Prevention Partners

Prevention Partners is the tool that has assisted us in taking JPS to the next level! We have been able to draw upon their expertise and implement best practices that make our goals a reality. The wellness initiatives our firm has implemented since being introduced to Prevention Partners is a world away from where we started. Our mission at JPS to Be Greater and that is exactly why we consider Prevention Partners a strategic partner to our organization.

My organization, NC School for the Deaf, did not have an active wellness initiative in place prior to our grant from NC Prevention Partners 2012. We have grown from D's and F's on our wellness progress report, to A's, B's, and one C. NC Prevention Partners have helped us to grow, to be accountable, and to reach and expect a higher standard in our workplace environment. We have had the opportunity to share all of this success with every employee benefitting. We have provided a healthier work atmosphere, increased awareness, and through NC Prevention Partners help, reward our employees for striving to be healthier. NC Prevention Partners have supported us through the website, webinars, seminars, and even visited us, which all have been an invaluable experience. We hope to achieve all A's before the years end, and could not have achieved any of this without the support and encouragement of NC Prevention Partners Team. NC Prevention Partners have empowered us to be healthier, raised our awareness so that we can acheive our goals, and supported us every step of the way. Thank you for the opportunity to share. Joy Clark, Nurse Manager, NCSD.

My organization, Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge, has been involved with Prevention Partners as a part of the Work Healthy America initiative for 5 years. Prevention Partners is a valuable ally in our wellness journey. We have been able to acheive the Gold Apple and Gold Star recognition as a result of their guidance and continued support. The organizational coaches who work for Prevention Partners are knowledgeable, genuinely caring, and serve as great motivators in the process of cultural change. I use the resources provided frequently such as the sample policies and case studies from the toolboxes. These tools make it easy to find examples of what other organizations have done well and give me the foundation to build a case for a Culture of Wellness that the Senior Leaders at CHS Blue Ridge believe is valid and worthwhile to invest in. Prevention Partners has often times given me the encouragement to keep pushing along for organizational change when it seemed like I was hitting a wall. CHS Blue Ridge has also benefited from the opportunities provided by Prevention Partners to be a leader in our community and reach out to other companies to help start a cultural change in their workplaces. I believe that Prevention Partners is a driving force in wellness that will continue to have an immense impact on the work environment locally in NC and across our country.

Prevention Partners has been an excellent resource to us in growing our wellness program and being able to resource best practices. They are instrumental in connecting us with others in the field who are prepared to share their skills and experiences with others, that is invaluable. We have also found their tool box to be of significant value in accessing policies, worksheets etc which allows us to work smarter, not harder. This is a partnership highly recommended for all who are engaged in population health work and wellness programming. Debbie Bellenger, Director of Wellness CaroMont Regional Medical Center

For nearly two years, the Oklahoma Hospital Association has worked in partnership with Prevention Partners through the Work Healthy America program. PP assists OHA in implementing WorkHealthy Hospitals throughout our state with the goal of improving health and wellness for hospital employees. They have developed and provided excellent, easy to use tools by which hospitals can assess, online, the state of their employee wellness environment and develop goals and strategies to improve each of these areas through evidence-based recommendations and work plan. This includes Culture of Wellness, Nutrition/Food Environment, Physical Activity and Tobacco Cessation. Oklahoma has been successful the first 15 months in engaging nearly 40 hospitals in this effort, with 10 reaching the highest Gold status in Tobacco Cessation and one reaching Gold status in Physical Activity.

Further, OHA, itself, has improved its own wellness policies and environment for our staff in each of the areas, already reaching Gold status in Tobacco Cessation.

Through consultation, PP provides OHA staff with regular, continuous support for all activities including educational webinars and online tools for all of our engaged hospital members. They are always available and easy to reach and provide continuous professional assistance for all of our needs. They respond to individual issues and questions and exercising flexibility in their own tools to meet our needs. In fact, they define excellent customer service! Always professional, the highly knowledgeable PP staff are easy and fun to work with. Without their support, we would never have been able to accomplish the successes of improving wellness and health by touching nearly 26,000 hospital staff statewide in just 15 months. OHA looks forward to our continued partnership! Prevention Partners is a relatively small non-profit organization - but they are mighty!

