Degree Deodorant announced the five winners in the brand’s first “Made To Move” grant program, a national competition that will dedicate $500,000 dollars in funding for city projects that encourage healthy, active lifestyles, and Chattanooga is one of the winners. Brought together by Degree and Blue Zones, global experts in community health and well-being transformation, the program supports Degree’s larger mission of bringing movement opportunities, events and resources to the masses.
Standing out among projects from 47 applicants representing 28 states across the U.S.,2 winning projects – from Hartford, Ct.; Fort Lauderdale, Fl.; Jersey City, N.J.; Chattanooga; and Richardson, Tx. – showcase passion and commitment to increasing opportunities for activity in their communities. These five winning cities are pushing to improve their communities’ health and wellbeing with proposed improvements to create more movement-friendly environments for all ages, incomes and abilities.
Projects address today’s increased need for simple, safe opportunities for natural movement, including trails, streets crossings, safe bikeways and enhanced public spaces. For example, Jersey City is aiming to eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2026 with its Vision Zero initiative. Through the “Made To Move” grant program, Jersey City will receive funding from Degree and technical assistance from Blue Zones’ environment experts to advance this mission. The funds will help create long-lasting infrastructure solutions and provide additional support for relevant policies, for Jersey City as well as the other four winning cities. Planning and community events will roll out in fall 2019, with on the ground projects extending into 2020.
“Each of these cities answered the call to encourage more movement and physical health in their communities in an inspiring, impactful way,” said Dawn Hedgepeth, vice president of Unilever Deodorants. “From improving trails to bike lanes, these winning communities are committed to creating environments that provide opportunities for a more active lifestyle.”
Degree partnered with Blue Zones earlier this year to launch the “Made To Move” grant program to utilize the organization’s 15 years of global expertise and research in life longevity and wellness, emphasizing their findings on increased natural movement. Degree believes this partnership will inspire and influence communities beyond the five winning cities to work towards increased health and well-being.
Degree “Made To Move” Grant Winners:
Hartford, Connecticut
Sandy Fry, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, City of Hartford
This project will create the state’s first ever bike boulevards to provide safe, low-speed facilities comfortable for riders of all ages and abilities. The boulevards will also provide traffic calming benefits and will offer other Connecticut communities a model for transforming their own city plans.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Josette Severyn, Vision Zero Coordinator, Transportation and Mobility Department, City of Fort Lauderdale
This grant will enhance accessibility and connections to the Flagler Greenway in a designated Transportation Equity Zone with bike and micro-mobility parking, adding safer recreation-based and utilitarian-based transportation opportunities. These changes will transform the infrastructure into a comfortable and inviting experience for all ages, abilities, and modes of transportation.
Jersey City, New Jersey
Barkha Patel, Senior Transportation Planner, Jersey City
Through the construction of a pavement-to-park project aligned with the City’s ongoing Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic-related death and serious injuries, the grant will support city-wide outreach highlighting the importance of active transportation, as well as create long-lasting city solutions for commuters.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Lindsey Willke, Chattanooga Design Studio
In the past five years, Chattanooga completed a three-mile extension of a river walk and completed two-way street conversions connecting key urban neighborhoods to the river, helping calm traffic and provide a safer pedestrian experience. This grant will address much-needed street modifications focusing on the safe experience of people using and moving through these spaces identified by Chattanooga Design Studio’s recent “Public Realm Action Plan.”
Richardson, Texas
Daniel Herrig, Transportation Engineer, City of Richardson
The Greenville Avenue road diet will remove driving lanes and add bicycle lanes and a pedestrian crossing to better integrate the light-rail station with the planned Innovation District. This project will help calm traffic and benefit active transportation in the community.
To learn more about Degree’s mission of movement and the winning cities, visit degreedeodorant.com/us/en/purpose.html or bluezones.com/made-to-move/. Follow Degree’s journey as we highlight the progress of these projects on social media at @Degree.