Improving Community Health
Coachella Valley Healthy Living (CVHL) is a direct service program of the RAP Foundation dedicated to reducing health disparities and building healthier, more resilient communities across the Coachella Valley. CVHL serves children, adults, and families through a community-centered model built on four interconnected pillars:
- Nutrition Education – Evidence-based, bilingual nutrition lessons delivered in schools, after-school programs, and community settings, using curricula including Pick A Better Snack, USDA Nutrition Education, Nutrition Pathfinders, Nutrition 5, and Food Smarts.
- School and Community Garden Installations – Hands-on garden projects that connect students and community members directly with fresh food production, creating lasting physical environments that support healthy choices.
- Physical Activity Promotion – Schoolyard active-play stencil projects and SPARK physical activity programming that encourage movement and healthy habits in everyday school environments.
- Youth Leadership Development – Programming that empowers young people to advocate for smoke-free, health-promoting environments in their schools and communities.
All CVHL programming is bilingual in English and Spanish and designed to be culturally responsive to the communities we serve.
Driving Change in Community Health
We work with health organizations to change their policies, systems, and environments to promote healthier options for the individuals receiving services.
CVHL takes a comprehensive approach to community wellness, working to educate individuals, while also working to change the policies, systems, and environments that shape the health choices available to local residents.
Strategies include but are not limited to:
- Increasing access to nutritious foods through garden installations and healthy food programming
- Reducing access to and consumption of less healthy food and beverages
- Employing behavioral economics to incentivize healthy behaviors
- Creating permanent physical environments that encourage daily activity
Additionally, CVHL collaborates with the Tobacco Control Program to integrate tobacco prevention and cessation efforts into its community health initiatives. Through educational campaigns, youth programming, and advocacy for policies that limit tobacco access, CVHL works to reduce tobacco use and exposure across the Coachella, supporting individuals and communities in making healthier, tobacco-free choices.
Want to learn more about this program?