I've assisted Prevention Partners with their video needs in the past, including shooting on location and editing. While on location I had the opportunity to interview people that have benefitted from the implementation of Prevention Partners' services and expertise. The difference they make on an organizational as well as an individual level was easily seen, and I know how dedicated they are to their mission and seeing it through with clients in all sectors.

I have found Prevention Partners to be a very professional organization who truly care about people's overall health and wellness.

Their name says it all, Prevention Partners… Prevention Partners lives up to their name by demonstrating the ability to consistently deliver the highest standards of wellness to clients while also seeking partners that bring diverse backgrounds and innovative wellness perspectives to the table. Prevention Partners exemplifies the type of vision & collaboration necessary to create meaningful and long term healthcare change in America. I’m proud to be a Prevention Partner.

I am fortunate to have a 'triple play' with this organization. I am member of the community served, I am a community partner, and I am proud board member. This allows me to see first-hand and through multiple ways the benefits and effectiveness of the delivered solutions. The passion, scientific vigor, and the measurement/results are truly world leading. I am most impressed with the continuous improvement lead through innovations due to an unwillingness to accept current success. This organization makes a difference in what really matters: creating a healthy community.

I have seen many groups and individuals work on trying to create a healthier community and Prevention Partners is perhaps one of the most successful. Their approach is based in both solid research but more importantly in the reality of the community. They work on community change through a systematic approach that takes into account the largest levers of change in the community - local leaders, businesses and particularly hospitals. By providing support for these groups to make policy and environmental changes to improve health and see immediate benefits from these changes and a healthier community then has a strong foothold and champion. I look forward to seeing them continue this work across the country.

Working with Prevention Partners was an excellent experience for my organization. They provided outstanding customer service and excellent resources to customize their offerings to meet my organization's needs. We worked with numerous members of their staff and gained real value from the partnership we developed.

NC Prevention Partners set the bar for our early work in Delaware to improve the food offerings in our hospital cafe by their courageous and innovative work with hospitals in North Carolina! Some three years later our paths crossed again through the Children's Hospital Association and their connecting us to the NCPP's Work Healthy America program. Once again, Nemours was the recipient of NCPP's caring customer service; and the dedicated and hard-working Healthy Hospital team was thrilled to be recognized with a Gold Apple award for nutrition. I hope we will have the opportunity to work with the great staff of the new Prevention Partners for years to come.

NC Prevention Partners has worked very closely with Surry County Schools. We have established a great rapport and partnership. We have depended on them for guidance in helping create a healthy environment for students and staff. We are proud that four (4) of our elementary schools have been awarded the Zone Health Award. The folks at NC Prevention Partners have supported us through the entire process. We appreciate their dedication and service and would love to see them receive the honor and credit they deserve.

I’ve had the privilege of working with NC Prevention Partners for almost five years now and have observed a consistently high level of dedication, professionalism, creativity, and enthusiasm toward accomplishing their mission. They are one of the uncommon non-profit organizations that truly understand that to meet their goals they need to run their business effectively, build strong partnerships with other organizations, and leverage technology to extend their reach. Their positive impact on the wellbeing of others is measurable and growing, much to the benefit of the individuals throughout the U.S.

NC Prevention Partners has played a major role enhancing the wellness of hospitals, businesses and the general public in North Carolina, South Carolina, New York and many other states. The tools they have provided assisted our hospital in assessing our current status in providing wellness to both our employees and our community. The best practice examples (also part of the tool kit) was extremely helpful in providing guidance on many issues. By providing an opportunity to network with other hospitals and businesses we have been able to share actual trial and error experiences and move the goal forward much more rapidly than if we had worked on the wellness program on our own. Thank you NC Prevention Partners, your help is and has been invaluable.

In addition to the incredible work they do in the community, NC Prevention Partners is also helping to train the next generation of public health professionals. The organization offers a comprehensive internship program for local college students, both part-time during the academic year and full-time in the summer. Several of our students have completed internships with NC Prevention Partners and returned to rave about their experiences. The students worked on meaningful and challenging projects and received excellent guidance, support, and training from their preceptors. Thank you NC Prevention Partners!

