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Blue Zones Project Blueprint

In January 2023, sector committees—comprised of community members focused on each of the sector areas of schools, worksites, community policy, restaurants & grocery stores, faith-based organizations, and individual engagement—came together to create an implementation plan for achieving the strategies outlined in this Blueprint. These sector committees—led by committee co-chairs who together compose the leadership team—play an important role in improving community well-being by engaging organizations and individuals, advocating for policy change, and increasing community awareness and engagement.

Commitment to Transparency

We believe in being transparent with our community. This project is as much ours as it is yours. We are in this work together. Here are a few ways we demonstrate our commitment to transparency:

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Our sectors

Schools

Schools have long been one of the most important factors in helping kids make good choices about eating well and staying healthy. And Blue Zones Project offers school leaders programs and policies that make it easier to teach students how they can lead longer, happier lives.

Restaurants

Restaurants play an enormous role in a community’s overall diet. So we help local eateries optimize their dining experiences (e.g., highlighting nutritious menu items and removing salt from tables) to encourage patrons to make healthier choices.

Faith-Based Organizations

In long-living populations, pursuing faith activities has been found to be a key factor to greater longevity. Faith leaders can have great influence in a community, so we help spark new energy and excitement for focusing on the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of their members.

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Other Organizations

Nearly every type of organization can utilize Blue Zones Project principles to cultivate healthier and happier customers and members. And more vibrant, engaged patrons lead to a healthy business bottom line. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Grocery Stores

We work with grocery stores in our communities to help them make simple changes in their stores to nudge their customers into making healthier choices—like more healthy food options and a more health-conscious store layout.

Worksites

Blue Zones Project partners with community employers to create healthier work environments. This, in turn, empowers employees to be happier, healthier, and more productive. The benefits to employers are many, including increased productivity and a potential savings in healthcare costs.

Working Committee Application

Communities across the U.S. are significantly lowering healthcare costs, improving productivity, fostering economic development, and enjoying a higher quality of life through the Blue Zones Project.
Over the next five years, local leadership and the Blue Zones team will launch and implement policy work and engagement initiatives in the Westside, Northside, and East Jax neighborhoods. As background, the City of Jacksonville and a coalition of community partners announced the launch of the Blue Zones Project in Jacksonville in June to help residents live better, longer lives. The Blue Zones Project is a comprehensive initiative that transforms the environments where people live, work, learn, and play to measurably improve community well-being, resilience, and economic vitality. The Jacksonville Blue Zones initiative is supported by Baptist Health, Brooks Rehabilitation, the City of Jacksonville, Florida Blue, Jacksonville Jaguars, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Mayo Clinic in Florida, UF Health Jacksonville, Community First Credit Union, and United Way of Northeast Florida.
The Blue Zones Project Jacksonville is adding members from these communities to our steering committee to help guide our efforts forward over the next six years.
We are looking for passionate and involved community leaders to help us move our work forward in zip codes 32206, 32208, 32209, 32210, and 32244. These committee members would bring their institutional knowledge and talents into a committee(s) of their choice giving support to the project as it moves forward. Our goal is to help our community become more livable, walkable, and bikeable – a healthier place to live, work, group up, and grow old.
Ideal candidates:
  • Are trusted and respected by their communities
  • Are committed to community over self, personal preferences or ambitions
  • Represent what the community truly needs
  • Are open to others’ points of view and
  • Have demonstrated a commitment to improving their community.
We are asking for approximately 5-7 hours per month of your time for meetings, working groups, events, support, etc.

Building A Healthier Community

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We’re excited to be at the Community Impact Day at Westside High School today from 10am to 2pm. Stop by the Blue Zones Project Jacksonville table to learn more about our pledge and how you can live better, longer. ... See MoreSee Less
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