Join us this FRIDAY SEPT 15 for Racism and Our Families’ Health: Connecting the Dots…Why the Conversation Matters from 10AM to 12PM

 

Join us this FRIDAY SEPT 15 for Racism and Our Families’ Health: Connecting the Dots…Why the Conversation Matters from 10AM to 12PM. The presentations and discussions will offer lessons in how to effectively respond to our most pressing social issues employing a lens of anti-racism. 

Click HERE to Register. 

Questions? imoronta@institute.org.

Click here to view Part 1 of a recent discussion with Stay Alive with Church Alive (hosted by Bishop Timothy Birkett) featuring Immaculada Moronta from The Institute for Family Health/Bronx Health REACH, Rev. Dr. Calvin R. Kendrick, Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in the Bronx, and Father David Powers from RC St. Helena Church as they discuss the Racism and Our Families Health series of webinars as they discuss: What is racism? What are the types of racism? Where do we find racism? Why does the conversation about race matters to all?

Click here to view Part 2 of a recent discussion with Stay Alive with Church Alive (hosted by Bishop Timothy Birkett) featuring Immaculada Moronta from The Institute for Family Health/Bronx Health REACH, Rev. Dr. Calvin R. Kendrick, Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in the Bronx, and Father David Powers from RC St. Helena Church as they discuss the Racism and Our Families Health series of webinars as they discuss the following: How is racism making us sick? How is racism affecting our wellbeing? How do you achieve equity goals as an organization and/or individuals?

11 Faith Based Organizations Participated in Healthy Children, Healthy Families Program

Leaders from 11 faith based organizations attended an orientation for the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program.

On September 9th, Bronx Health REACH held an orientation on the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program for 28 leaders representing 11 faith based organizations. The eight week program for children (ages 8-12) and their parents/caregivers seeks to increase healthy eating and active living and reduce high rates of obesity in the Bronx. The orientation included an overview of the program structure, reviewed key nutrition concepts featured in each of the eight-week sessions and, best practices for teaching the curriculum.

This orientation was the first of a series of trainings on how to run the program led by Bronx Health REACH long-time nutrition consultant, Loyce Godfrey. The 11 faith based organizations currently participating are the final wave of churches in the program as the funding provided by the Office of Minority Health ends in 2020.

Participating faith based organizations include: Iglesia Cristiana De La Comunidad, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Misión Pentecostal Rehoboth/Water of Life Church, Creston Avenue Baptist Church, King of Glory Tabernacle, Temple of the Living God, Seventh Day Adventist Grand Concourse, Fellowship Baptist Church, Williams Institutional CME Church and Pentecostal Church of Washington Heights, and Masjid Rahmah.

Loyce Godfrey's Commitment to Health, Nutrition, and Faith Based Organizations in the Bronx

Bronx Health REACH (BHR) faith and nutrition consultant, Loyce Godfrey, has been working with faith-based participants in the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program over the past two years. The Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health funded initiative aims to reduce childhood obesity. Loyce developed the curriculum and trains faith-based leaders to teach the nutrition program. She has a long history working with Bronx Health REACH as a faith-based community leader and creator of the Fine, Fit and Fabulous program, one of our most successful health promotion programs. BHR’s Healthy Children, Healthy Families Program Manager, Emily Oppenheimer spoke with Loyce about her commitment to health, nutrition, and faith based organizations in the Bronx.

How did you get your start in health and nutrition?

I attended Tuskegee University and studied nutrition. It took me a while to graduate from college because I got involved in the civil rights movement. Before graduation, I was hired for a job in New York City. I started my first job as an assistant manager at Chock Full o’ Nuts. I was the first African American woman hired there in a management position. At the time there were no explicit policies addressing sexual harassment in the workplace when I was sexually harassed by some of the male colleagues there. It became uncomfortable for me to work there, so I left the company.

From there, I got my start with community-based jobs. I went into child daycare dietetics. I even owned my own daycare center for a while. Then I got involved with seniors. Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council decided they wanted to start a catering service, so I worked with them to get that up and going. 

I worked on opening the first SAGE Center in New York. (SAGE Center is the first full-time LGBT senior center in the country that offers services and programs related to arts and culture, fitness, food and nutrition, and health and wellness). I wrote operating nutrition services procedures, led trainings, secured permits, found a caterer to comply with requirements for meal serving, established record keeping, etc. I have also worked with City Meals on Wheels creating a healthy heart kitchen for seniors and have just completed a project for seniors who may have oral health challenges.

At one point you co-owned a store that featured arts, crafts and clothing imported from Africa.

Yes, I was a partner. It was a very healing, holistic experience. I have always liked to explore and visit faraway places. It may have come from growing up in a small town. I was interested in other parts of the world where black people lived. I liked some of the cultural aspects that were so authentic, like the wood-carved furniture. There were lots of cultural activities in NYC, and through that network I met a woman from West Africa who needed help with her store.

How did you connect with Bronx Health REACH?

Joyce Davis (one of the early leaders of BHR) and I worked together at Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council. During one of our conversations, I told her about a new ministry I had started at my church around healthy topics and nutrition. She told me that she was involved in a similar project with churches and BHR. She invited me to attend a BHR meeting. At the meeting church leaders were sharing updates on their work. When I spoke about what I was doing, Charmaine (Charmaine Ruddock, Project Director of BHR) said, “That’s exactly what we are trying to do!”

For me, this was my first time hearing about government funding opportunities for these projects. I knew health was a major concern in the Bronx so I would share my work at these meetings. I began consulting with BHR by providing workshops and assistance. I discovered that people who attended my church meetings would go eat at Popeyes afterwards. That felt so disconnected from the program I was leading with them. I bet that most of the women who attended the meeting had diabetes, heart disease or some other chronic disease. I was very concerned, so I thought, how could I get my point across so that those attending would no longer go to Popeyes afterwards? How could I combine the faith-based piece with the health behavior to change motivations? How could we align these two key principles? This led me to work on Fine, Fit and Fabulous.

What is a heritage food?

All of the heritage foods are real foods. All come from plants, from the ground. None of them were processed. After being brought to this country, many of those foods are still used in their original natural form.

