Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. represented Augusta this week at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 88th Annual Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. Mayor Davis, who also serves on the Board of Trustees for the national organization, joined nearly 300 mayors from cities across the country for robust dialogue, information sharing and idea exchange on gun violence, cybersecurity and housing.

“Cities across the country successfully address complex issues every day. The U.S. Conference of Mayors has been a tremendous resource to learn about solutions that work,” said Davis. 

“This meeting also gives mayors a collective voice with federal leaders about the biggest issues in our cities and the tools we need to address them,” Davis added.

During the conference, Davis accepted a 2020 Childhood Obesity Prevention Award Grant of $120,000 to support Augusta Fit Families – a program to expose children to healthy eating and activity environments inside and outside of their homes so they learn and benefit from a lifetime of healthy habits. 

“I’m excited about this grant to support Augusta Fit Families and early intervention programs to combat childhood obesity,” Davis said. “Chronic health conditions in adults often start from bad habits in children. These funds support the education of our youngest residents to impact their healthy lifestyle habits early,” Davis added.

The Augusta Fit Families project is a partnership with the City of Augusta, The Children’s Hospital of Georgia and the Augusta Partnership for Children and will address childhood obesity rates, food deserts, making good food choices, healthy cooking and eating at home, safe play and exercise spaces. 

“Healthy lifestyles are not a one size fits all approach. We want Augusta’s children to learn that moderation is key when making choices that impact their overall health,” said Davis. “We want them to know that their leaders are committed to support their choices with spaces and opportunities to enjoy outdoor activity as a family.”