Lincoln organization announces new health initiative

A Lincoln organization reached a milestone today.

Their 20th anniversary is today.

As a way to celebrate with the community, they have announced a new health based initiative for the upcoming year.

The Community Health Endowment of Lincoln (CHE) is calling the new initiative their Health 20/20 series!

"I wish you all a happy birthday. And extending my congratulations and thanks to all of those involved," said Mayor Chris Beutler.

The Health 20/20 series will see events taking place in neighborhoods all across the city.

It will include pop–up dental shops, fresh fruit giveaways, fun runs and more.

CHE invests in health–related projects and programs and always listens to the public for guidance.

"From the beginning it was decided that public input would guide the process, and that is how we’ve continued to make decisions within this organization and broadly across the community in Lincoln, and i think it is one of the great things about Lincoln," said Beutler.

Over the past two decades, CHE has impacted Lincoln public health in many ways.

The 2002 blueprint project led to the founding of Bluestem health, which serves more than 14 hundred patients a year.

And in 2016, the health 360 campus joined with Bluestem and Lutheran Family Services to integrate health care.

And thanks in part to the efforts of CHE’s partnership for a healthy Lincoln, the cities childhood obesity rates have declined over the last several years.

"our belief in going together with the community has brought us from just this idea, that i remember percolating around tables long ago, to where we are today. And i can only imagine where we will be 20 years from now."

The first health 20/20 event is being held tomorrow from 2 to 4 at Belmont park.

It will be a pop up dental shop offering free kits and more.

A list of the scheduled events can be found here: 

Health 20/20 events:

• Wed. July 11 – Pop-Up Dental Shop, 2 to 4 p.m., Belmont Park, 12th and Judson streets. Partners – Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department and Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department
• Wed. July 25 – Stop the Bleed, 3 to 4 p.m., CHE, 250 N. 21st Street, Suite 2. Partner – Bryan Health
• Wed. Aug. 8 – Pop-Up Dental Shop, 5 to 7 p.m., Woods Park, 33rd and “J” streets
• Sun. Aug. 26 – Ultimate Block Party, 2 to 4 p.m., Henry Park, 44th St. and Prescott Ave. Partners – Union College, Calvert Recreation Center, Calvert Community Learning Center
• Wed. Aug. 29 – Healthy Husker Tailgate, 4 to 6 p.m., Bluestem Health, 1021 N. 27th Street. Partner – Bluestem Health
• Fri. Sept. 14 – Fruit on the Go!, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tower Square, 13th and “P” streets. Partners – Food Bank of Lincoln and the Downtown Lincoln Association
• Sun. Sept. 23 – Get Fit Fun Run, 12:30 p.m., Belmont Park. 12th and Judson streets. Partners – Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln and Streets Alive!