Union River Healthy Communities is a "healthy community coalition" dedicated to improving health through education, advocacy and action. We empower our communities to be physically active, free from addictions, and to eat healthy foods.  We serve 20 towns in Hancock County, including the Ellsworth and Schoodic regions and northern Hancock County.

We subscribe to the "Healthy Communities" principles, created by the World Health Organization, which say that health is broadly defined, everyone is included, and we make the best use of our local assets.

In 2003, the coalition conducted key informant interviews and dialogues, along with a review of published health information about the area; and created the Ellsworth Community Health Plan. In 2009, URHC revisited the findings of that Plan, once again conducted numerous interviews with community members and published the 2009, Building Our Healthy Future.

Besides taking on specific projects each year, the coalition holds a regular series of community dialogues on public health issues. Past dialogues have included transportation, designing active communities, substance abuse, under-age drinking, and sprawl. The coalition Advisory Board meets the first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October, and December at Ellsworth City Hall, from 4-6 PM. The public is invited.