Austin, Texas, Oct. 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Across the state, hundreds of organizations and communities will participate in a 10 minute walk at 10 a.m., Friday Nov. 8. Texas Walks is a statewide initiative for health organized by It’s Time Texas, a nonprofit that champions the movement to create a culture of health in the Lone Star State by making healthy lifestyles accessible to all Texans. By pledging participation in the walk, residents commit to taking steps toward leading healthier lives and building healthier communities.
More than 48,000 Texans participated in the most recent walk in 2017, including 80 corporate teams and 161 schools, statewide. The concept for the walk — dedicating 10 minutes to walk together and demonstrating commitment to improved personal health and a healthier community overall — is intended to call attention to the benefits of 10 minutes of daily physical activity. According to data from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, walking for as little as 10 minutes a day can help people be more focused, feel more connected and even lower risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
“Our Texas Walks initiative brings together people from every walk of life; taking 10 minutes to recognize small steps can lead to big changes,” said Amy McGeady, Ph.D., chief executive officer of It’s Time Texas. “Walking together on November 8th underscores It’s Time Texas’ commitment to building healthier communities across the state.”
Texas Walks is free and open to the public and encourages Texans to rally their friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, and classmates to get outside and walk together. Individuals, teams and employers can register at texaswalks.itstimetexas.org to pledge to walk along with thousands of other Texans. Registrants can invite people to join using free tools, graphics and flyers to help spread the word.
For more information and to register, visit texaswalks.itstimetexas.org.
Continuing robust efforts to empower healthy change across the state, It’s Time Texas’ Texas Walks follows the 2019 Healthier Texas Summit, a collaboration of It’s Time Texas and The University of Texas System which took place October 17 and 18 at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas. With the goal of rapidly reducing the burden of preventable chronic disease in Texas, this joint initiative convened some of the state’s leading institutions, agencies, organizations and corporations invested in shaping a healthier Texas. Early registration for It’s Time Texas’ upcoming 2020 Community Challenge kicked off at the Summit.
It’s Time Texas’ Community Challenge is a free eight-week initiative held each year from January - March. This year, the challenge impacted more than 25,000 Texans with participation from residents in over 350 Texas communities. The Community Challenge has inspired approximately 25,256,206 minutes of physical activity across our state.
About It’s Time Texas:
It’s Time Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering Texans to lead healthier lives, build healthier communities, and contribute to a healthier state. Every day, we work alongside Texans committed to improving health within their homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. Our goal is a Texas where everyone – no matter where they live, their age, race, or income – has the resources, support, and opportunities to prioritize health and live their best life. Through programs and partnerships built to advance health on multiple fronts, we are shifting behaviors, practices, and policies to make health core to what it means to be a Texan. Together, we are igniting the movement for a healthier Texas. Join us at itstimetexas.org. Learn more at www.itstimetexas.org, like us on Facebook @ItsTimeTX and follow along on Twitter @ItsTimeTX.