Prevention Partners is an extremely well run organization - it is a collegial working and learning environment and as a volunteer I felt privileged to be a part of the team for the summer. The staff believe in and are passionate about prevention and implement what they recommend to their clients every day; from walking meetings and staff challenges to their very active wellness committee, Prevention Partners embraces and benefits from making the healthy choice the easy choice. Their work to help put prevention on the agenda of hospitals, government agencies, private organizations, and schools is putting North Carolina on the map as a leader in workplace wellness and their personal touch and attention to detail make them stand out from others in the field.

NCPP has made a difference in helping our company understand what is considered "best practice" in creating a culture of health and wellness within the workplace. This serves to influence the environment, and provides direction for best health in our people. A big thank-you for their leadership support!

NC Prevention Partners combines a passion for employee wellness with staff who are knowledgeable, professional and responsive. Their enthusiasm and expertise make for an effective and rewarding working relationship.

The Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less program is proud to partner with North Carolina Prevention Partners (NCPP) as a Gold Standard Vendor for Work Healthy America members. NCPP is a distinguished non-profit organization and very well respected in the field of public health. NCPP has established an amazing program to provide technical assistance and support to hundreds of organizations and decision makers who have an established commitment to employee wellness. We are fortunate to be able to offer the Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less weight management program to these organizations as a complement to their wellness initiatives, which are constantly growing and improving thanks to the great work of Prevention Partners!

NC Prevention Partners has incredibly kind, knowledgeable and professional staff members who provide a variety of assistance to school districts as we strive to improve the healthiness of our school environments. Zone Health supports our school leaders who need to assess their school environment, prioritize health needs, and develop a plan for improvement. The School Health Connection is another NCPP initiative that supports schools in improving access to healthy food and physical activity and in implementing our school district's Wellness Policy. The School Health Connection is also a prime example of one of NCPP's greatest strengths, improving collaboration and coordination across agencies to enhance outcomes.

NC Prevention Partners has propelled NCSD to have a comprehensive wellness program with target goals. Doing the asssessment and getting a report card is well-understood. One major factor that is keeping us motivated is the support we receive through webinars and wellness events. We are inspired and encouraged to continuosly improve.

I have enjoyed watching the North Carolina Prevention Partners grow and have such a dynamic impact not only in NC but to other states as well. It has been a true pleasure to work with such a talented and dynamic staff. At all levels of the organizations i see nothing but true professionalism being demonstrated. I would strongly encourgae employers to evaluate the offering that NCPP brings to the table and consider this a valuable resource in your overall Health and Wellness strateiges.

My first contact with NC Prevention Partners was from one of my clients which is a major hospital located in North Carolina. After hearing NC Prevention Partners mentioned multiple times I decided to check them out for myself.

As I looked closer I could see this is an organization truly designed to assist any group achieve the best possible wellness program. This is why I contacted them to partner with them. NC Prevention Partners has shown me to be professional from top to bottom with every interaction. I am more impressed each time we interact.

NC Prevention Partners is an outstanding organization that has taken a leadership role in the region and the country to reduce preventable illness and early death caused by tobacco use, poor nutrition and physical inactivity. Their assessment and implementation tools are user friendly and easy to use. The NC Prevention Partners staff are service-oriented and always willing to provide useful advice and tools to assist with making postive changes in our environment. I recommend them without reservation.

NC Prevention Partners grabbed my attention from my very first contact with them. Their personal passion combined with professionalism in all that they do, from every single staff member drew me in and made we want to learn more and get involved. The team demonstrates excellence through every initiative they tackle in support of their mission, and always looks for the next evidence-based approach that will raise the bar for the benefit of the people whose lives they impact. To me, the most impressive thng about NC Prevention Partners is the fearlessness with which they tackle the next new thing that helps them expand their mission and impact more lives in a positive way. This organization operates as if they are not even aware that barriers exist, and typicallyl looks to take the path that will help them achieve the greatest impact. I am proud to be associated with Prevention Partners -- their success in creating tools that help organizations, and ultimately the people in them, lead healthier lives through prevention has made a difference to individuals whose lives have been transformed, as shown in NC Prevention Partners' Power of One stories.

