A five-stage model for sustaining a community campaign

The Sisters Together, Move More Eat Better pilot communication program focu ses on young Black women in three inner-city communities to encourage impro ved nutrition and increased physical activity. The design for Sisters Toget her is based on an expansion of a public health campaign that combines soci al marketing with community building efforts. The pilot program design comp rises five phases: design, promotion, demonstration, transfer, and sustaine d activity. The proposed five-stage model holds potential for increasing th e life span of a campaign and contributing to community building. Partnersh ips and coalition development promise to maintain the campaign beyond the l imited budget period. This descriptive article illustrates the elements of a hybrid model for the design of a communication program with examples from Sisters Together, Move More Eat Better, a pilot program currently in the l ast year of implementation.