People show up.
They lace up their walking shoes. They meet new neighbors. They spend time in places that bring people together.
And along the way, they build something that’s just as important as physical activity: stronger connections with the people and places around them.
That was the story of the 2026 Move with the Mayor® Spring Mental Health and Physical Activity Challenge, where 52 communities hosted more than 100 events that encouraged residents to move more, strengthen social connections, and support mental well-being.
While every community approached the challenge differently, they all shared a common goal: creating opportunities for people to connect through movement.
Those efforts culminated during the Move with the Mayor® celebration webinar, where participating mayors reflected on what they learned by leading from the front.
Community health starts with showing up
For Mayor Freddy Puza of Culver City, California, one of the greatest benefits of the challenge wasn’t simply getting people moving. It was creating opportunities for residents to interact with local government in a more personal way.
“One of the things I value most about public service is creating spaces where residents don’t just see government at work but experience it. These [Move with the Mayor®] events allowed me to be out there with residents of all ages, building relationships with people outside of City Hall.”
His reflection captures something that’s easy to overlook. Leadership becomes more meaningful when residents experience it firsthand. Move with the Mayor® gave local leaders an opportunity to step out of city hall and into the places where residents live, work, play, and pray.
Healthy living should feel welcoming
Mayor Jack Bradley of Lorain, Ohio, believes one reason the initiative resonated is because it made healthy living feel accessible rather than overwhelming.
“[Move with the Mayor®] is one of my favorite parts of serving as the mayor of Lorain,” Mayor Bradley said. “This particular program has been very instrumental in energizing our parks and recreation department. We’re making healthy living fun and accessible in our community.”
Communities don’t have to launch expensive programs or build new facilities to encourage healthier lifestyles. Sometimes the greatest impact comes from making existing opportunities easier to discover and creating welcoming spaces where residents feel comfortable taking that first step.
Leadership creates opportunities
Mayor Sonja A. Brown of Glenn Heights, Texas, sees community health as something local leaders can influence every day.
“As mayors, we don’t control healthcare, but we can influence our environments,” Brown said. “We can create opportunities, remove barriers, and bring people together.”
Her perspective reflects an important truth about public health. While local governments don’t provide healthcare, they help shape the environments where people live, work, and connect.
Creating opportunities to move together can remove one of the biggest barriers to healthier living: simply getting started.
More than numbers
The impact of the challenge can be measured in participation, but the numbers tell only part of the story.
This year, 53 communities hosted more than 100 events that encouraged physical activity, strengthened social connections, and supported mental well-being. Participating communities also shared their experiences through hundreds of social media posts, extending the conversation well beyond individual events.
Public service announcements featuring participating mayors reached millions more people, helping reinforce the connection between physical activity, social connection, and mental health.
The challenge also generated encouraging feedback from community members. According to survey results, participants reported feeling more connected, more physically active, and more aware of the relationship between physical activity and mental well-being — an early indication that these community-led efforts are making a meaningful difference.
While the Spring Mental Health and Physical Activity Challenge has wrapped, the work of building healthier communities continues.
Move with the Mayor® provides year-round resources to help communities encourage physical activity, strengthen partnerships, and create opportunities for residents to connect.
The biggest lesson from this year’s challenge wasn’t found in the event count or the participation numbers. It came from local leaders actively engaging with their residents.
When mayors lead by example, people show up. And when people show up, stronger, healthier, and more connected communities begin to take shape.
Interested in bringing Move with the Mayor® to your community?
Move with the Mayor® provides year-round resources to help mayors and local leaders promote physical activity, strengthen social connections, and build healthier communities.
Learn more about the initiative at natforum.org/mwtm and contact us for more information.