The aim of our Healthy Children, Healthy Families program is to get families to eat more nutritious foods. What kinds of changes have you seen so far?

One of the barriers to eating healthier is the disconnect people have between real foods/heritage foods and processed junk foods. We are looking to show Bronx families that food, in its natural form, has not changed over the years. It is still the best nourishment for them. These real foods were so important for many generations. These foods sustain people and promote health. The goal is to get people to eat more real, healthy foods. For the families that have participated in the Healthy Children, Healthy Families programs, we are seeing more interest in eating vegetables and fruits. I am optimistic about seeing more of these positive changes. The excitement, cooperation, and passion of the churches is inspiring. Helping these churches to keep that energy alive after the program ends is so important and I think we can do it. For example, one of our church partners has a garden and I see that as a way for them to continue this work to grow and eat God’s real foods.

Faith-Based Organizations Tackle Hypertension in the Bronx

This post was written by Bronx Health REACH staff member Immaculada Moronta.

I witnessed firsthand the impact and power of the churches in tackling hypertension! Coordinating Bronx Health REACH’s Faith Based Outreach Initiative for several years now focusing on promoting healthy eating, physical activity opportunities and educating the community about healthy eating, our partner churches through the years have never disappointed. Their work on the Faith Based Hypertension Program was no exception.

The Institute for Family Health/Bronx Health REACH’s (BHR) Faith Based Hypertension Initiative (FBHI), was funded in 2018 by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, as part of their Take the Pressure Off, NYC!- an initiative focused on preventing and controlling high blood pressure. The FBHI was modeled, with some modification, on the Fine, Fit and Fabulous (FFF) program BHR developed and led several years ago. Fine Fit and Fabulous was a 12 week diabetes prevention program emphasizing nutrition, faith as a motivator, group discussions and program buddy support system.

The FBHI was a 7 week session focused on treatment adherence and nutrition education based on the DASH (Dietary Approach to STOP Hypertension) Eating Plan for managing and lowering high blood pressure among African American and Latinos in the Bronx. BHR partnered with five churches with each responsible for recruiting Peer Educators (PEs) to be trained to run the program at their respective church with 10-15 participants currently prescribed high blood pressure medication.

Two partner churches continue to build on the FBHI. They are Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus and Friendly Baptist Church. Deacon Dorothy Faison, a PE with Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus, explained her recruitment process included making announcements during Sunday morning service. She was surprised at how many congregants replied to her; members that she had known for years, but was unaware that they had hypertension. “This program started the dialogue. As a church it is part of our culture to know the members on a very personal level. We care for the people that we serve and it is embedded in our faith. When you care about family, you care about their well-being which includes their health. I had never before led a program like this. It offered me the opportunity to build a different rapport with the congregation, a different sense of responsibility and leadership that I was not used to regardless of my role in the congregation. I learned during the training different ways to relate to the members of the congregation.”

She explained that she now leads a follow up session every 6-7 weeks. “We have a buddy system, where we have designated members as partners to follow up with each other. We didn’t want the program to end. Members were interested in what they learned and wished we had a second version to build on the first one.”

The PE with Friendly Baptist Church, Royal Eason, a retired veteran, explained, “This is the first time I completed a training like this. It was a great experience! I did not know that I had this ability. Now that the program is done, a lot of them [participants] want to continue the program. They still want us to have the session at bible study after it was done. I still try to talk to them about what they have learned and make sure they are still applying what they took from the program.”

67 participants completed the program proving that faith based organizations are fully capable of reaching and effectively lead health focused program in underserved communities with approximately . 10-15 participants per church. The impact of the initiative included the following:  increase participants’ blood pressure monitoring, weight loss, taking their medication daily, improved eating habits and a decrease in sodium intake.

Though for many of the PEs this was the first time they had completed this type of training; with no hesitation they took the challenge head on. They engaged and followed up with their community. The FBOI proving once again that they can be key in health promotion in underserved communities.

Remembering Pastor Robert Lewis Foley, Sr.

In 2017, Bronx Health REACH Director Charmaine Ruddock presented an award to Pastor Robert Lewis Foley, Sr., D. Min, D.D. Pastor of Bronx Health REACH Coalition partner church Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus for his commitment to making health equality a reality in the Bronx. The award was presented at a ceremony commemorating his many years of service as pastor of Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus.


With the sudden and untimely death of Pastor Robert Lewis Foley, Sr., D. Min, D.D. Pastor of Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus in the Bronx on Friday, April 26th, Bronx Health REACH lost one of its founding leaders and a giant in the effort to make the Bronx a place of health, and wellness and justice for all. Pastor Foley had been a partner with Bronx Health REACH for almost twenty years, since its start as a small community coalition led by the Institute for Family Health with the goal of eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities in the South Bronx.

Pastor Foley's exceptional leadership, vision and commitment to making health equality a reality in the Bronx was rooted in his early history of civil rights activism in the South. Coming to the Bronx in the 1970’s, he continued his efforts on social and racial justice advocating for long term sustainable change to the conditions that contribute to Bronx residents living sicker and dying younger than they should.

In addition to his work with Bronx Health REACH, he had been a leader and founding member of the Black United Leadership in the Bronx (BULB) and served as a member of the Community Advisory Board of Montefiore Hospital, the Advisory Board of the Bronx Region of the American Cancer Society, the New York Yankees Community Relations Council, and the Police/Clergy Liaison for the 52nd Precinct in the Bronx.

On Sunday, May 5th, hundreds gathered for his funeral service at Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus to pay homage to him. Bronx Health REACH's Charmaine Ruddock, Council Member Fernando Cabrera and Rev. Dr. J. Albert Bush, Sr., Pastor of Walker Memorial Baptist Church, and a longtime partner of Bronx Health REACH remembered this amazing man and his many contributions to the community he served so faithfully.

You can read a profile of Pastor Foley by clicking here, and view Pastor Foley in a recently completed video and a 2009 CNN segment.

