LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. – June 2, 2020 – Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, has contributed $50,000 to help fund the Brain Health Initiative (BHI). The contribution is the second of three installments, for a total pledge of $150,000.
The BHI aims to establish Florida’s Suncoast as a scientific leader in brain health discovery and innovation throughout the region, nationally and globally.
“The benefit this initiative can bring to improve brain health and reduce the risk of brain illness among those in our own region and state is inspiring. It’s a mission that Neal Communities is happy to support for the long-term health of those in our community,” said Pat Neal, Founder and Chairman, Neal Communities.
The Brain Health Initiative is a cutting-edge, new approach to protecting brain health and fighting brain illness across the lifespan. Working collaboratively with Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital, and the Academy for Brain Health and Performance BHI is dedicated to building brain healthy communities through education, research, innovation and action.
Since its launch, BHI researchers have been working tirelessly to establish the research institute and promote brain health in the community. Recent actions include the spring launch of the Brain Health Longitudinal Pilot study, investigating brain health risk and protective factors in adults.
The pilot study involves randomly selected residents of Lakewood Ranch and examines the ways they function mentally, socially, cognitively, and overall, as well as the factors in their lives that present risk or promote resilience in brain health and performance. Community participation in the confidential, online questionnaire is a critical component of the study and the BHI encourages those residents who receive a recruitment letter to participate in the study and help inform the science that is essential to promoting and protecting brain health and fighting brain illness.
The BHI also hosts community events, including the Brain Health Matters! lecture series, a Mindful Triathlon, a brain health dinner party and community online meditations.
Dr. Stephanie Peabody, Founder and Executive Director of the BHI shares that “The overall research program will follow residents, young and older, from throughout the Suncoast region, for decades to identify brain health protective and risk factors, as well as clinical trials, that focus on prevention, early detection, evidence-based intervention and performance optimization across the lifespan. The Brain Health Innovation Lab seeks to attract global brain health innovators with state-of-the-art solutions to validate and test the feasibility of solutions, like neurotechnology and lifestyle interventions to enhance brain health. The Brain Health Innovation Lab will be launching its first clinical trial, My Healthy Brain, in late 2020.”
For more information or to support project funding, visit www.brainhealthiniative.org.
About Neal Communities
Neal Communities, based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, is Southwest Florida’s largest and most established locally owned and operated private builder. During the company’s nearly 50-year history, it has built over 14,000 new homes in more than 90 acclaimed communities from Tampa to Naples. The company consistently ranks among the nation’s top 100 home builders and has earned numerous awards including the prestigious Builder of the Year from Professional Builder in 2015 and America’s Best Builder in 2012 from BUILDER Magazine. With a core belief that “Where You Live Matters,” Neal Communities has given more than $7 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida and is committed to the communities where they live, work and build. Company sales in fiscal year 2019 were $410 million.
Additional Neal Communities brands include Neal Signature Homes, Neal Land & Neighborhoods, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas, Neal Communities Funding and Allegiant Title Professionals. For more information, please visit www.NealCommunities.com.