Bronx Health REACH Annual Pastor’s Breakfast

When I started working in the HealthCorp program at Bronx Health REACH last September, I had a basic idea of what a community coalition was. However, after working with the Bronx Health REACH Faith-Based Outreach Initiative (FBOI), a coalition of 47 churches in the Bronx, I have seen how much power there can be in a community coalition and, more importantly, how crucial a coalition is for community change. 

On May 3^rd, Bronx Health REACH held its annual pastor’s breakfast to honor the work done by the churches over the last ten years and discuss the future of the coalition. Below is a list of some of the churches’ achievements:

• Established health ministries and culinary committees to improve policies and practices for selecting, preparing, and serving healthy meals to their congregations.
• Organized health activities such as Fine, Fit and Fabulous, a nutrition and fitness program, and The Way, a support program for congregants living with diabetes.
• Distributed 42,792 pieces of health education literature.
• Held 1,671 events, including workshops, presentations and health fairs, reaching 32,574 community residents.
• Delivered over 600 health and health equality-related sermons reaching an average of 5,970 congregants per month.
  

These activities led to healthier eating habits, weight loss, and better diabetic health outcomes among church congregants and increased physical activity in the community.

In addition to nutrition and fitness programs, the churches have played a key role in Bronx Health REACH’s Segregated Care Campaign, which seeks to address the unequal delivery of outpatient health services in hospitals across New York though a state-level bill that would require hospitals to treat everyone in the same setting, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or insurance type.  Since 2007, the FBOI coalition has mobilized and educated over 5,000 clergy members to promote equal access to care in New York City. 

During the meeting, Dr. Neil Calman, President/CEO of the Institute for Family Health, along with Reverend Dr. Foley from Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus and Shena Elrington, the Director of the Health Justice Program at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, gave inspiring speeches to continue the coalition’s efforts.  Also, several other pastors gave messages of support for the campaign and offered valuable insight and strategies for the faith-based community to continue the fight against powerful interests that support separate and unequal specialty care in New York City, including:

• Identifying congregants who have experiences separate and unequal medical care and encourage them to share their stories with us.
• Inviting Bronx Health REACH representatives to future clergy and community meetings to talk about segregated care. 
• Educating elected officials about the issue of segregated care and its impact on the congregation members, their constituents.

At the pastor’s breakfast, it was clear that despite its accomplishments, the coalition’s job is far from over.  There is still a lot of work to be done within the individual churches and throughout the community. What was also clear was the coalition’s commitment to continue its efforts to make health equality a reality through the power and leadership of our faith-based community.

For more information about the FBOI coalition and the Segregated Care Campaign, please email yholland@institute2000.org or call (212) 633-0800 x1232

This blogpost was written by Luis Arzaluz, a HealthCorp member at Bronx Health REACH.

 

Reducing Underage & Excessive Drinking in the Bronx -- An Exciting New Opportunity for Bronx Health REACH

Recently, we participated in a planning meeting for year 3 of the Partnership for a Healthier NYC’s Community Transformation Grant (CTG). Bronx Health REACH is the borough lead organization for the Bronx. CTG focuses on four priority areas: improving access to healthier food and beverage choices while reducing unhealthy options, reducing underage and excessive drinking, increasing opportunities for active living, and decreasing exposure to secondhand smoke in homes and public spaces.  Last spring, it seemed that alcohol was the focus area that borough lead organizations of the Partnership found most challenging. A year later, this has changed. There is now tremendous energy and excitement round the initiative among the borough lead organizations, community members, organizations, and leaders across the borough.  Who would have ever thought?!

Among the exciting activities that have happened over the last few months, was our collaboration with the Partnership for a Healthier NYC, other borough lead organizations, and community partners to organize a citywide event for Alcohol Awareness Month on April 10^th.  April was Alcohol Awareness Month. The interactive event focused on uncovering alcohol’s hidden harms, including the fact that 1 in 10 hospital stays in NYC is alcohol-related.  Among the many arts-based projects displayed at the event, there was a “Share Your Story” wall and a screening of the youth produced "Under 21:  Why We Drink." Over 100 people attended the event. Click here for photos. In addition to generating interest around this initiative in the community and connecting us to new partners, this event afforded the borough lead organization their first real opportunity to collaborate on a citywide activity. If this collaboration is anything to go by I anticipate a lot more exciting joint efforts by the borough leads in coming years.

Another activity has been partnering with community groups and residents to assess alcohol availability and marketing in their community.  In March, Mellanie Garner, a Kingsbridge resident, and Sarah Shaikh from Bon Secours New York Healthy Communities Initiative – one of our new community partners in the Northwest Bronx – drove around Kingsbridge – a “mixed residential” community in the Northwest Bronx – to identify where alcohol was sold and marketed.  Bon Secours posted their findings on their Healthy Corner Stores blog.  Below are a few excerpts from the blog. Also, they presented their findings at the April 10^th Alcohol Awareness Month event.

There are over 10 alcohol outlets in the area. These outlets are within close proximity to beauty parlors, churches, clothing stores, laundry mats. The stores are also located in close proximity to areas where people normally live and gather such as parks, and residential areas.

The [alcohol] ads for these products are located at the front windows of the stores that sometimes are used for loitering. The ads are not targeted solely toward youth however some of the retailers provide snack food and are heavily visited by youth in the neighborhood.

 

Malt liquor mixed in with soda and juice drinks – attracts kids.

 

   An advertisement to stop smoking.  However it’s placed near a multiple bottle beer advertisement. Also, there is a beer advertisement, but no "We ID" signs on the door.                                    

 We look forward to working with more community members and organizations across the Bronx and New York City over the next year to raise awareness about the hidden harms of alcohol and the role the community plays in underage and excessive drinking.

To learn more about the Partnership for a Healthier NYC’s efforts to reduce excessive and underage drinking, please visit www.healthiernyc.org

To get involved in the Partnership for a Healthier Bronx’s Alcohol Workgroup, please contact Emma Rodgers at erodgers@instititute2000.org or 212-633-0800 x1249.