How does my community get started? For the FY 2025 Technical Assistance Cycle, your first step to becoming a WOW-E Community is applying to attend one of the Urban and Municipal Park program’s workshops. WOW-E eligible communities are eligible to apply for travel and registration support. Check the FY 2025 WOW-E Technical Assistance Cycle page for more information.
To become a WOW-E Community, at least six community organizations commit to engaging in WOW-E outreach activities by signing a WOW-E proclamation. Additionally, your community will host a local WOW-E kickoff which is a two to two and a half hour meeting with a group of local advocates and leaders where they map their food and physical activity environment, complete a partnership matrix, and identify opportunities to improve the local food and physical activity environment. A WOW-E team member will attend to co-facilitate with your local advocates and leaders. More information about this will be covered at the workshop you attend.
What does a WOW-E Community do?
A WOW-E Community works in teams or coalitions utilizing a PSE approach.
A WOW-E Community works to increase access to healthy foods and safe physical activity spaces.
A WOW-E Community has a shared goal of improving access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity that benefit all community members.
Why become a WOW-E Community?
WOW-E Communities get access to technical assistance, trainings, and the WOW-E Network.
As a WOW-E community you’ll learn to assess your food and physical activity environment through site inventories and assessments, identifying priorities, walking audits, chalk and talks, food pantry assessments, and more.
WOW-E Communities are eligible to apply for technical assistance to support projects that improve the local food and physical activity environment such as StoryWalks, site planning and policy support, community engagement, pop up demonstrations, healthy concession efforts, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and maintenance planning, healthy food policies, and more.
WOW-E Communities develop partnerships, strengthen systems and local capacity, identify shared goals, assess feasibility & sustainability, and expand their regional, state, and national networks.
As an Extension Agent, how do I engage my community in WOW-E?
For more information, contact Valerie Jauregui, WOW-E Program Manager, at valeria.jauregui@ag.tamu.edu.