As a current student earning my Master of Public Health Nutrition at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, I greatly admire the work of NC Prevention Partners. They have made great strides to promote the prevention of disease and the wellness of the citizens of NC. One of their great accomplishments was to have the hospitals in NC to become smoke free, right here in the heart of tobacco country. They have also developed programming for schools and workplaces to promote health and wellness. They are an amazing group! They are now being sought out by other states to help them in their efforts to promote wellness. We in NC are so lucky to have them!! M. Kennedy

The NC Prevention Partners organization and staff have been extremely supportive of Pitt County Schools in our journey to develop and adopt a Staff Wellness Policy and program for the entire school system. Beginning with our first phone call, the staff relayed a strong sense of, “We are here to help you build a program and be successful!” The resources, webinars and tools provided by Prevention Partners share practical approaches and strategies for building prevention programs that truly work, and therefore will be sustainable over time. The WorkHealthy America program gave us a tremendous resource that allows us to determine our “current status” in the wellness arena and then the tools to move forward. The staff could not be more helpful and supportive in answering questions and giving encouragement. The recognition programs serve to acknowledge outstanding work and simultaneously to expand awareness both internally with executive management and governing boards, and then to the entire community. The staff is also very mindful of giving us an arena through which to network and learn from each other. NC Prevention Partners is making a real difference to agencies and organizations across NC and beyond. We continue to be grateful for their guidance and support!

NC Prevention Partners is a relatively small operation, but you'd never know it. This powerhouse group of prevention experts has seeded the healthy food in hospitals movement, not to mention helping North Carolina restaurants and bars go tobacco-free. What's more, as a non-partisan data mining operation, they are uniquely positioned to move evidenced-based methods and policies forward. Their connections reach every sector and geographic corner of the state, and have been growing beyond those borders. Their success is also rooted in solid relationships built as others see NCPP's work in action.

NCPP is the non-profit leader in reducing preventable illness and early death caused by tobacco use, poor nutrition and physical inactivity.
It is amazing the quality of work and significant impact NCPP is able to accomplish with such limited staff and in unprecedented timelines. With their highly professional, extremely knowledgable and eagerness to achieve great health outcomes, this team at NCPP should be showcased as an example of what other non-profits should strive to become.

NC Prevention Partners has worked with Chatham County Schools for several years in helping guide both student and staff wellness activities and programs. Through their ZoneHealth program, they have provided incentives for schools and the district to begin assessing the wellness programs and developing action plans to increase activities and participation. We could not have done this ourselves. The technical assistance has been most helpful in moving schools toward a wellness-oriented approach to staff and student wellbeing. In addition, the information contained on the NC Prevention Partners webpage is a valuable resource for both teachers and administrators.

Meg Malloy, the ED of Prevention Partners, has been a staunch ally of Youth Empowered Solutions!, a young organization on whose board of directors I serve. The goal of YES! is to empower young people to work alongside adults for social change, much of that change related to policy on adolescent health issues. Meg has assisted YES! in two critical ways. She has supported the involvement of one of her staff on the YES! board, and she has agreed to serve as a consultant to our ED and our board on crucial issues related to the growth, organization, and governance of YES!. She has met with our ED and our Board Development Committee on several occasions, providing extremely valuable counsel on a variety of issues we are facing as YES! progresses to a higher level of organizational development. It is clear that Meg sees her responsibility as ED of Prevention Partners as extending beyond her own organization to supporting other agencies that share Prevention Partner's mission of creating a healthier and more just society.

NC Prevention Partners has been a major influence in helping hospitals in NC become tobacco free. They have a 100% record. This is especially impactful coming from NC, with big tobacco so influential. They have also been the driving force behind restaurants/bars becoming smoke free. This work has been noted by others. While not directly treating smokers to help them quit, their activities have helped many in NC become non-smokers.

NCPP is a leader in providing and implementing insightful and thought provoking preventive health initiatives within community settings, whether they be community hospitals, employers or other public agencies. Their preventive health and health improvement focus leads the way for improving general community health and setting examples of correct approaches for achieving adoption of healthy behaviors.

The staff at NC Prevention Partners are experts in their field and have a strong desire and commitment to collaborate with other organizations. I have experienced this in my role as an Executive Director for a nonprofit organization. We have partnered with them on several program initiatives. As a less experienced nonprofit ED, I have also been extremely impressed with the Executive Director for NCPP and her willingness to serve as a mentor to me. She has given so much of her time and expertise in helping me with issues of board governance, budgeting, strategic planning and many other issues. NCPP has a great reputation among industry leaders.

