Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 1 Understanding Your Health and Wellness 31 You can also advocate for community health. Community health describes the overall health of a community. A community is a group of people who live in the same area and interact with one another (Figure 1.17). If a community is healthy, this means there are positive relationships among people and organizations. These organizations include health organizations and local, state, and national governments. Suppose your state has a high rate of obesity. Begin by learning about existing public health services and write to your elected officials about supporting a healthy eating program. On a local level, start a fitness club at school. Attend community meetings and speak about health issues that concern you. Community health depends on the actions of businesses, organizations, and each person in the community. This means you can promote the health of your community in the following ways: • Use community resources. Community resources are organizations and programs that help the environment and people within a community (Figure 1.18). • Get involved in community service by volunteering. Community service is work done without pay to help people in the community. Many organizations depend on volunteers. Some examples include nursing homes, food pantries, community gardens, shelters, or community outreach centers. Figure 1.17 Some communities are healthier than others, and communities can fall anywhere on the health spectrum. Parts of a Community Community Residents Businesses Neighbors Schools Friends Relatives Government Organizations