Wellness Guidelines are a written set of standards an organization agrees to follow to provide a healthy environment. Wellness Guidelines are important tools for promoting healthy habits for adults and children where they live, work and play.

Gwinnett Parks and Recreation will:

• Offer a variety of planned physical activities for persons of all ages and abilities.
• Give all park and facility users access to healthy food and beverage options.
• Partner with local community members, organizations, and businesses to promote healthy habits and programs to residents and staff of Gwinnett County.
• Provide day camps with healthy and safe environments for participants.
• Deliver safe and healthy environments for all park and facility users to exercise, socialize and play in.
• Ensure that staff operates in safe and healthy workplace environments.
• Uphold a Tobacco-free Park System to keep all park and facility users and staff safe and healthy.

Planned Physical Activities for all Ages and Physical Abilities:

• Park programming includes physical activities for children, adults, and older active adults.
• Park therapeutic programming includes physical activities for people with disabilities.
• Partner with Live Healthy Gwinnett and its partner steering committee to develop ideas and programs to foster healthy lifestyles for our residents and employees.

Public Access to Healthy Foods and Beverages:

• At least 50% of products offered in food and beverage machines are to be healthy options. All vending contracts will abide by this percentage and be audited regularly.
• Bottled water is available in all beverage vending machines.
• Concession stand managers are encouraged to provide healthy choices at sporting facilities.
• Clean drinking water is available at all facilities and events.
• Healthy food choices are available at 85% of Gwinnett Parks and Recreation sponsored events.

Gwinnett Parks and Recreation Partnerships:

• Gwinnett Parks and Recreation collaborates with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and The OrganWise Guys, Inc. to promote healthy habits in our community health standards, summer camps, and year-round programs.
• Through partnerships with Clemson University, maintenance staff is certified in playground maintenance and inspection standards.
• Gwinnett United in Drug Education (GUIDE), Inc. has been a community partner for over 25 years, educating communities about substance abuse prevention and youth development.
• Partners with more than 30 Gwinnett Athletic Associations to provide space for children and adults to participate in a variety of sports.
• In partnership with the Gwinnett Parks Foundation, GCPR’s 501(c)(3) non-profit, “Park’nership” allow residents to connect to nature and their local parks by inviting them to take part in the beautification process. The event promotes new relationships, feelings of ownership and increased park use. The foundation's Health and Wellness Scholarship program helps to assist residents' needs.
• Community-wide health initiative, Live Healthy Gwinnett, encourages those who play, live, and learn in the Gwinnett community to invest in personal wellness. This initiative focuses on four areas of wellness: Be Active, Eat Healthy, Get Checked, and Be Positive.

Healthy and Safe Environments for Summer Camps:

• Campers are provided with clean-drinking water and do not have access to sugary drinks like soda, sports drinks, sweet tea, lemonade, and juice drinks or fruit juice during the campday.
• Parents are encouraged to provide healthy meals and snacks for their children. Weekly newsletters are distributed to parents and guardians with nutrition tips and physical fitness actives to do at home.
• Personal electronics are discouraged to limit screen time.
• Camps include healthy habits messaging through Strong4Life and the The OrganWise Guys, Inc. curriculum.
• Camps provide more than 60 minutes of physical activity daily.
• Campers are educated on the benefits of healthy eating.
• Environmental science and nature hikes are part of our summer camp and spring break curriculum.

Safe and Healthy Environments for all Park Users:

• Playgrounds are covered in soft surfaces to provide safe places to land in the event of falls.
• Playgrounds are inspected regularly by Gwinnett Parks and Recreation staff members who are Certified Playground Safety Inspectors.
• Parks provide trails and open areas for exercise and activities that are highly visible and highly visited during normal park hours.
• Police officers use parks to complete reports, providing a police presence and deterring crime.
• Staff is trained on concussion prevention and treatment, CPR, First Aid, Child PredatorProtection, and Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting.
• Park facilities and parking lots are well-lit with interior and exterior lighting.
• In larger park properties, the trail systems have 911 HELP Locater Markers in the case of an emergency. The marker ID numbers link into the GIS System.
• A Safety Committee is formed each year comprised of Community Services staff that review accident, incident, and rescue reports, inspect parks and their elements, and make recommendations for safety alterations.

Healthy Work Environments:

• Breastfeeding is encouraged, and mothers are provided with private space and time to pump.
• The Live Healthy Gwinnett’s steering committee and Community Services Safety Committee, formed of Gwinnett Parks and Recreation staff, give a voice to all employees.
• Staff is trained on proper hydration and are provided with clean drinking water.
• Hepatitis B vaccines are available to all staff.
• Modified guidelines for caterers asking to provide more nutritious food options during programs, events, and staff gatherings.
• Through the BeWellBeSafe Human Resource’s Wellness Initiative, employees can access:
• Online educational courses related to your health and benefits
• Wellness Credits
• A Wellness Assessment and Biometric Dashboard to track your potential health risks
• Many more resources for your improved health 

Gwinnett Parks and Recreation is committed to providing a healthy environment for park visitors and employees. These Catering Guidelines are to ensure healthy choices are available at events and meetings.

Ask for healthy options: Let restaurants or caterers know you are seeking healthy selections. They may be able to make suggestions or modify their standard catering order to fit your needs.

Build a balanced meal: A balanced plate means making half your plate vegetables and fruits, and the other half whole grains and protein. Examples of balanced catered meals could include:

• Spaghetti with meatballs, a side salad, mixed vegetables, and fruit
• BBQ pork, bread, greens, corn, and peaches
• Chicken or steak tacos, black beans, salad, and fruit
• Baked chicken, brown rice, green beans, carrots, and fruit salad
• Deli meat sandwiches on whole grain bread, salad, and an apple
• Grilled chicken salad, whole grain bread and fruit

Choose more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains: If you are ordering boxed lunches and they give you a choice between an apple and chips, choose the apple. Pick whole wheat pasta, brown rice, or whole wheat bread when given the option as well.

Limit fried foods to one item: If ordering fried chicken, do not choose French fries or other fried items as a side dish. Offer an alternative to the fried dish as well, like baked chicken.

Include protein at breakfast: Protein foods include eggs, low-fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, low-fat granola, peanut butter (for waffles or toast), and turkey sausage.