OREANDA-NEWS. On Sept. 15, 50 cities and counties across the United States were chosen as finalists in the Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge. A partnership between the Aetna Foundation, the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the National Association of Counties (NACo), in collaboration with CEOs for Cities, the challenge will award $1.5 million in prizes to communities that show measurable improvements in health indicators and social determinants of health.

Here are the finalists from the southwestern region of the United States:

Recreation on the Move — Avondale, Arizona

As part of the Recreation on the Move project, officials in Avondale are teaming up with local mobile farmers markets to bring health-focused recreational programs to the city’s low-income neighborhoods. Most of Avondale’s recreation programs are held in large, regional parks and facilities, which can be costly and hard to get to.

Tulsa Healthy Cities Coalition — Tulsa, Oklahoma

Read more about the Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge finalists

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The Tulsa Healthy Cities Coalition is working to reduce obesity and food insecurity by making it easier for residents to purchase fruits and vegetables. Adults in this area tend to eat fewer than the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

The project plans to increase access to healthy foods, increase nutrition education and reduce the barriers to healthy and affordable food options.