Bronx Health REACH Holds Faith Communities & Food Systems Conference

Panelists at the Faith Communities and Food Systems conference: (left to right) Dennis Derryck from Corbin Hill Food Project, Rev. Darriel Harris from the Black Church Food Security Network, Karen Washington from Rise & Root Farm, Nancy Ortiz-Surun and Demetrio Surun from La Finca del Sur.

On September 18th, Bronx Health REACH held a “Faith Communities and Food Systems” conference at Church of God of Prophecy. Fifty faith and community leaders and advocates gathered to discuss the role of faith communities in ensuring a healthier and more equitable food system for the Bronx. Participants included clergy, lay leaders, public health professionals, urban farmers, community gardeners, academic researchers, and other community members. Karen Washington from Rise & Root Farm and Rev. Darriel Harris from the Black Church Food Security Network and Baltimore Food & Faith Project were the main speakers. The conference highlighted the importance of urban agriculture and local farms (especially those run by farmers of color) for improving the health and self-sufficiency of Bronxites, and the role faith communities can play in helping create healthy food systems.

Conference attendees also discussed how elected officials and other policymakers need to recognize and remove the barriers that limit opportunities for growing, purchasing and selling fresh, healthy food in the Bronx. The importance of honoring the labor of farmers, gardeners, and other food related workers was a point that was stressed especially by Karen Washington. Attendees had an opportunity to watch a food demonstration by Tania Lopez, and brainstorm next steps that the health ministries of faith organizations could take regarding faith-based health education, improving access to locally grown food, and advocacy on food related policies.

Four Churches Successfully Complete Healthy Children, Healthy Families Program

Some Agape Church participants of the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program show their certificates after the final session of the program.

Agape Love Christian Center, Iglesia de Dios, Mt. Zion CME Church, and New Covenant Christian Church have successfully completed their Healthy Children, Healthy Families program. Over 100 youth and parents/caregivers participated in the eight sessions, 90 minute-long nutrition and fitness workshops. Each session was led at each church by two Peer Health Coordinators who covered such topics as: building a healthy plate and healthy meal preparation, eating God's real foods, choosing healthy beverages, determining healthy portion sizes and how to read food labels. Each session included a 1/2 hour of exercise. 

Feedback from participants is very positive. Natalia, a youth participating in the Agape Healthy Children, Healthy Families program says “I didn’t like whole grains before and I learned that you can learn to like whole grains.” Another youth participant Novea added, “It’s a good program because it encourages you to be healthy and exercise regularly.” Nyla, age 8 asserted that the best part of the program was the fitness.

Members of Mt. Zion CME Church participating in a physical fitness activity, part of the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program.

Mt. Zion CME Church was the first church to complete the program in June. "The Healthy Children, Healthy Families program has given us so much more than we anticipated," says Rev. Theresa Oliver, Senior Pastor. "For the adults and youth that participated, I believe the program did more than just teach them about healthy eating and exercise. It really boosted family values and was such a blessing and reward to see families come together and grow during the program. The children really took to the activities especially the physical activity sessions. They would run and jump around and all the children became friends with each other at the end. This program has great potential for all churches since it connects the older and younger participants with a common goal of eating healthier and getting more physical activity."

“It’s a beautiful program because it provides information that can be shared throughout the community, said Emily Oppenheimer, Program Manager. "We’ve been impressed with the way health information has reached beyond those participating in the program. Church members and church leaders have shared the message of healthy food and fitness throughout their community. We’re building a new generation of health leaders with the children and families who participated in the program."

Five churches are set to begin their programs in the fall, and we anticipate having 8 faith based organizations start their Healthy Children, Healthy Families programs in the spring.

Healthy Children, Healthy Families Program to Start at Six Faith Based Organizations

Agape Love Christian Center, Church of St. Helena, Iglesia de Dios, Mt. Zion CME Church and two New Covenant Christian Church locations are the first six of 24 faith based organizations participating in the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program. This family focused, faith-driven nutrition and fitness program will help to prevent and reduce obesity among children and adolescents in communities in the South Bronx. Twelve children (ages 8-12) and their parents/caregivers at each participating church will attend the eight week, hour and a half-long nutrition and fitness workshops. The program aims to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables participants eat; reduce the eating of simple carbohydrates; and increase time spent physically active.

"I wanted my church to participate in the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program because it brings families together to not only improve children's health but that of adults’ health as well," said Rev. Dr. Theresa Oliver, Pastor at Mt. Zion CME Church in the Bronx. "We have 11 children on board for the program and when the program ends I hope to have a mom tell me the program provided her with knowledge to cook and serve healthier meals for her family."

If your faith based organization is interested in participating in the Healthy Children, Healthy Families or you know of others that may be interested, contact Yolanda Benitez at (212) 633-0800 ext. 1344.

Five Coalition Churches Participating in Faith-Based Hypertension Initiative

Participants at the train-the-trainer session for Peer Health Coordinators.

To counter the high rates of high blood pressure in the Bronx, five Bronx Health REACH Coalition churches are implementing a Faith-Based Hypertension Initiative. Modeled on Bronx Health REACH’s successful Fine, Fit and Fabulous program, the seven week program will help participants develop healthy eating habits based on the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH Eating Plan). To support the lessons on healthy eating, there are healthy cooking demonstrations, and a bodega, supermarket or farmers' market tour. Though exercise is not a part of the program, participants are encouraged to set up a daily physical activity plan they can stick to. Feedback from program coordinators at participating churches suggest that things are going well.

"Our Hypertension program happens every Saturday following our weekly exercise program," said Deacon Dorothy Faison, a Peer Health Coordinator for the program at Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus. "We have more than 20 members participating and they are all very excited. The Participant Guide created for this program is great."
The special feature of the program is the recognition that for faith based health programs to work, a link must be made between the health content and the cultural values of faith. To ensure that link is made for the Faith-Based Hypertension Program each workshop begins and ends with a prayer and a bible verse that supports a healthy lifestyle.

The program, scheduled to run through June 30th, is funded by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as part of their High Blood Pressure Neighborhood Organizations program.

Tremont United Methodist Church Gets A Taste of African Heritage

This post was written by Denise Gourdine, a Health Coordinator at Tremont United Methodist Church.

