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Gonzales earns Blue Zones community certification as Monterey County becomes first certified county in California
Summary
Council accepted a Blue Zones community certification for Gonzales; presenters said the city exceeded goals across schools, worksites, food retail and community engagement and that the program will move into a sustainability phase with local health systems committing staff support.
The Gonzales City Council accepted Blue Zones community certification for the city on Sept. 15, recognizing Gonzales as one of five certified cities in Monterey County and part of the countywide designation, presenters said.
Blue Zones Project regional director Kendra Howell told the council, "it is really a big deal. So congratulations," and said the county — including Gonzales — has achieved certified Blue Zones community designation. Howell said Monterey County is the first county in California to hold that designation and noted the countywide effort began with a readiness assessment in Salinas in 2018.
Why it matters: Blue Zones certification signals that a community has implemented measurable changes in policy and built environment to support healthier lifestyles. Howell said Gonzales "exceeded their goals across all sectors for certification measurement, worksite schools, food retail policy, and most importantly, community engagement." She named Salinas Valley Health, Taylor Farms and Montage Health as early sponsors and said those partners will continue to support sustained implementation.
Brenda Cabrera, who works with school engagement, reported that Gonzales USD had all district schools approved for the project, including La Gloria, Fairview Middle School and Gonzales High School. Marcus Pulido, who works on worksites, said Gonzales has four Blue Zones–approved worksites, including the Taylor Farms Family Health and Wellness Center and the Taylor Farms plant. "Our success as a community and as a project comes at a 3.4% increase of overall health and wellness across the board," Pulido said.
Presenters said the certification phase now shifts to sustainability. Howell said local partners committed to continue the work: Salinas Valley Health intends to hire five staff members and Montage Health will fold Blue Zones activities into its community health and wellness efforts through Aspire. Howell said the Blue Zones team will continue to support the city with letters of support for grant opportunities.
Council response and next steps: Mayor and council accepted the presentation; staff were not asked to take an immediate new action during the meeting. Howell and her team requested ongoing city partnership to sustain programs and noted the city already has community assets that supported certification, including a community garden showcased during the site visit.
Ending: The presenters encouraged continued city involvement to sustain and expand Blue Zones activities and offered to assist with grant support and technical assistance.
