In late 2002, The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust convened a group of health providers, neighborhood groups, local and state government representatives and social service providers to examine the issue of childhood obesity in Central Indiana. This "obesity task force" met for nearly 18 months to share programs and information and to develop community goals around the obesity issue, including a comprehensive awareness campaign to match people with existing resources in the community.

In 2004, The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis awarded a planning grant to Hetrick Communications, Inc., to research, craft and test social change concepts for a multi-year communications campaign. The resulting campaign includes paid advertising, grassroots outreach and earned media elements.

In January 2005, United Way of Central Indiana agreed to serve as a fiscal agent for the anti-obesity campaign - dubbed FitCity - and to act as a community advisor/connector on a multitude of campaign programs. The Health Foundation provided an additional grant to begin implementing communications strategies and tactics outlined in the strategic plan.

In August 2005, FitCity and its partners formally launched the program with a "Dump the Junk" weekend and announcement of the "FitCity Challenge" by Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. Program components such as "Dial 2-1-1" and www.FitCity.info went into service at that time.

In 2005, FitCity signed Memorandums of Understanding with Connect2Help (formerly the Information and Referral Network) to provide the 2-1-1 call center services and Indiana Minority Health Coalition for the Teen Fitness Champions partnership. In addition, the program developed two television commercials, two radio commercials, a FitCity Web site and an e-newsletter, positioning it to begin implementing the program goals in 2006.