Texas A&M Evidence-Based Program awards five mini-grants to Brazos Valley area organizations

Attention Brazos Valley residents! Soon there will be free health and wellness programs in some communities as a result of mini-grants recently awarded to area organizations. 

The Texas A&M Evidence-Based Program (EBP)  located at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, in partnership with the Brazos Valley Area Agency on Aging (BVAAA), recently awarded mini-grants to aid in the implementation of evidence-based community health and wellness programs, such as Matter of Balance, Fit & Strong! and Texercise.  These programs are proven to enhance health and wellness within community settings and will be provided by the grant recipients at no cost to community participants. 

The grant recipients are the Grimes Health Resource Center, North Zulch Senior Center, Scott & White Wellness Center, Somerville Senior Center and the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Nursing. 

“These grants will serve to leverage resources and help cover any start-up costs associated with the implementation of these evidence-based health interventions,” said Doris Howell, M.P.H., program director. 

“Each organization will create a plan of action for implementation, attend two collaborative training sessions, share testimonies from program participants and provide three- and six-month follow-up reports on the progress of the programs.” 

These mini-grants provide an opportunity for communities to apply evidence-based strategies to address health and wellness concerns in their communities, including chronic disease, diabetes, lack of physical activity and poor nutrition. The Texas A&M EBP Center, part of the Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health Program on Healthy Aging, and the BVAAA will provide technical assistance to each of these projects to enhance individual project success and encourage collaboration across the funded projects.