Shelemiah Baiei - Makinen

Healthy Androscoggin (HA) is a coalition of local people who work locally to improve the health and quality of life in our communities. HA is the local, Androscoggin County, comprehensive community health coalition. Our Vision … Is that the communities of Healthy Androscoggin are the healthiest in Maine. Our Mission … Is to empower people to live healthy lifestyles and to improve the public health of the communities we serve through ongoing planning, community action, education, and advocacy. Our Strategic Focus … is to create a healthier community by promoting and encouraging positive choices that include: Tobacco free lifestyles Prevention of youth substance use Physical activity Healthy eating Prevention of childhood lead poisoning Healthy Androscoggin is funded in part by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and other local grants and donations. History of the Organization: Healthy Androscoggin was created in 1995 as Tobacco Free L-A, a grassroots group of community members and organizations working to reduce tobacco use in the greater Lewiston-Auburn area. Since then, we have grown to include nearly 300 coalition members and over 2300 subscribers and have broadened our focus to include exercising, eating well, youth substance use, and childhood lead poisoning prevention. We are proud that our initiatives have influenced more than 1500 people to quit smoking and even more to make healthy lifestyle changes, begin exercising and eating nutritiously.