Lt. Governor's Challenge Winners

The Hall of Fame proudly recognizes the programs and participants who have worked hard to set themselves apart: from an in-school wellness center to healthy vending options to an environmental literacy initiative for children. Each of these winners provided great motivation for Delawareans to take similar action. We hope their achievements provide you and the communities you lead with even more inspiration to advance your own health and wellness goals.

2022 Winners

Delaware Wellness Heroes

Kim Blanch

	Emotional Well-Being
	City or Neighborhood
	— Created a program to educate Beebe Healthcare staff on trauma and how it affects physical health over a person’s lifetime. A total of 1,100 employees volunteered to participate in the second part of the program, which has led to improved emotional well-being and a better understanding of trauma and how it affects people.

Hope Lutheran Early Education Center

	Healthy Living
	City or Neighborhood
	System Change — Created a cooking class for children to broaden their food preferences and to include healthier choices, setting them on a pathway to a healthier life. Students learn about the foods, why they are healthy, and even how to grow the food from seed to harvest. The program resulted in an improvement in students’ food preferences and willingness to try new foods.

DSU Wesley College of Health & Behavioral Sciences

	Emotional Well-Being
	City or Neighborhood
	System Change - Developed a survey to screen for food insecurity and mental health impacts within their student population. DSU began monitoring student mental health levels and created a food pantry that has served over 1,000 students.

Delaware Wellness Leaders

Kuehne Company

	Healthy Living
	City or Neighborhood
	Environmental Change — Created a “Wellness Wednesdays” program to improve the physical, emotional, and financial health of their staff. The program provided healthy snacks on-site, set up consultations with a nutritionist, provided access to mental health services, and more.

The Eco Team at George S. Welch Elementary

	Healthy Living
	Town, City, or Neighborhood
	Environmental Change — Created an education program to expand on environmental literacy and knowledge, including lessons on recycling and composting as well as more frequent outdoor classes. The program helps students become more environmentally conscious and reduce waste.

Community Education Building

	Healthy Living
	City or Neighborhood
	Environmental Change — The organization worked with a network of partners to provide a healthy ecosystem for students, children, and families in Delaware. Their health initiative included providing food security, health services, access to physical and behavioral health services, and much more to those in need.

Schell Brothers Homebuilders

	Chronic Disease Management and Prevention
	Community with a Shared Interest
	Environmental Change — Improved physical health by sponsoring exercise classes, having an on-site personal trainer, and building a gym for employees and their families. Their program also includes an exercise break for employees and daily exercise classes, as well as a yearly “Biggest Loser” competition with prizes to encourage physical health.

Erika Cook

	Emotional Well-Being
	Community with a Shared Interest
	System Change - Developed programs, including life-enrichment classes and wellness screenings, to combat social isolation and depression for residents at Selbyville’s Bayside community. She also created a biweekly internal wellness program featuring health care providers, educators, and artists. It provides tips on nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and more.

2021 Winners (click to open)

Brandywine Counseling & Community Services

	Emotional Well-Being
	Workplace
	Environmental Change — Deployed a communication, wellness and mindfulness program to keep employees connected and affirm the health and emotional wellbeing of the BCCS team.

Delaware Libraries



	— Provided telehealth support services by distributing hundreds of laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots as well as assisting with tech issues, scheduling, and directing patrons to resources to increase access to remote health and human services.

Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids



	— Created their school-garden program to educate students in gardening, soil composition, plant biology and more, as well as improve eating habits in over 30 Delaware schools.

Hispanic American Association of Delaware



	— Worked with neighborhood-based groups to provide educational health sessions, workouts, and guidance to local resources such as cancer screenings and mental health support to at-risk minority women.

Reach Riverside Development Corporation



	— Deployed an employee mental well-being program that included workout sessions, recreational time, group counseling and certified counselors being made available to employees.

Rose Simon



	— Hosted health seminars and food drives; distributed school supplies and vaccines by bringing doctors and other experts to vulnerable communities.

Seaford School District Behavioral Health Team



	— Deployed an integrated and coordinated mental/behavioral health program driven by Student Support Teams at each school.

2020 Winners (click to open)

Compassionate Schools Team

	Emotional Well-Being
	School
	Environmental Change — Created a Compassionate School team comprised of faculty and staff to utilize best practices and initiatives to build a safe environment that nurtures inclusion, respect, and acceptance of diversity.