My church, Tremont United Methodist Church (TUMC) is participating in Bronx Health REACH’s Creating Healthy Schools & Communities (CHSC) program. Our church is one of several in the Bronx involved in CHSC’s worksite wellness initiative which provides workshops on nutrition and organizes fitness classes for church staff and their congregations. In March and April 2018, TUMC organized a 6-session workshop series called, ‘A Taste of African Heritage,’ from Oldways, a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization.

Oldways’ mission is to guide people to good health through their heritage, using practical and positive programs grounded in science and tradition. A Taste of African Heritage introduces people to traditional healthy foods and flavors of Africa and the African Diaspora and celebrates the traditional eating patterns of African-American ancestors from Africa, South America, the Caribbean and the American South. The curriculum introduces participants to the vibrant history, culture, and nutrition of African heritage foods, and includes a guide on easily adapting African heritage eating patterns to everyday living.

Oldways provided training materials, lessons and tips on how to structure the program. At the first and last class, each participant had their weight, blood pressure and waist measured. Oldways provided a scale, portable blood pressure monitor and tape measure.

During the sessions, as participants, we had an opportunity to share information about cooking practices in our respective families and communities, and to discuss personal health issues related to eating and lifestyle. We were able to learn about and use the African Heritage Diet Pyramid  to prepare nutritious easy meals. At least two meals were prepared in the kitchen during each session, and everyone shared and tasted the meals. We received information about the health benefits of all the prepared meals  and how to incorporate more plant-based items, herbs/spices etc. into our own meal preparation  for ourselves and our families.
                         

One thing we all  enjoyed were the homework assignments given each week. Most assignments involved preparing a meal using some of the ingredients that were used in that week’s cooking session. On several occasions we learned about a new herb/spice/bean or tuber (a specialized storage stem of certain seed plants) that we had never eaten. It was particularly exciting trying to find some of the unfamiliar food items at our local supermarket, produce store or farmers’ market.

Everyone agreed to make a conscious effort to incorporate the things we learned during the six sessions to improve our overall eating habits, health and well-being. Judging from the feedback, the program was a success.Many in the group wanted to extend it. At TUMC we are committed to sustaining this program and all other programs that will aid church members and others to achieve overall  wellness. Looking ahead, we plan to utilize the Taste of African Heritage Diet Pyramid in our Manna House program, a free monthly feeding and clothing ministry for the community and in the meals  for children attending our afterschool program. You can learn more about this program as well as “A Children’s Taste of African Heritage” (for ages 8-12 and caregivers) and “A Taste of Latin American Heritage” by visiting here.

If your faith based organization in interested in participating in the Oldways program, contact Kelly Moltzen at kmoltzen@institute.org or 212-633-0800 x 1328. 

Rev. Dr. Theresa Oliver, Always Willing to Help Someone Along the Way

Bronx Health REACH continues its series on individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Institute for Family Health's Bronx Health REACH, and have also been strong activists for needed change in the Black and Latino communities in the Bronx. A notable member of this group of change agents is Rev Dr. Theresa Oliver, Pastor at Mt. Zion CME Church in the Bronx, New York, and a partner in the Bronx Health REACH faith based outreach initiative.

Growing up in Fairfield, Alabama outside of Birmingham, Rev. Dr. Theresa Oliver didn't realize how unjust the separate but equal policies were until a visit to the dentist’s office when she was in college. "I went with my mother to the dentist’s office and the Blacks had to sit in a waiting room in back that was separate from the main room in the front. I was trying to read one of my textbooks but found it difficult to concentrate as there was a lot of talking by others in the waiting room. I noticed that the other waiting room was empty so I sat down in that room, and was able to read in silence. After a few minutes the receptionist came out and informed me that I was not allowed to sit there. I asked her why, and I can't recall if she gave me an answer, but I was so annoyed and ended up going outside to sit in the car. That experience did something to me as I kept thinking, no one else was sitting in that room and I didn’t see why my sitting there and reading quietly to be a problem, but that receptionist was so insistent telling me that I had to leave. That encounter deeply affected me."

After graduating from Miles College Rev. Oliver married and moved to New York starting a career as a registered medical technology staff member at Bellevue Hospital working the overnight shift. "I preferred the overnight shift because it was good for my mental health. During my breaks I would open up my bible and this particular scripture would always pop up:


The Year of the Lord’s Favor
    The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
      and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV

After seeing this scripture always pop up at various times the turning point came when one of the church members told me that I was going to be a pastor at another church. As he was speaking to my heart, I put my faith in the Lord and enrolled at New York Theological Seminary. I received a Masters in parish ministry and eventually got a doctorate. The pastor at my church decided to move to South Carolina and requested I replace him as pastor, so I have been a pastor at Mount Zion CME Church since 2000."

In 2010 Rev. Oliver was introduced to Bronx Health REACH through Dr. Sandra White, a sister of a Mt. Zion pastor. "Dr. White told members of our congregation about a program that would introduce healthy eating to our congregation. "I became interested because my doctorate was on holistic ministry and improving the health among African- Americans. There has always been a stigma around discussing health within our congregation - that's from the secrecy that we always had in the South with people; you just didn’t go to the doctor on a regular basis for a check-up. If you did, by that point it was too late and there was nothing that the doctor could do to make you better.”

Bronx Health REACH started a nutrition program with Mt. Zion, and at the first meeting, staff from Bronx Health REACH passed out survey sheets for the congregation to complete. It consisted of questions around the health and eating habits of those participating. “Other than a few members, I was surprised to find that everyone completed the sheets. Our church would go on to host a couple of health fairs, and eventually we began serving healthier food at our church dinners. We also eliminated soda. To this day we use the fruit infused water pitchers to serve water flavored with pineapple and orange. The parishioners love it and I like to see them drinking that rather than soda."

When funding for that program ended, Rev. Oliver was asked if she would continue to work with Bronx Health REACH, even though there was no stipend to do the work. "My answer was yes, I wanted to continue working with Bronx Health REACH because the work that has been done is so important in improving the health and well-being of those in our church. We have gotten people to open up about their health, talk about improving their diets with fresh fruits and vegetables, do blood pressure checks and hold exercise classes.”


