Youth Zone
Building Health, Inspiring Hope, Creating Space
With your generosity, the vision for the Youth Zone is becoming a reality - a dedicated space where children and teens in Johnston County can feel safe, supported, and inspired to thrive.
Our goal is to show strong community participation so we can engage other foundations and major donors. Your gift, at any level, helps build a better future for the youth of Johnston County.
Food Pantry Addition
For many patients and families, food insecurity is not just a challenge, it is a barrier to health. That is why the Youth Zone will include a Community Food Pantry right inside its walls.
This pantry will be a hub for nourishment, healing, and connection, serving multiple roles:
- Support for patients leaving the hospital who are food insecure
- Relief for homebound patients through deliveries by home health nurses
- Assistance for Project Access participants managing complex health needs without insurance
- Guidance from UNC Health Johnston dietitians on heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly diets
- Access to wraparound services like flu shot clinics, Medicaid enrollment help, and pop-up urgent care for uninsured patients
With your support, we are not just filling plates. We are strengthening families, improving health outcomes, and transforming how care is delivered.
Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures
At the heart of the Youth Zone campaign is one driving purpose: to expand our Healthy Kids Program and give more children the tools, knowledge, and encouragement to live healthy, active lives.
In the past year alone:
- 400 children served through classes and community partnerships
- 94% increased their physical activity
- 80% improved cardiovascular endurance
- 60% lowered their blood pressure
- 25% reduced their body weight
- Children learned vital skills in nutrition, wellness, and self-care
The impact reaches entire families. Parents are seeing healthier blood pressure, weight loss, and improved fitness. Most importantly, they are developing a more positive attitude toward exercise and wellness.
The future Youth Zone will give us the space and structure to reach even more children, with plans to expand outreach countywide by 2026. This program is 100 percent donor-funded, and every success story starts with your generosity.
History
In 2015, local cardiologist, Dr. Ben Atkeson, recognized this crisis growing within our own communities and set out to do something about it. With Dr. Atkeson's support, HealthQuest Fitness & Wellness Center and the Johnston Health Foundation created the Healthy Kids Program.
