About this item
Linda Fondren, one of 11 children born to a single mother in the poorest and fattest state in America, watched the consequences of obesity ruin her sister's life--and was motivated to open an all-female gym in her hometown of Vicksburg, MS, with the motto "positively reshaping women." Then, witnessing how many middle- and low-income Vicksburg residents were brought up short in their fitness and health efforts by limited budgets, time, and access to resources, Fondren responded by striking at the root problem. In 2009, she spearheaded Shape Up Vicksburg, a City Hall-supported program in which she convinced the local hospital to offer free health screenings, restaurants to create healthy low-cal menu options, and Walmart to host weigh-in stations. Fondren signed up more than 2,500 Vicksburg residents to take charge of their health and nutrition--many of them for the first time.
About the Author
Linda Fondren was born into poverty in Vicksburg, Mississippi. After having transformed her life from poverty and disempowerment to success, she moved back to her hometown. Her past, with all its blemishes and complications, helped pave the way for the path she eventually found with Shape Up Sisters. For her efforts and the impact on the community, she was chosen as a Top Ten CNN Hero of the Year for 2010. She was also selected, among distinguished leaders such as First Lady Michelle Obama, as one of The Grio's 100 History Makers in the Making. She is a mother, grandmother and married to her husband Jim for 29 years.
