The Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has incorporated a new commuter program that would give Sunnyslope Manor residents access to healthy food options and live a more active lifestyle. The previous routes set up by the Valley Metro SMART Circulator had made commuting a difficulty endeavor for residents. As a solution to this issue, the MCDPH and Sunnyslope Manor had teamed up to allow Sunnyslope residents to provide feedback and create a route that is suitable to their needs and wants. The collaborative effort led to an outing that took residents to places of interest for food options, educational activities, and provided residents with an in-depth look at the routes provided by the SMART shuttles. With mobility being a number one topic of concern for Sunnyslope residents, the continuous effort of the partnership has seen an increase in efforts to create routes that would bring residents closer to access points and create an easier form of getting to and from places of interest. 

The SMART shuttle program has been funded through the Live Well Arizona grant by the Vitalyst Health Foundation for $14,990. This is just one of many partnerships to see the SMART shuttle program increase accessibility to healthier food options and active lifestyles for every resident in Sunnyslope Manor. As residents have had a say in how the program was instituted, they will continuously be able to voice changes to the shuttle system.