Rev. Oliver’s past encounters with racism motivates her to fight for health equity on behalf of African-Americans and Latinos residing in the Bronx as a member of the Health Disparities workgroup. Looking back, the path Rev. Oliver chose turned out fine, "If you can help somebody along the way, then your life won’t be in vain. I am happy where I am.”

Joseph Ellis – Committed to Enlightening Communities about Health Issues Affecting the Whole Body

Joseph Ellis attended his first Bronx Health REACH faith based outreach meeting in 2006. He didn’t realize at the time, but that meeting would eventually lead him to becoming an employee of Bronx Health REACH. As a member of the Bronx Deliverance Center of Faith Church, Joseph was drawn to the faith based meetings due to the healthcare component. As a deacon in his church one of his roles is to distribute health materials and educate fellow parishioners on the importance of healthy eating and being physically active. He was instrumental in having two diabetes workshops held at the church; something that had not happened before.

In 2007, Joseph was hired as an outreach organizer at Bronx Health REACH to create linkages between Bronx Health REACH and churches in the community. His role was to  encourage them to establish health ministries. Joseph, keenly aware that the church pastor sets the tone for the healthcare ministry in a church understood the importance of engaging pastors in the effort. “If a pastor is interested in having a healthcare ministry, then that congregation will have a healthcare ministry, but if the pastor has no interest, an interested church member will have to create and advocate for it, and will find it difficult to get it going without the pastor's blessing.”

In addition, Joseph assisted with the implementation of four Bronx Health REACH initiatives with the faith based partners: Fine Fit and Fabulous, a nutrition and fitness program; The Culinary Initiative, a healthy cooking course for culinary committee members; God’s Health Squad, a youth nutrition program, and The Way, a support program for congregants living with diabetes. Joseph particularly remembers the successes of the Culinary Initiative, “One church had been serving fried foods but once they got on board and revamped their kitchen, they started making such changes as baking instead of frying foods, and serving brown rice rather than white rice,” Joseph recounted.

Unfortunately, funding for the grant that supported his role with the faith based programs ended and Joseph's position was eliminated. He continued to attend various healthcare events in the Bronx and would always run into Bronx Health REACH Director, Charmaine Ruddock. “ After one of the events, Charmaine sent me an email asking if I would be interested in a community health worker position in the newly created Vegetable and Fruit Prescription Program at three of the Institute's Bronx health centers. I came in for an interview and was hired.”

Working at the Institute for Family Health’s three Bronx health centers Joseph has discovered that there are many challenges obese patients face when looking to exercise and lose weight. “I gave one patient a flyer about the Saturday exercise classes held at Stevenson. She looked at the photo in the flyer, which depicted thin people doing exercises. Thinking that she would be the only overweight person in the exercise class, she felt she would be embarrassed in the class and discouraged from attending.”

Joseph realizes that though he is not able to make every patient he sees healthy overnight, he can encourage them to take the necessary steps by educating them about eating healthier; promoting attendance at food demonstrations at the health centers; encouraging patients to go on organized tours of neighborhood supermarkets and bodegas to identify healthy food they can purchase; and by conducting tours of neighborhood farmers markets and distributing Health Bucks to those who attend to purchase vegetable and fruits at the markets.

According to Charmaine, Bronx Health REACH’s Director, “Joseph’s vast experience living in the Bronx, his knowledge of how the community works, its residents' concerns and interests, and his insider’s understanding of the culture and values of churches, has been invaluable to Bronx Health REACH’s healthy eating initiatives in the community.”

From a Church in the Living Room to Feeding Thousands in the Bronx

Bronx Health REACH continues its series on individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Institute for Family Health's Bronx Health REACH, and have also been strong activists for needed change in the Black and Latino communities in the Bronx. A notable member of this group of change agents is The Reverend John Udo-Okon, Senior Pastor at the Word of Life International in the Bronx, New York, and a partner in the Bronx Health REACH faith based outreach initiative.


The Rev. John Udo-Okon's first Bronx location for his church, Word of Life International, was the size of a living room. In fact, it was his living room where his parishioners gathered in the one bedroom Bronx apartment he shared with his family. Born and raised in Nigeria, Pastor John worked with missionaries from the Sudan United Mission-Christian Reformed Church in Northern Nigeria to develop Christian shows for television and film productions in Nigeria. In 1998 Pastor John took a two year sabbatical from his work in Nigeria to spend time with his wife, Rev. Felicia Udo-Okon, who lived in United States. He lived in the Bronx intending to return to Nigeria after his sabbatical, but , as Pastor John puts it, “God had other plans for him.”

“I was praying and talking to other people of faith, and I was thinking of starting a ministry in the Bronx, but I kept asking myself, how do I start it? Then I heard a voice, ‘Start where you are.’ We were living in a one bedroom apartment on the fourth floor, and I was convinced that God wanted me to start a church in the apartment, so I told my wife let’s turn our living room into a church. Neighbors began attending every Sunday."

After seeing many people visiting the apartment, a neighbor informed Pastor John that he could not have people coming to his house for church every Sunday; “If you want to have a church, you need to find a larger space.” So Pastor John began to pray, and again, he heard a voice: “Go to White Plains Road by 214th Street.” He went to White Plains Road and 214th Street, and as he was standing on the corner a man came up to him and asked if he was looking for a space for his church. Pastor John was led to 3636 Holland Avenue, which became the new location for Word of Life International. Even though he now had a larger space, the area was drug infested. “Gun shots could be heard during services and drug dealers would run into the church and leave their drugs behind. The parishioners became wary of the new location. So we began to go out into the neighborhood and stand on the street corners along with the drug dealers and talk and pray with them. Eventually the drug dealers moved on, and after a few months with police involvement, the area became drug-free."

New York Knicks player Carmelo Anthony, founder of the Carmelo Anthony Foundation assisted with a November 2015 food drive providing 800 families with food at Word of Life International.

