At the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health, we spend a lot of time talking about plans and policies. And every once in a while, you get to see where it all begins.

On April 16 in Shoshone, residents showed up, shared a meal, and had productive conversations about the future of their city.

We often talk about the “Four Ps” of lasting change: partnerships, programs, projects, and policies. At the city level, policy is one of the biggest levers, and it often shows up through a Comprehensive Plan. If you’re not familiar, a comprehensive plan is essentially a city’s long-term roadmap. It guides how a community grows and makes decisions about things like housing, transportation, and public spaces.

Of the 19 components that are required by law in this plan, health isn’t explicitly one of them. It often shows up in pieces, but rarely as a throughline. That’s why we offer grants to communities (20 grants awarded since 2021) to help bring a health lens into their plans. Not just as a section, but integrated throughout. Because strong leaders know that the health of a community is shaped by the decisions it makes every day.

We’re proud to support the City of Shoshone in bringing the community together to co-design this plan. As for these photos? This is civic pride in real time.