The Spokane Regional Health District has selected the East Central Neighborhood - including South Perry Street - as a partner for the 2.5-year-long Neighborhoods Matter Program. The kickoff meeting is on Monday July 19 at East Central Community Center, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch is provided if you RSVP to (509) 625-6699.

Through the Neighborhoods Matter program, Health District staff will work with residents and service providers already in the East Central Neighborhood to develop new approaches that will improve the health of families. Focus areas will be chosen and developed by the neighborhood and they can be anything from obesity prevention to poverty issues to housing and transportation issues.

"We are hoping to mobilize the neighborhood and to really get people involved in the issues they chose to focus on," said Cindy Green, program manager for the division of health promotion at the Spokane Regional Health District. "We try to build on the know-how that's already in the neighborhood so when we leave after 2.5 years there is a greater capacity in the neighborhood than when we got here."