HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM
In 2016,
Mayor Rogero launched an initiative called Neighborhoods to Nature to promote proximity to outdoor play opportunities. Leading a series of walks, Mayor Rogero, City Council and City staff connected neighbors to their nearby parks.
On January 25, 2018, the U.S. Conference of Mayors announced
Knoxville as the 2018 1st Place Medium City winner of the Childhood Obesity Prevention Grant to expand the Neighborhoods to Nature Program.
With the $120,000 Obesity Prevention Grant, the Knoxville Parks and Recreation expanded the City’s Neighborhoods to Nature Program by adding a mobile truck, filling the truck with recreation items and renaming the program to
KORE Mobile Outreach.
The program is now a mobile program that can easily bring fun and unique recreation equipment as well as healthy food demonstrations to at-risk neighborhoods.
FUNDING SOURCE
U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Childhood Obesity Grant through the American Beverage Association & City of Knoxville
PLANNING & EVALUATION PARTNERS
Knox County Health Department & University of Tennessee
PROGRAMMING PARTNERS
• Healthy Food & Food Education - CAC and UT / Knox County Extension
• Recreation Activities - Ijams Nature Center
PURPOSE
Provide children who live in at-risk neighborhoods or minimal play areas with fun and positive physical recreation activities.
GOALS
• Increase the amount of time spent in physical activities among children living in economically challenged communities.
• Provide access to safe physical recreation activity for children
• Promote the future development and expansion of the Mobile Recreation Program.
OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
• Out of School Neighborhood / Park Routes - Afterschool, Summer and School Breaks (Spring, Fall, Winter, Holidays)
• Adult / Senior Routes
• Events - Community Events, Festivals, Health Fairs
PROGRAM UPDATES
• Check social media for updates, weather-related updates, schedule, etc.
• KORE Mobile Outreach operates mostly outside and may cancel due to inclement weather.