NC Prevention Partners is an organization with strong, professional leadership and a team of passionate and dedicated professionals committed to wellness in schools, hospitals and businesses. NCPP also has a strong internship program and highly values its interns as members of the organization. They openly acknowledge their work and accomplishments and provide mentorship and meaningful learning opportunities for professional growth. With my background in education, public health and social work, my summer internship with NC Prevention Partners’ schools team provided many valuable learning opportunities to broaden my understanding of the innovative ways schools, communities and policymakers can work collaboratively together toward school health and wellness. I would recommend an internship with NC Prevention Partners to anyone interested in pursuing work in health promotion or chronic disease prevention.

I have done considerable work with North Carolina Prevention Partners (NCPP) in my previous capacity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health staff person.
NCPP has provided both state and national leadership in physical activity, tobacco control and work with hospitals. Few other states have been able to get 100% of hospitals to implement tobacco free campuses, an improtant health policy. This is a significant accomplishment in one of the major tobacco producing states in the US. Meg Molloy has provided outstanding leadership for the organization and has attracted high level competent staff.
The organization's accomplishments over the course of their years of operation has been significant. I would sincerely recommend a continued high rating for this extremely effective organization.

I developed a working relationship with NCPP in 2008 when I first began working for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation Healthy Schools Program as the NC relationship manager. Since NCPP has a similar school health program and also works with K-12 NC schools we decided to connect to discuss strategic ways to offer our programs in separate school districts to ensure that similar efforts were not being duplicated. This working relationship has allowed both of our organizations to offer assistance to NC schools to create healthier school environments by offering best practices tool & resources without duplicating efforts within the same schools or districts.
Our working relationship has also allowed us to collaborate with other school and community health organizations to build relationships with roundtable discussions to assist with strategically planning on how to offer services and resources to create healthier North Carolinians. With these effective collaborations NCPP was able to create a school health connection website that can assist schools and community health professional to identify where school health programs are being offered. I look forward to continuous efforts to reduce the obesity epidemic and create a healthier state.

I am the Director of Food Nutrition at CMC Union hospital in Monroe, NC. When I was hired at this account one of the top priorities for the admistration was to turn the cafe into a Red Apple operation. Our staff and RDs worked with the folks at NCPP and came up with the menu options to sastisfy Red Apple status. The material and information from the NCPP is very clear and helpful. The people at NCPP are very helpful and asssited us reaching our goals. As a result of a great team effort, we were recently awarded the Red Apple! Thank you, thank you, NCPP

I volunteered with NCPP on their Quit Tobacco initiative and other projects related to tobacco cessation systems in hospitals. NCPP's long-term commitment to prevention is definitely ahead of its time. The organization has a demonstrated commitment to its mission, through influencing policy, helping other organizations promote wellness, and ensuring that health is a priority within NCPP. After volunteering with the organization, I have kept watch of NCPP's work and expansion. In an economy and climate where organizations with admirable missions are struggling, NCPP is thriving because of its commitment to prevention--something that is rightfully gaining traction in policy realms and in our communities. They use well-supported evidence based tactics, collaborate within NC and beyond, and have had considerable influence on policies for a healthier NC. I continue to be impressed with their reach and collaborative efforts as a relatively small organization.

About two years ago, the SC Hospital Association Board of Trustees instructed our staff to initiate a statewide campaign within our membership to rid our campuses of trans-fat in cafeterias and vending machines, and we really thought we were about to embark on something big. Later conversations with a statewide prevention organization broadened our thoughts of what we could achieve to improve population health, and a simple internet search into what hospitals in NC were doing in wellness led us to NC Prevention Partners.

What a God-send they have been. As partners, SCHA and NCPP has assessed worksite wellness in hospitals across the state of SC and is now leading a statewide campaign to encourage 80,000 hospital employees to make healthy food choices, become more physically active and stop tobacco use.

NCPP has also assisted SCHA in leading members by example. Our organization has revamped our catering menu for heart healthy options, instituted workouts at work, has fresh produce delivered to staff from a local CSA, etc. And our employees are seeing the benefits of healthier lifestyles.

"Partners" is such a fitting word for this organization, as we are truly in this effort together. I have never personally met people so passionate and optimistic about their work and improving public health.

