By Allison Warden, MPH and Elaine Darling, MPH
Ready to create a healthier, thriving community?
We are excited to announce openings for two West Virginia communities to take part in Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia (WWHWV).
What is Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia?
Many of West Virginia’s health and economic challenges have formed over generations and are entwined. This is because community health and economic prosperity are inextricably linked: a community does not have healthy, successful businesses without a healthy workforce, and we cannot have a healthy community without businesses and jobs. Thus, economic development efforts across our state will not achieve their full potential without taking long-term steps to improve health in our communities.
To build healthy, thriving communities with healthy economies, Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia (WWHWV) supports rural West Virginia communities in the implementation of a community health improvement process that creates community environments supportive of healthy lifestyles and business development. This process focuses on the places where people live, work, and play, recognizing that the vital conditions in a community – such as access to housing, basic needs like food and healthcare, transportation, meaningful employment opportunities, civic engagement, and lifelong learning – shape overall health and well-being. WWHWV works with local cross-sector community teams to address these conditions and turn local ideas into sustainable, meaningful, long-term change that helps communities thrive.
Who can take part in Wild, Wonderful & Healthy West Virginia?
Currently, WWHWV has the capacity to accept two more communities into the program. WWHWV is open to rural communities ready to come together around shared health and economic goals to build a thriving community. The program brings together partners from across a variety of sectors in the community, including healthcare, public health, business, government, economic development, recreation, tourism, faith communities, those with lived experience, and more. This community-driven approach helps ensure that solutions reflect local needs, priorities and resources, and create long-term change.
There is no cost to participate in WWHWV, and communities that do so receive:
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Interested in joining? We’d love to hear from you. Apply using the New Community Interest Form by May 29, 2026: www.surveymonkey.com/r/WWHWVInterestForm
For more information, contact Allison Warden: allison.warden@wvruralhealth.org