Department of Health and Social Services

	Healthy Living
	Workplace
	Policy Change — Implemented policies such as mindfulness/exercise tracking and free workout classes to create an atmosphere that was more conducive to being physically active at work and eating healthier.

Delaware Department of Correction

	Emotional Well-Being
	Workplace
	Environmental Change — Developed a curriculum to educate DDOC staff on the five pillars of wellness: mind, purpose, nutrition, interpersonal connection and body. The success of their current programs has led to DDOC putting additional programs in place.

Christiana Care

	Healthy Living
	Community with a Shared Interest
	Policy Change — Connected inpatient smokers to the Delaware Quitline and worked to visit all smokers at their bedside for a conversation about smoking via an opt-out program. This program led to hundreds of Delaware smokers quitting smoking.

POLYTECH School District

	Healthy Living
	School
	Environmental Change — Developed an initiative which provided nicotine addiction education, resources, and cessation options rather than disciplinary consequences in classrooms where the most vaping incidents were occurring to decrease the number of vaping students.

Khayree Bey

	Emotional Well-Being
	School
	Environmental Change — Implemented a program that teaches students yoga, mindfulness, conflict-resolution, calming strategies, and self-awareness. Also provided these strategies to teachers, parents, and community members.

Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy

	Healthy Living
	Town, City, or Neighborhood
	System Change — Facilitated information sharing and communication between agencies and organizations to improve the availability of healthy food and work on food insecurity in Delaware.

Previous Winners (click to open)

Hank’s Hope

	Emotional Well-Being
	Community with a Shared Interest
	Environmental Change — Provides resources and support to families who have been affected by pregnancy loss and infant loss, including peer to peer support groups, comfort packages, and professional education and grief support.

Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families

	Healthy Living
	Workplace
	Environmental Change — Improved access to physical activity, for campus students and staff, by identifying a one-mile trail to improve overall health and well-being.

Incyte Corporation

	Emotional Well-Being
	Workplace
	Environmental Change — Provided healthy lifestyle opportunities for employees, through a number of initiatives and environmental changes including office-based group fitness classes, sleep series and mindfulness webinars, healthy food choices and cooking demonstrations.

The Breastfeeding Coalition of Delaware

	Mother and Child Health
	Community with a Shared Interest
	Policy Change — Raises awareness and advocates for the benefits of breastfeeding for babies, mothers, families and communities, through a committed group of volunteers.

Newark Charter School

	Healthy Living
	Workplace
	Environmental Change — Fosters a healthy environment for their employees, to support physical and mental wellbeing, including yoga and meditation classes, childcare, running groups, access to water and healthy food options, a healthy living book club and wellness podcasts.

Sexual Offense Support (University of Delaware)

	Emotional Well-Being
	School
	System Change — Addresses the issues of sexual assault on college campuses by creating a hotline that provides emotional support and resources to address the trauma experienced.

Colonial District 1st Elementary Wellness Center – Eisenberg Elementary School

	Chronic Disease Management and Prevention
	School
	Environmental Change — Created an in-school wellness center to provide primary prevention and early intervention services to their student population.

Blind Vendors Committee: Healthy Vending Initiative

	Healthy Living
	Workplace
	System Change — Created a culture of healthy vending options in select state locations with 40% of healthy food options available.

Delaware Technical and Community College: Mindfulness Summit

	Emotional Well-Being
	Workplace
	Environmental Change — Implemented a community-wide event to educate on mindfulness, to help with stress-reduction and emotional well-being.

Perdue (Delaware Fit Biz)

	Healthy Living
	Workplace
	Policy Change — Helped improve employee health through the integration of healthy fundraisers to promote activity clubs, worksite farmer’s markets, integration of physical activity clubs, and worksite wellness committees.

IMPACT Delaware Tobacco Prevention Coalition

	Chronic Disease Management and Prevention
	Community with a Shared Interest
	Policy Change — Advocated for Clean Indoor Air Act, helped to increase tobacco excise tax, which in turn helped to reduce youth access to tobacco, as well as the most recent increase in the age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21.

Children in Nature

	Healthy Living
	Community with a Shared Interest
	Environmental Change — Developed environmental literacy plan and Outdoor Bill of Rights to increase opportunities for children to participate in outdoor experiences and promote healthy lifestyles.