NC Prevention Partners is amazing organization! I have had the opportunity to work closely with NCPP on a project specific to improving the health of the business sector. From concept development in 2009, launch in 2010 & execution on-going through the end of 2013, NCPP leadership and staff have flawlessly and professionally delivered a program that is professional, unique, actionable and is meeting the goal of improving the health of the target population. The manner in which NCPP goes about building collaborative work groups across stakeholders is a method to be amired & studied. In this project, 4 diverse communities were each pulled together to execute the plan. All 4 got it done under the guidance and leadership of NCPP - in their own way and with a feeling of local ownership. It is an honor to be associated with NCPP.

From Sep2009 until Mar2010, I volunteered at NCPP as a loaned executive, and eventually joined their Board of Directors in July 2010. I conintue to be amazed at the impact this organization has in its mission to improve the health and lives of others through deploying preventive health practices in a variety of community settings. One of the things I admire most is their ability to form collaborations and create synergies to increase their effectiveness.

NC Prevention Partners is an excellent resource for North Carolina hospitals, businesses, schools, government agencies, Chambers of Commerce, health insurers and health Foundations. I've had the unique opportunity to work with NCPP first as a hospital executive, next as a Foundation Board member, and finally as a Foundation executive and YMCA Board member. The expertise and guidance NCPP provided our five hospital Health System in going tobacco free six years ago was invaluable. Many in our system were skeptical (including some senior leaders) and the evidence-based policies and practices NCPP shared helped our implementation go smoothly. The coaching NCPP provided allowed us to understand the science of tobacco addiction and encouraged us to approach our smoking/tobacco using employees and visitors in a supportive way and offer a variety of cessation options. In a county where tobacco was king for many years (tobacco factories, farmers, warehousing etc), this implementation went far smoother than any of us imagined, thanks to NCPP! Our health system is now utilizing NCPP best practices to improve the level of comprehensive tobacco-cessation offered to our patients. I also worked closely with NCPP to move our Health System to a healthy food environment. Once again, we could not have done it without the NCPP standards for nutritious and delicious eating environments (not always easy in the south with a culture of less healthy food). The NCPP annual meeting several years ago was an eye-opener for me as a health Foundation Board member (learning about more tobacco and other addictions as a chronic illness was very powerful from a Mayo clinic speaker). Shortly thereafter, i became a CEO of a regional health Foundation and we've utlized NCPP as a resource with our recent tobacco free parks initiative in Greensboro. They provided moral support, expertise, science, encouragement and links to others who had been down the same road. Last year, we sponsored their WorkHealthy America initiative training in Greensboro, utlized the assessment tool at our health system and i saw the benefits to our local YMCAs which utilized the training. Our five hospitals now all have workout facilities and a new exercise room has opened which offers free classes for employees. I'm delighted to see NCPP expanding to assist South Carolina hospitals with workplace wellness programs and New York hospitals to guide their tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The NCPP staff is passionate, knowledgeable and they walk the talk by providing healthy environments with built in exercise time for their own staff. I can't say enough about NCPP and the great work they do to help employers build healthier environments.
susan shumaker, president, Cone Health Foundation

I help Masters of Public Health students identify practicum (internship) placements. I never hesitate to recommend NCPP as a practicum site. NCPP's consistency in providing quality mentoring and substantive learning experiences is unparalleled. Every student who has completed a practicum through NCPP has raved about her experience. NCPP’s work is innovative, engaged, and influential. I am grateful that our students have the opportunity to be exposed to, and participate in, their work.

As a graduate student volunteer, I have found NC Prevention Partners to be an inspiring and exciting place to work. I have had firsthand experience in promoting workplace wellness initiatives, particularly in encouraging hospitals to go tobacco-free campus-wide while supporting tobacco cessation for employees and patients. These and other NC Prevention Partners projects exemplify the organization’s mission to improve health through organizational culture and policy change with high level leadership support. NCPP has found a way to encourage strong policy change even in the face of great challenges, and has spearheaded and supported the great work of our partner organizations. NC Prevention Partners’ commitment to envisioning, creating, rigorously testing, and successfully applying evidence-based tools to change health behavior make the organization a leader and innovator in the field of public health.

