Fit for Life: Tribal Youth and Family Wellness Program - The Forest County Potawatomi Community proposes Fit for Life: Tribal Youth and Family Wellness Program, a three-year, culturally grounded initiative to strengthen whole-family wellness among Tribal youth and families in rural Forest County, Wisconsin. Geographic isolation, limited service access, and disparities in obesity, mental health, substance use, and chronic disease underscore the need for accessible, culturally meaningful prevention supports. Guided by the Medicine Wheel, Fit for Life will help families build sustainable habits that support physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Housed at the FCP Community Center near Crandon, the program will coordinate Tribal partners to provide physical activity, nutrition, wellness coaching, family goal setting, stress management, youth and elder engagement, support groups, cultural and nature-based programming, outreach, and community events. The project will also develop and implement a coordinated referral system to connect families with needed Tribal and community supports. Over three years, participants will progress from guided awareness and habit formation, to confidence and consistency, to independent lifestyle integration. By bringing services, culture, relationships, and prevention into one trusted setting, FCPC will reduce barriers, strengthen intergenerational connection, and support youth development through safe, positive, identity-affirming activities. The project directly aligns with ANA EAGLE’s IDEAS priority by advancing a community-designed solution that builds Native capacity, health, self-determination, and self-sufficiency. With ANA support, Fit for Life will transform growing community momentum into a sustainable wellness system that helps FCPC families grow in balance, resilience, and lifelong health.