As his congregation grew Pastor John moved Word of Life International to 1299 Louis Nine Boulevard in the South Bronx. One day, as he was driving with church members along Park Avenue he saw a well dressed man looking for something in the garbage can. "I said to my wife, look at this man - he is looking for drugs.”  My wife said, ‘No, that man is hungry.’ “We began to argue, and just to prove my wife wrong, I parked and went up to this man and asked if he was looking for something in that trash can. The man told me that he was hungry and looking for food. I gave him $5 dollars to buy food, and we decided to turn our church into a food pantry." At first Pastor John and his parishioners would donate food from their own homes. Eventually they organized and collected food donations from local restaurants, grocery stores and other food banks. The program currently serves up to 8,000 people each month. Other services offered by Word of Life International include a fitness and nutrition education program as well as a senior wellness program for those 55 and older that meets every Thursday.

 So what is his secret for reaching so many in the community? "It's not the size of your congregation, but how you respond to the needs of the community. Whatever you do for your community eventually will benefit you. The community members we have helped joined our congregation because of the work we did for them and others. Some of them came in as volunteers, fell in love with the work we were doing, and today they are worshiping with us.”

Pastor John continues to strengthen his network of volunteers every day, whether it is from the youth that have put in over 6000 community service hours to the partnership with other Bronx churches, where he mentors four other churches in Bronx Health REACH’s faith based initiative. A few days prior to Thanksgiving he received a call from a former parishioner currently living in Baltimore. The parishioner asked if it was possible for Word of Life International to help out Baltimore residents in need. “I filled a van with food the day before Thanksgiving, and it was delivered to hungry Baltimore residents.” To Pastor John, caring for the needy is not limited to just the Bronx, nor to those inside the church. “The time has come for us to get out of the church, get out to the streets and do something because at the end of the day, the best way to preach the gospel is to lift somebody up.”

Community Engagement and Empowerment Through Visioning Sessions

Parishioners from Calvary Victory Bible Church participating in a Visioning session.

The following post was written by Bronx Health REACH staff member Immaculada Moronta.

Recently, I led two visioning sessions for the Complete the Grand Concourse Initiative, which is an effort to bring life-saving improvements to the entire Grand Concourse with traffic calming measures, protected bike lanes, curb extensions, and dedicated bus lanes. The visioning sessions were held at two Bronx churches, who are partners in the Bronx Health REACH Faith Based coalition.

Visioning sessions are a great way to hear from the community about the concerns and improvements needed. Created by James Rojas, a visioning session involves a group of community members using objects such as small blocks of wood, string, artificial flowers, pipe cleaners etc. to design their ideal neighborhood/community. At both visioning sessions participants were instructed to use the material provided and design their community as they would like it, whether that was making streets safer, improvements to the parks or more places for physical activity in their neighborhood.

The first visioning session involved nine parishioners from Christ the King Church located off the Grand Concourse at Marcy Place. It plays a vital role in providing community support for getting the Complete the Grand Concourse Initiative done working with Bronx Health REACH’s partner, Transportation Alternatives. One participant mentioned that the Grand Concourse needs more lighting since it is quite dangerous to cross the street at night. Others mentioned that the Grand Concourse could use more cameras and give pedestrians more time to cross. One participant would like the Grand Concourse to be more aesthetically appealing such as Park Avenue in Manhattan. Another participant spoke about improving the park by having more benches, swings, trash cans, water fountains, more trees and flowers. Other park improvements participants wanted to see include having a first aid kit available and EMS responders at the park, water fountains for children to play, an area for dogs/pets, and benches in the shade for seniors to sit.

The second visioning session involved fifteen parishioners from Calvary Victory Bible Church including the Pastor of the Church and 8 children. At Calvary Victory Bible Church the first to share was a father and his four year old son, who I designated his special assistant. They had constructed what I thought was a basketball court, but was actually four camera poles that would be in their ideal park. They felt parks in the Bronx needed more lighting, and with increased lighting and surveillance the drug dealers would move elsewhere. The lighting would also help police with investigations. Another participant created a farmers market and a store that offered salads since she felt that did not currently exist in her neighborhood. One participant said that more community centers are needed with a focus on job training so young adults would stay off the streets. Another highlighted public safety, and would like to see more police involvement. Another participant went further by saying that since there are multiple ethnicities in her community, the police need to be trained better so they can be more welcoming to diverse communities.

I did not expect that racial inequality would be such a charged topic during the sessions. When I introduced the workshops I was expecting participants to focus on wider streets or on ways to improve the park, but those were not their immediate needs and wants.

Participants highlighted the violence and other public safety issues they face. Many feel unsafe when they visit their local parks and are afraid to bring their children because they see people smoking and breaking the law and do not want their children exposed to that. Being a Latina living in the Bronx, and, though, aware of the racial inequality that exists, because it is not part of my lived experience, I was caught by surprise that the issue of race was the big elephant in the room in both sessions. Many asked: “Why do we not have access to healthy food? Why is our rent increasing and we are being pushed out of our community? Why is gentrification happening?”

I strongly believe that real change can happen and Bronx Health REACH, along with our partners’ efforts, are addressing this head on. But it is a community effort, and many stakeholders must take action. The Bronx has a bright future, and even though eliminating health disparities is hard work, we should not grow weary in our efforts, but persevere. The #Not62-The Campaign for A Healthy Bronx! brings together Bronx community organizations and residents to eliminate health disparities. After holding these visioning sessions with Christ the King and Victory Bible Church members it is clear that community members must have a seat at the table and be actively involved in the decision making since they know best the problems and can offer solutions.

Pastor Robert L. Foley Sr. – From Civil Rights’ Marches of the 60s to Championing the Cause of Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in the Bronx.

Bronx Health REACH continues it’s series of individuals that have made a significant contribution to not only the Institute for Family Health's Bronx Health REACH, but have been strong activists for needed change in the Black and Latino communities in the Bronx. A notable member of this group of change agents is Pastor Robert Lewis Foley, Sr., D. Min, D.D. Pastor of Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus in the Bronx, New York. Rev. Foley was raised in Georgia, graduated from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, and received a master of divinity degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, and a doctor of ministry degree at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. 

