Keeping Fit in Newport

The Newport Housing Authority (NHA) won a 2020 Award of Excellence in Resident and Client Services for creating ways to enhance resident’s health and wellness routines. Nominated from among the NAHRO Award of Merit winners each year, the Awards of Excellence winners are chosen by national juries and honored at the annual National Conference and Exhibition in November. They represent the very best in innovative programs in assisted housing and community development.   

The physical benefits of exercise include better lasting overall health, reduced risk of potentially serious disease, lower blood pressure and increased muscle tone. Exercise carries emotional and social benefits as well.  Working with the newly created nonprofit Hi-Lo Neighborhood Association, NHA applied for grant money to create a space for seniors to improve upon their physical and mental health. Together, they helped turn a poorly maintained fitness center into a safe place for seniors to exercise and come together.   

The Hi-Lo Association and NHA applied for more than $50,000 worth of grants from the Rhode Island Foundation, the van Beuren Foundation, and the North Family Foundation to pay for the complete renovation. The renovated space allows for additional exercise classes, such as yoga and a class targeted at improving balance and preventing falls and provides an office for resident services. NHA and the Hi-Lo Association also repurposed several smaller rooms as treatment and consultation spaces to be rented by healthcare professionals such as physical therapists, massage therapists, and mental health counselors. The rent assists in providing NHA with revenue to maintain and enhance the space for all users.  

The housing authority also formed a relationship with Salve Regina University to foster interactions between elderly residents and college students. The aim is to better mental and physical health for residents and provide service opportunities.  

As a next step in helping residents lead healthier lives, NHA and Hi-Lo are sponsoring health and wellness fairs and looking to create a public-private partnership to rent the unused space to local health care providers.