Bronx Health REACH e-blast: May 18, 2011

Discovery High School Farmers Market – May 20^th

Discovery High School is hosting a farmers market and edible plant sale from 8 am to 12 pm at its campus (2780 Reservoir Ave, Bronx, NY) on Friday, May 20^th. The event is open to the public and features teach-ins, tasting tables, and activities for students of all ages. The Discovery High School farmers market is the only student-run, profitable farmer's market in all of NYC featuring fresh veggies and herbs grown indoors. 

Community Health Education Day – May 20^th

Bronx Health Link and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. present the borough’s largest annual health fair, with screenings, counseling, and educational services for all ages. The event will take place on Friday, May 20^th from 11 am to 3 pm at the Bronx County Building at 851 Grand Concourse at 161^st Street. Admission to the health fair is FREE.

Hunts Point Hustle 5K Walk/Run – May 21^st

Sustainable South Bronx is hosting the 5^th annual Hunts Point Hustle 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, May 21^st at Hunts Point Riverside Park, Lafayette Avenue between Edgewater Road and the Bronx River. The walk/run will start at 9 am and runners and walkers of all ages are invited to participate. There will also be a 100 yard dash for children, awards for the top three female and male participants in each age category, and t-shirt and goodie bag giveaways. To register, donate, or fundraise go to http://www.ssbx.org/ssbxblog/. Registration will also take place the morning of the Hustle.

Agape Love Christian Center Community Health Day – May 21^st

The Agape Love Christian Center, a Bronx Health REACH Faith-Based Outreach Initiative member, is hosting an all-day health fair on Saturday, May 21^st at 1023 Allerton Avenue in the Bronx. The fair will take place between 10 am and 4 pm and will include FREE health screenings and information, including mammography, blood pressure, and cholesterol checks. For more information and contact details, see the attached flier.

Active Design Family Day – May 21^st, June 11^th, & June 18^th

The Center for Architecture Foundation (CFAF) and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Built Environment Program have organized youth oriented programs that teach young people about Active Design and the relationship between the design of their communities and their health. These FREE pilot workshops will allow families to work as a design team to redesign a city block to create a space where activities such as walking, biking, outdoor play, and using public transportation are encouraged. The first workshop will take place on Saturday, May 21^st from 11 am to 1 pm at North Brooklyn YMCA, 570 Jamaica Ave, Brooklyn. 

NYC Nutrition Education Network General Meeting – May 25^th

The NYC Nutrition Education Network is hosting its final meeting of the year on the impact of city and statewide nutrition policies. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 25^thfrom 9 am to 12 pm at The New School (Wollman Hall, 65 W. 11^th Street, 5^th Floor) and will feature speakers from the NYS and NYC Departments of Health. RSVP to nycnenadmin@gmail.com. For non-NYCNEN members, there is a $5 fee to attend the meeting.

World No Tobacco Day NYC Youth Rally – May 31^st

The NYC Coalition for a Smoke-Free City is organizing a Youth Rally for Middle and High School students to protest tobacco marketing toward youth in stores. The rally will take place between 2:30 pm and 4 pm at Union Square Park on Tuesday, May 31^st. There will be representatives from the Coalition from all five boroughs. 

Shape Up NYC Fitness Classes at St. Mary’s Recreation Center – every Friday

St. Mary’s Recreation Center is hosting FREE Feldenkrais fitness classes through Shape Up NYC every Friday from 9 am to 10 am. Feldenkrais is a series of slow and gentle movements designed to enhance awareness of how your body moves and improves posture and coordination. The weekly classes will take place at the Center at 450 St. Ann’s Avenue in the Bronx and are open to the public. For  more information, contact Shawn James at Shawn.James@parks.nyc.gov.    

Entertainment for Development Community Event – June 11^th

The New Covenant Community Development Corporation is hosting an event to promote housing, resource opportunities, and economic empowerment in the Bronx. The event will take place at Dominion Cathedral at 1175 Boston Road from 3:30 pm to 6 pm on Saturday, June 11^th. The event will include Educational Scholarship Awards, free health screenings, and special music and dance performances. 

Peace Love Café courses – ongoing

The Peace Love Café located at 617 Melrose Ave between 151^st and 152^nd streets in the Bronx holds ongoing Food Sustainability and Music Appreciation group programs at its healthy food eatery. As the first health food and internet café in the South Bronx, Peace Love Café encourages student, church, and community groups to sign up for 90 minute courses on Food Sustainability ($15 per attendee) and Music Appreciation ($10 per attendee). To reserve a class for your group, call 347-577-6397 or email peacelovecafe@gmail.com.

Envision 2011: Climate Change & Environmental Justice - June 16-18

The New York Theological Seminary is hosting a three-day conference on the religious response to caring for earth. “Caring for the Community of Creation: Climate Change & Environmental Justice” will be held at the Interchurch Center at 475 Riverside Drive. Registration before May 27^th is $40 per person and after will be $50 per person. For more information on the conference, speakers, and how to register, visit http://www.nyts.edu/envision/ or contact Janet Martin at janethtmartin@gmail.com or 914.329.6330.

Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook becomes President Obama’s Religious Freedom Ambassador

Reverend Cook, one of the pastors in Bronx Health REACH’s Faith-Based Outreach Initiative, was named as Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, a State Department post, by President Obama. Rev. Cook grew up in Wakefield and founded the Bronx Christian Fellowship Baptist Church. She later became the NYPD’s first woman and first African-American chaplain. In her new role, Rev. Cook will report directly to President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton and advise on religion abroad and monitor religious persecution. To learn more about Rev. Cook and her new position, please read this article from the New York Daily News.