Pastor Robert Lewis Foley, Sr. was born in Marietta, Georgia. His father had been a pastor serving several congregations in Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama and would become an influence on Pastor Foley's decision to enter the Christian ministry in 1956 and a pastor himself in 1962. After becoming a pastor in Atlanta, Georgia, Pastor Foley became involved in the civil rights movement by attending meetings in Atlanta with  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  and Dr. Ralph Abernathy,  participating in events with Julian Bond and Stokely Carmichael, and marching  from Selma to Montgomery. At the time Pastor Foley did not realize that working with and marching alongside these historical civil rights leaders would put him on the path to becoming a community leader and providing a voice for underserved communities. "During the time of my involvement with these civil protests, I had no idea that what we were doing would have the impact on this nation that became the reality. I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do, and now I realize it is part of the reason God sent me to this world," says Pastor Foley.

While attending the ITC Seminary in 1965, he married and continued his pastoral ministry in Atlanta. In 1967, after a meeting with the late Bishop John Bright (the leader of all the New York based AME churches), Pastor Foley was transferred to New York where he continued his pastoral ministry in Tuckahoe, New York and in Harlem. After a few years, he decided to organize and establish an independent church. The first worship service of this new church named Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus, took place at a Prince Hall Masonic Lodge in Manhattan, and the next several services of worship were held in the auditorium of a public school also in Manhattan.

As fate or more likely providence would have it, a colleague of Pastor Foley spoke to him about a realtor who had placed an advertisement regarding a church building for sale in the Bronx, New York. The owner of the Bronx church invited Pastor Foley and his congregation to hold a service in the space, and soon after accepted an offer to purchase the church. At first Pastor Foley was uncertain if the congregation would be able to pay the mortgage, but soon discovered his congregation wanted to stay permanently. “We never missed a payment on the mortgage and retired that 18 year mortgage in 16 years, even though many of our members at that time were retired senior citizens living on a fixed income,” says Pastor Foley, and he continues to serve this congregation after 38 years.

In 1999 Joyce Davis and Maxine Golub from the Institute for Family Health met with Pastor Foley as the Institute for Family Health was launching a community coalition whose goal was the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities in the South Bronx. A special emphasis of the soon to be formed coalition was to focus attention on the discrimination and health disparities in health services provided by many of New York City’s teaching hospitals. "They gave an overview of how widespread the problem was, and it was an eye-opener for me since I was not aware how large and devastating health disparities were, and seeing how the minority communities were not being properly attended to by the medical community motivated me to join," says Pastor Foley.

Pastor Foley continues to be an active participant in many Bronx Health REACH initiatives. He not only graciously provides his church as a monthly meeting place for the Health Disparities Workgroup, but Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus has been host to several of Bronx Health REACH’s pastors breakfasts.  The most recent event was the hosting of a meeting of local elected officials and clergy leaders to address the Bronx being ranked 62 out of the 62 New York State counties in health outcomes and health factors in the Robert Wood Johnson’s County Health Ranking Report.

The pulpit is the one place Pastor Foley believes he has the most influence. "Every week I try to say something that speaks to the importance of maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an extension of our ministry, and the church must maintain relevancy to the community if we are to serve effectively and meaningfully," says Pastor Foley. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Community Advisory Board of Montefiore Hospital, the Advisory Board of the Bronx Region of the American Cancer Society, the New York Yankees Community Relations Council, and the Police/Clergy Liaison of the NYPD.

First Annual Food Day: A Success in NYC!

On October 24, thousands of Americans across the country came together and planned events in celebration of Food Day, recognizing that food in its most natural, unprocessed state is healthiest for us. There were 300 Food Day events in New York State alone, some of which were hosted by organizations in the Bronx. Notable among these were Lehman College / CUNY Institute for Health Equity; NY State Senator Gustavo Rivera in partnership with the Committee of Interns and Residents and the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center; Morrisania WIC; and PS 218.

At Lehman College, students stopped by tables in between their classes to learn about healthy eating, sample healthy snacks, and take a survey asking about healthier options they would like to see in the school’s vending machines. In keeping with the theme of Department of Health’s new ‘sugary free’ drink campaign, Bronx Health REACH promoted awareness of the high amounts of sugar in commonly consumed beverages. Water was promoted as the healthy alternative. Several students expressed great surprise as to the amount of sugar in such beverages as Mountain Dew, with its 77 grams of sugar in a 20-oz bottle. The event was hosted by Lehman College’s Department of Health Sciences, The Office of the Dean of Natural & Social Sciences and the CUNY Institute for Health Equity.




























At Mount St. Ursula School in Bedford Park, Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and State Senator Gustavo Rivera celebrated Food Day by kicking off a Family Health Challenge. This health initiative, developed alongside the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center and the Committee of Interns and Residents, asks students and their families to set small weekly goals for themselves, such as drinking only water and low-fat milk (no soda or juice), eating one piece of fresh fruit a day, and eating whole grains. The Challenge is the last component of Senator Rivera's Bronx CAN Health Initiative. Students at Mount St. Ursula, as well as 50 sites participating in Montefiore’s School Health program and a number of additional public schools such as PS 218, will be taking the Challenge. At the kickoff, Dr. Jane Bedell of the Bronx District Public Health Office spoke about the national obesity epidemic and how it will grow if we do not do something now. Heidi Hynes, Executive Director of the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center spoke on the right of every person to have access to fresh, healthy, affordable food. Dr. Appel of Montefiore Medical Center's School Based Clinics spoke about food accessibility, and a Montefiore nutritionist took the auditorium full of students through a presentation on eating colorful foods. Both the Senator and Borough President stressed the importance of taking small steps and making small changes over time to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

At the Morrisania WIC clinic on Gerard Avenue, participants were invited to: prepare and sample a soup made with locally grown winter squash, learn about community supported agriculture (CSA), locate a community garden in their neighborhood, learn about foods that grow in New York, view trailers of local food movement films, and more. Across the street at PS 218, third grade students participating in Bronx Health REACH’s obesity prevention program were given samples of a vegetable and pasta dish, one of the Office of School Food’s plant-based menu options.

















