Staff Reports

CHINO– Chino has received the top honors in the Inland Empire’s media awards recognition for its wide-ranging and collaborative efforts to improve healthy living.

The Inland Empire Chapter of the American Advertising Federation announced last month at its annual awards ceremony in Riverside, that Chino was a recipient of a 2015 Public Service Campaign of the Year for excellence in advertising their Healthy Chino campaign.
“We are honored to have been recognized by an esteemed list of Media and Communication professionals in the Inland Empire,” City Manager Matthew Ballantyne said. “Connecting with residents and continuing to provide options in sustaining a healthy community is a priority for the city and we are humbled that others recognize the efforts.”
To reach this milestone, city officials introduced new programs in 2015 including the “grocery store on wheels” Mobile Fresh program and Children’s Discovery Workshops which offer a fun and safe atmosphere for children to learn about the environment, gardening and nutrition.

Finding new ways to engage and connect with the community such as utilizing social media also contributed to receiving this honorable award, officials said.

City officials and the Healthy Chino Coalition believe that a healthy lifestyle starts from childhood. Healthy Chino introduced Super Fit Flex, a superhero helping to spread the message to a young generation about the importance of staying fit and healthy.
According to city officials, the Healthy Chino Initiative was created in 2004 to combat an epidemic rise in obesity and associated chronic illness, such as heart disease and diabetes that affect communities across the country.

“Healthy Chino has been on a mission to increase the healthy lifestyle option in Chino through workshops, hikes, walking groups, a community garden, Healthy Family Day and the first-ever Healthy Chino General Plan element,” city officials said. “Due to these efforts, the Chino community is 10 years stronger!”

City Manager Ballatyne accepted the award on behalf of the City at the American Advertising Federation, Inland Empire Media Awards Ceremony in Riverside.
Healthy Chino has also received the prestigious Helen Putnam Award and the Cities Counties Schools Partnership Award.