The City of Davis announced today that it was awarded a Beacon Leadership and Innovation Award by the Institute for Local Government (ILG) for cross-agency collaboration for partnering with UC Davis on the Healthy Davis Together (HDT) project. Healthy Davis Together helped prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the city and coordinated the gradual return of UC Davis students back into the community.
Healthy Davis Together launched in September 2020 and within a few months, started free, saliva-based testing at multiple locations throughout the city. This month, HDT reached the milestone of one million tests conducted (including those from the expanded county project Healthy Yolo Together).
The initiative also provided community outreach on testing, business-focused outreach and assistance, advertising to promote healthy behaviors, safe opening plans for businesses and schools and vaccine availability.
“Our community is grateful and fortunate for this project that helped to protect our health and is assisting us to rebound as a university town,” said Mayor Gloria Partida. “We are proud to receive the Beacon Leadership and Innovation Award that recognizes the many months of hard work by so many HDT partners.”
“The UC Davis community does not stop at the campus borders,” said Gary S. May, chancellor of the University of California, Davis. “This partnership showcases the importance of a university to its community. Research, education and outreach, all hallmarks of a public university, helped make this partnership successful in keeping our COVID-19 numbers exceptionally low this past year.”
“The Davis community’s incredible ability to come together is the lynchpin to Healthy Davis Together’s success,” said Brad Pollock, Associate Dean for Public Health Sciences at UC Davis and Project Director of Healthy Davis Together. “The spirit of collaboration was evident from the very first conversation we had among community, city and university leaders, when the program was only an idea, and it has remained a true partnership ever since.”
The Innovation and Leadership Awards aim to celebrate local governments’ efforts to implement collaborative, inclusive and equitable climate resilience and adaptation programming. In addition to the City of Davis, ILG recognized the cities of Fremont, Irvine, Truckee and Manhattan Beach with Beacon Leadership and Innovation Awards.
Currently, 165 cities, counties and special districts throughout the state participate in the Beacon Program. ILG established the Beacon Program to provide recognition and year-round support for California local agencies that are working to build more vibrant and sustainable communities. The Beacon Awards honor voluntary efforts by cities, counties and special districts that are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, saving energy and adopting policies that promote sustainability. For more information about the Beacon Program and current participants, visit: www.ca-ilg.org/BeaconProgram
For a complete list of achievements, please visit: www.ca-ilg.org/award-winners
About the Institute for Local Government
The Institute for Local Government (ILG) is the non-profit training and education affiliate of the League of California Cities, California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association, which represent thousands of local agencies across the state. ILG helps local officials and staff navigate the constantly changing landscape of their jobs by offering training, technical assistance, written resources and facilitation services specifically designed for local agencies. From leadership to public engagement to housing and workforce, ILG helps local leaders with a wide range of issues. Visit www.ca-ilg.org to find out more.
Press contact: Barbara Archer, barcher@cityofdavis.org, 530-400-3418