Relationships matter to your health. Strong connections with friends and neighbors mean people are more likely to be involved in their communities, perform better in school, and live happier and healthier lives. Because it is a critical community issue, InCommons members address community-based health solutions frequently, most recently in a gathering organized by InCommons contributor Nancy Harzler of the Wilder Foundation .

We also see proof in popular culture, as healthy living ceases to be a solitary pursuit and becomes a group event. Large-group zumba and pilates classes are more popular than ever, while television programs like "The Biggest Loser" use group competition to achieve results (and ratings). But one of the best examples of a group- or community-based approach to healthy living comes from right here in Minnesota.

As part of the national Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support (MDHFS), and Olmsted County Public Health Services (OCPHS) - with significant input from community leaders ­- were asked to develop, implement, and evaluate a media campaign to support community efforts related to obesity prevention.

The campaign - Making It Better - brought people together to discover, share and celebrate stories of people taking action to provide others with greater access to healthier foods and new opportunities for physical activity. The also campaign demonstrated how schools, neighborhoods and workplaces are driving community change and making healthy choices the easy choices.

Another community-based program, the  Connect for Health Challenge, is asking for the best projects in the state for strengthening social connections to enter the Challenge. This new grant making initiative of the Blue Cross Foundation plans to award up to $500,000 to nonprofits, schools and local units of government to support efforts that strengthen social connections in low-income communities across Minnesota. Challenge judges will select up to 20 grantees to receive up to $20,000 each. Minnesotans will determine the recipient of one larger grant (up to $100,000) in an online statewide vote.

Visit InCommons to register for the Connect for Health Challenge , or email the Blue Cross Foundation directly for more information.