks and Recreation; Tamarac, FL (PDF)
• Senior Services of Seattle/King County; Seattle, WA (PDF)
• Senior Services of Snohomish County; Mukilteo, WA (PDF)
• Bexar Area Agency on Aging; San Antonio, TX (PDF)
• City of Los Angeles, Department of Aging; Los Angeles, CA (PDF)
• Nutritional Services/Meals on Wheels; Muskegon, MI (PDF)
• Valley Program for Aging Services in Waynesboro, VA (PDF)
• City of Chicago’s Department of Aging; Chicago, IL (PDF)

For more information about how to get involved in the You Can! campaign, organizations can visit www.aoa.gov/youcan.

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The AoA is a Federal agency dedicated to policy development, planning and the delivery of supportive home and community-based services to older persons and their caregivers through the national aging network of state and local agencies on aging, tribal organizations, service providers and volunteers.