The 3>4>50 moniker represents three behaviors—lack of physical activity, poor diet and tobacco use—that lead to four chronic diseases—cancer, heart disease/stroke, type 2 diabetes, and lung disease. These diseases result in more than 50 percent of all deaths in Vermont each year. The initiative aims to unite businesses, schools, and communities around a common goal: to make the healthy option the easy option where people live, work, learn, and play.

“If we’re going to have a happy and vibrant team up here where everyone feels valued, it’s crucial that we address our employees’ most basic needs,” said Jay Peak’s general manager Steve Wright. “The 3>4>50 initiative gets right to the heart of that desire. One has to make healthy choices if one is to have a healthy life.”

In the last year alone, the resort has rolled out three new programs. Last summer Jay Peak began a partnership with Berry Creek Farm, a local organic CSA in neighboring Westfield, to offer employees easy access to healthy food, along with a monthly stipend to help offset a portion of food costs. Yoga and meditation classes became available to all employees last fall. These three benefits are in addition to free memberships for the resort’s fitness facility, biometric screenings, health fairs, and free alpine and Nordic season passes.

“As the largest employer in the Northeast Kingdom, we have a vested interest and certain duty to promote a healthy lifestyle,” continued Wright. “Our employees are the heart of Jay Peak. We need them healthy and happy.”

And there’s more in the pipeline. Jay Peak’s Human Resources staff plans to work with officials from the Vermont Department of Health—the agency charged with managing the 3>4>50 initiative—on a new suite of offerings Jay will roll out in the coming months.