About Us
Learn about
Healthy Kids
About Healthy Kids
Healthy Kids Thunder Bay supports the delivery of health and community services for an estimated 1200 children and their families in four priority neighbourhoods in Thunder Bay. The Healthy Kids Sites provide trusted locations within each neighbourhood where programs and services are available for residents.
Healthy Kids Thunder Bay is a collaborative of community partners working together to improve children’s health. It brings together residents and community partners to provide evidence-informed programming around physical activity, nutrition, smoking prevention and cessation, mental health, and other topics identified by participants. This unique collaboration will contribute to shaping healthier children and families within our City by strengthening the knowledge, skills, and abilities of families in these neighbourhoods to engage in healthy-living strategies and access community services.
Healthy Kids Coordinator
H.O.M.E. Program Coordinator
Rachel Bayes
Rachel has a varied education background that includes geography, forestry, culinary, and food service and nutrition management. Most recently, she completed a master’s degree in Health Sciences, specializing in Social-Ecological Sustainability and Health, and has decided to be done with school…for the time being. She enjoys spending time with her family, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, hiking, volunteering, reading, and writing – you may have seen her columns in the Walleye magazine and Northwest Nosh. She is a big supporter of community involvement and empowering people, and is so looking forward to connecting with our Healthy Kids families.
Healthy Kids Neighbourhood Leads
Academy
Jay
Windsor
Fallan
Working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Indigenous Learning, Fallan comes from a background of child and youth work, early childhood education, helping those in crisis, and much more within the helping field. Fallan is part of the Fort William First Nation community and does her best to live by the Seven Grandfather Teachings and Medicine Wheel. Fallan is always working towards becoming healthier through her endless library of self-help books and proudly living her story of recovery. She believes in resilience and is eager to empower and support our Healthy Kids families to live their best, healthiest lives.
I Love To...
Brianna
A graduate from the Social Service Work (SSW) program at Confederation College, Brianna is undertaking her honours bachelor of Social Work (HBSW) at Lakehead University in the fall. Brianna has been planning and facilitating recreational programming and workshops for children and youth for The City of Thunder Bay as a Child & Youth Specialist for over 7 years. After graduating from SSW Brianna moved to Victoria, BC to work for Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) where she focused on the connection between mental health and addiction in a clinical counselling setting. In addition to her new position as a Healthy Kids Neighbourhood Lead, Brianna also works as a Crisis Response Worker for Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). In her spare time Brianna loves to spend time with her dog Hudson, go to country music concerts and be outside in the summer. Brianna believes that there is always a way to incorporate fun into everything you do and her bright and bubbly personality supports that!
I Love To...
Tyler
An honors graduate of the Social Work program (HBSW) at Lakehead University, working towards a Masters of Social Work (MSW). Tyler has been working with children and youth since he was one. Working in many positions incorporated within the helping field such as public speaking, teaching, facilitating and crisis work for organizations such as Children’s Center (CCTB), Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and the City of Thunder Bay (CTB). Alongside mental health, Tyler also has a strong passion for physical health and can often be found participating in recreational sports in his free time. In addition to participating, he also has coached numerous sports for nearly a decade, most notably the St.Ignatius Falcons Football team. He strongly believes that positivity makes the world go round, therefore he is often the loudest in the room, a person with a smile, voice and energy that can’t be missed. Strongly believing that “A smile is the curve that sets everything straight”.
Minnesota Park
Wyeth
A graduate of Lakehead University with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, Wyeth will be returning to school in the fall for Urban Planning & GIS through Fanshawe College. He has a strong interest in community planning and programming, and has worked with the City of Thunder Bay in various programs. He began working with the City through Playgrounds, and is now back after some time away. He is currently the Program Coordinator for the Neighbourhood Recreation Program, as well as the Healthy Kids Neighbourhood Coordinator. In his time away from work he enjoys photography, playing music, and spending time in the outdoors. He looks forward to spending time in various neighbourhoods and meeting community members!
Danielle
Cerene
Healthy Kids Evaluation Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Erin Pearson
Erin is a professor in the School of Kinesiology at Lakehead University and the lead evaluator for Healthy Kids. As a health promoter, she wants to understand what types of programs matter to children and families. “What I love about Healthy Kids is that it involves community partners who are passionate about helping others and bringing resident-driven services into neighbourhoods” she says. Erin enjoys being outside with her family/dogs and doing activities like camping, hiking, running, and reading. As Healthy Kids grows, she looks forward to connecting with families and working with the team to tailor programs that are important to community members.
Research Assistant
Delaney
Delaney is a graduate student in the School of Kinesiology at Lakehead University and the research assistant for Healthy Kids. After graduating with her HBKin, she decided to pursue a master’s degree, specializing in mental health literacy and self-efficacy. She is a promoter of health, wellness, and wellbeing. She enjoys reading a good book and spending time with her family. Delaney looks forward to connecting with community members and working with the team as Healthy Kids continues to grow.
Healthy Kids Planning Team
Meet regularly throughout the year with neighbours to plan activities for families in your community and support programs offered by Healthy Kids. This group is the voice of the families that attend our centres.
If you’re interested in joining, please email healthykids@tbdhu.com
Register Today
Please follow this link to register your family as a Healthy Kids family. Many of our programs are drop-in, where you and your family can come by to say hi and join in our activities. Some programs require registration, so we can ensure we have enough resources for all who attend.