In addition to the work that NC Prevention Partners does for the communities and organizations with which they work, their commitment to their own staff, in both professional development and health and wellness, is truly commendable. With a daily 30 minute exercise benefit for staff to encourage physical activity during the workday, and an active Wellness Committee, NC Prevention Partners epitomizes a healthy workplace culture. Staff members at NCPP are incredibly talented, dedicated, and committed to improving health in North Carolina and nationwide.

I am a school board member in Durham, NC and believe our schools must offer students a healthy environment in which to learn. The district Wellness Coordinator has worked with NC PRevention Partners and their Zone Health program to help our schools promote physical activity and good nutrition among students and faculty.

Our schools have used Zone Health to support the establishment of school-based wellness committees, which can use the online tools to assess the needs of the school, create action plans, and develop programs and policies to address the health needs of the schools. Our district has also worked with NCPP and Work Healthy America to create an employee wellness program in the district and to help individual schools foster staff wellness.

We have contracted with NC Prevention Partners to provide services to the NYC Dept of Health Bureau of Tobacco Control. We are very excited to be working with them as they have demonstrated a high degree of professionalism and expertise on the issue of tobacco control. They have developed web based tools that are well researched, easy to use and tailored to the specific needs of various organizations. NC Prevention Partners has strong leadership and a tremendous dedication to work that is rigorous and evidence based.

I have been involved with NCPP since the very beginning. The mission of the organization in to create a healthier state and nation by focusing on the prevention of disease by reducing tobacco use, improving nutrition and increasing physical activity. Whne NCPP was founded 13 years ago, this concept, although absolutely logical, seemed almost revolutionary in state where tobacco and sweet tea were king and queen. Over the years, NCPP has helped change the entire discussion about health in NC and is begining to to take the message to other states. NCPP has developed private policies and prorams that help worksites get healthier, including 100% tobacco free hospitals, and has helped moved public policy forward in leading the way to smoke free indoor spaces in out state. NC is getting healthier because of NCPP.

I have had the pleasure of working with NC Prevention Partners for 10 years. Mission Hospital is a partner with the organization. NC Prevention Partners has helped our system to become a tobacco free facility, create a strong cessation benefit for employees, we have heathier food in our cafeteria's and a wellness program that is excellent. This has all happened from the partnership. We will continue to work with NC Prevention Partners as we look at the challenges ahead for all health care and community health.

What comes to mind when I think about NC Prevention Partners is a team of highly professional experts working in collaboration to impact health behavior change. What NC Prevention Partners does like no one else is to create policy change programs that work. They successfully change worksite cultures and motivate individuals and groups to embrace environments that result in healthier behaviors and outcomes. The tobacco-free hospital campuses and Red Apple programs are simply remarkable! NC Prevention Partners is a non-profit with a vision for the future and they are well on their way to realizing that vision!

To Whom it may concern,

For the last few years I have had the opportunity to serve as the Associate Superintendent of Operations for McDowell County Schools. In this capacity it has been one of our developmental goals to create a healthier school environment. With the alarming National obesity data found with school age children in every system it is time for our educational system to take a proactive approach as we continue to educate our children daily. In taking on this daunting task I discovered we had a very disorganized approach that varied greatly in each of our thirteen schools. I contacted Zone health which is a wonderful program within the NC Partners organization. Ms. Julie Knaack worked closely with me to help assess and provide interventions/strategies to our entire system. Every school now has a committee and strategic plan to help school system focus on health and create a healthy school environment for over six thousand children found in the mountains of Western North Carolina. To be honest, our system could have never made the progress in this short period of time without the strong leadership from Julie, Ingrid, and others within the organization of NC Prevention Partners. Recently one of these schools, West Marion Elementary, received state-wide recognition for their efforts in this specific areas. I just wanted to take the time and give credit where it is due. Thank You NC Prevention Partners for the consistent support that helped accomplish our goals in McDowell County.

This mall organization does amazing work. Partnering with the NC Hospital Association, they achieved 100% of NC hospitals are now campus wide tobacco free. More recently, they have focused on improving nutrition for hospital employees and encouraging hospitals to offer comprehensive tobacco cessation programs for their staff. Their work on school nutrition and physical activity has inspired schools and school districts across the state to improve nutritional offerings in cafeterias and increase physical activity available throughout the school day.

