The Need for Wellness

Changing the state of our public health is a shared lift and right now, change needs to happen. According to the latest Health of the City Report from the City of Philadelphia;

“Six of the leading causes of death in Philadelphia are related to chronic health conditions:

These conditions often significantly reduce quality of life and life expectancy, and lead to disability and high health care costs. Many factors, particularly poor health behaviors and lack of access to care, contribute to these conditions, resulting in varying rates among the city’s residents.”

What does this tell us?

We know why our fellow citizens are dying.

We know where.

​We know the conditions can be prevented.

Our program doesn’t just get people moving and healthier. We transfer that positive momentum into our job-training program in order to gain the tools to share that health with others through the health and wellness industry. Being active isn’t enough. Having a job and sustainable wellness is the solution.

Why the health and wellness sector?

​Two main reasons. Firstly, employment opportunities in the personal training/health and wellness sector are growing rapidly with:

Over 23% expected growth in the next 10 years Additionally, an over 30% growth in personal training jobs over that same time

These are also jobs that are great fits for individuals with incomplete work histories and time out of the workforce. Your success is based on your passion and competency. Our curriculum ensures that members obtain the skills necessary to leave unemployment and unhealthy lifestyles in favor of careers and leadership. A Level One CrossFit Certification provides our members with one of many tools to use in changing their life towards one of sustainable employment and personal strength.

Community Fitness

As our members learn the trade of coaching, they are putting this in action in some of the most needed areas of the city. Currently, UliftU operates programming three days per week in North Philadelphia at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center located at 2101 Cecil B Moore Ave., in one of the hardest hit areas for poverty and lowest life expectancies in the city.

​This programming accomplishes two goals:

Providing income for our members. Members are paid through our program for their time coaching classes at this location.

Much needed opportunities for local residents to access fitness programming and work towards reducing preventable health conditions.

By targeting an industry and working backwards, we are signaling our commitment for jobs. We’re not just preparing broad professional skills, we’re actively training our members for a career in health and wellness. By then transitioning this experience into a social enterprise to address the broader health and wellness needs of Philadelphia, we’re not only fulfilling the needs for our members, but for the broader community.​ Many of our members come from neighborhoods where once manufacturing taught individuals how to build the strongest machines in America. We’re now teaching the skills to build healthy and happy people.