NC Prevention Partners is an outstanding, mission driven organization. I have seen this organization evolve from a concept to an efficient, dedicated and committed professional organization. NC Prevention Partners inspires its board members, staff, partners and ordinary North Carolinians to live healthier lives through fact based information sharing and by supporting effective policy development and implementation

NC Prevention Partners is a wonderful organization that really has a desire to see North Carolina become a healthier state but more importantly, cares about the health of individuals. NCPP is a very well-run organization and is constantly seeking improvement through expanding and bettering their programs.

In my opinion, non-profit organizations often suffer from a lack of quantifiable results that characterize its impact on the community. This is not the case with NCPP. NCPP has made a strong impact on NC, leading it to become the first state with all acute care hospitals possessing tobacco-free campuses. NCPP stays true to its name and works well with all stakeholders - the public, businesses, and hospitals alike.

NCPP works with various prevention thought leaders throughout North Carolina to positively imact prevention outcomes for the state. They have worked with all the hospitals to help make them tobacco free, as an example.

NC Prevention Partners works with hospitals, businesses, schools, and communities to improve health and the quality of people's lives. They work with leaders across the state to address tobacco, nutrition, physical activity, and obesity. They produce annual report cards tracking the state's progress and work collaboratively to improve results. NC Prevention Partners is a "Good to Great" organization. With vision, leadership, a small but passionate staff, and an active Board the organization has improved the lives of people across the state.

NC Prevention Partners is a leader in North Carolina prevention efforts. NCPP serves as a resource for organizations looking to create cultures of wellness. NCPP facilitates communication between different organizations to allow them to partner and share ideas. The NCPP staff members are incredibly passionate about their work and are always moving forward.

NC Prevention Partners (NCPP) works to change policy and environment in many settings, including schools, hospitals, and worksites. These types of changes can create long-term, sustainable outcomes to improve the health of communities. I chose to work with NCPP to learn more about how these changes can occur. NCPP has provided me many opportunities to see public health in action and has changed the way that I think about generating change. As an organization, NCPP is highly unique and really "walks the walk" to encourage health and wellness for all employees. In turn, this makes NCPP a leader and a model for North Carolina and beyond.

I got to know NCPP by the time I was looking for my practicum for my MPH. I searched the company website and I felt that it was the place I wanted to work with. I also consulted my peers at school and heard wonderful comments about the organization. The company has different projects and programs focused on prevention and they also affect several ecological levels which strengthens the effect of their work. Considering that NC still has a long way to go to reach an ideal level of public health, having organizations like NCPP dedicated to build coalitions and make systems change to promote public health is essential for our community. Also NCPP is very honest and transparent worganization and it applies all the principles of health promotion that they believe and recommend to others. I think NCPP sets a great example of how a non-profit can make a real world difference.

NC Prevention Partners is an amazing organization. I have worked with a number of nonprofit organizations in a volunteer, staff, and consultant role and I have been impressed by the professionalism and commitment to excellence of this organization. NCPP is able to do incredible work that impacts many North Carolinians. By focusing their work through organizations like hospitals and schools they are able to influence the many employees as well as all the people who come in contact with that hospital or school for example. Their prevention focus on tobacco, nutrition, and physical activity is of critical importance to the needs of the our area as these are the leading cause of preventable illness in NC as well as nationally.

I have only worked with NC Prevention Partners for a mere 7 weeks, but this organization has helped me understand the passion and drive needed to succeed. Not only are the staff members genuinely excited about their work, but I have been able to see, first hand, the results of their hard work. Working primarily with preventive illnesses, NC Prevention Partners aims to not only raise awareness about these diseases, but also works to educate and promote healthier alternatives. Perhaps the greatest part about NC Prevention Partners is that the organization embodies, perfectly, all of the values it promotes. The workplace is always looking for ways to improve in areas of wellness, and encourages all those involved to take a step towards being healthier. Everyday, we are given 30 minutes to participate in a wellness activity. We also have a free supply of healthy foods in the office at all times, all of which make a positive impact on all those working with the organization. Overall, the organization has helped me to realize that 1- many of the major illnesses plaguing North Carolinians, as well as others, can be solved with simple alternatives, 2- People must believe and enact the values they preach to be successful, and 3- There is always room for improvement in anything we do.