In the evening, Veggiecation and the Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School hosted “EatNYC,” an event offering tastings of food from some of NYC’s finest restaurants committed to serving healthy food from local growers. There were also talks by several distinguished keynote speakers, and streaming of LUNCH NYC episodes, a television series exposing health conscious individuals, organizations, and events in NYC. The event was a fundraiser for organizations in NYC promoting school wellness. This is a fundraising initiative of the Bird’s Nest Foundation, which recently donated 100 garden boxes to NYC elementary schools through its Ground Up Campaign in collaboration with the NYC Strategic Alliance for Health.





























For Food Day, the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene launched a new webpage, www.nyc.gov/nycfood, with all of the city resources New Yorkers need to know about food.
Several other useful websites were also launched, such as a tumblr page with recipes contributed by New Yorkers, and a Vimeo channel compiling videos about accessing and eating healthy food in NYC.

On Sunday, October 23, people of faith from across NYC came together at Riverside Church for a Faith, Food Justice and the Farm Bill event. The focus was on the lack of access to fresh, healthy, affordable food faced by low-income neighborhoods such as South Bronx, Central Brooklyn and East and Central Harlem. Rev. Derrick Boykin from Bread for the World and Walker Memorial Baptist Church spoke about the Farm Bill as a “stewardship bill of our nation’s bounty, with both domestic and international ramifications.” He highlighted the need to reform the food system while also protecting safety nets. Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch, spoke about the problems with the current food system: namely, that corporate lobbyists’ tremendous influence on Congress enables big agribusiness and food corporations to dominate the market. She also stressed that while corporations spend billions of dollars advertising processed foods, many farmers are not even paid fair wages for their work.

There were two panel discussions. The first set of panelists spoke about the impact of the food system on those who must rely on food aid and those who live in areas that lack direct access to fresh, healthy, affordable food. The second panel presented Solutions for Change, with information about programs offered by local and international organizations, and how funding for these programs could best be leveraged through allocations in the Farm Bill. Organizations represented included Just Food, the NYC Community Gardening Coalition, Corbin Hill Rd Farm, East New York Farms, Rural Migrant Ministry, WHY Hunger, American Jewish World Service, Sojourners, New York Faith and Justice, and the NYC Food and Farm Bill Coalition. More information about the Farm Bill and how to take action can be found at http://foodbillnyc.wikispaces.com/.

Preaching Healthy Living from the Pulpit

This week The New York Times published a story highlighting the efforts of pastors in the Mississippi Delta to get their congregations to eat healthier. In a state with the second highest adult obesity rate and ranking dead last in life expectancy, the Delta is especially hard hit. Fried and heavily-salted foods dominate the culinary scene and, if there are greens, they are often boiled with ham hocks. Pastors, alarmed by the health of their congregants, began to promote healthier food options at church events and encourage physical activity. Like many attempts to change long-standing traditions, these efforts were initially met with skepticism, if not outright resistance, but over the years more Delta churches and their congregations have begun to change the way they think about food.

Preaching healthy living from the pulpit is not unique to the Mississippi Delta. For the past decade, Bronx Health REACH’s Faith-Based Outreach Initiative has been working with faith-based leaders to incorporate health messages into church activities and provide programming around nutrition and fitness, diabetes prevention and management, and health disparities. Currently, Bronx Health REACH works with 47 churches throughout the Bronx and upper Manhattan. These programs include a Culinary Initiative, which works with church culinary committee members to serve healthier meals at church events, and Fine, Fit, and Fabulous, which teaches nutrition and fitness within a spiritual context. These programs and others have contributed to both behavior change and weight loss in participating congregants.

Faith-based institutions are key partners in the effort to counteract obesity and prevent diabetes. Pastors, as leaders in their community, have a unique ability to speak to their congregations about the importance of eating healthy and exercising. Because churches engage in many community events, as well as provide meals to their congregants, they are able to influence what kind of food is served and encourage churchgoers to use healthy cooking methods at home. In a similar way, exercise and/or diabetes management programs conducted in a church setting or with spiritual elements provide a familiar background or context to people starting a new activity. The built-in support of the church community is a crucial part of encouraging congregants to continue to eat healthy and to follow exercise regimens.

Battling the obesity epidemic in our communities requires a multi-pronged approach and investment from all parts of the community. Faith-based institutions and their leaders are a critical piece in bringing the message of healthy living to community members. The example that the pastors in the Mississippi Delta and those in Bronx Health REACH’s Faith-Based Outreach Initiative have set is one that can and should be followed in faith communities throughout the country.

Bronx Health REACH e-blast: May 4, 2011

The Bronx Forum: The Impact of Healthcare Reform on the Bronx – May 6th
CAUSE-NY and Hostos Community College is hosting a forum on how the Affordable Care Act will impact Bronx residents. Representatives from U.S. Dept of Health, Bronx Health Link, NYS Insurance Dept. and other community groups will be in attendance. The program will take place from 9 am to 12:30 pm on May 6th at Hostos Community College at 120 E. 149th St. in the Bronx. The registration fee is $20 and group discounts are available.


Teen Battle Chef Invitational – May 12th
FamilyCook Productions is holding its first benefit at the New York Institute of Technology’s auditorium on Broadway. The event kicks off at 6:30 pm with food prepared by NYC’s top chefs and the invitational will showcase the culinary talents and skills of high school students in FamilyCook programs across the Northeast. Tickets are on sale and start at $50 per person – the proceeds will benefit FamilyCook and help foster new culinary programs in schools and community centers.


The Faith and Earth Summit – May 13th
Faith Leaders for Environmental Justice and The Riverside Church of New York have designed a full day of workshops on May 13th from 9 am to 5 pm. Topics will include Greening Your Congregation, Practical Steps for Energy and Cost Saving, and Mobilizing Youth Groups. The summit will be held at Riverside Church (490 Riverside Drive). To register, go to: http://tinyurl.com/faithandearth or contact Sara Jones at sjones@nyfaithjustice.org or 212.870.1254.


New York Road Runners Youth Jamboree – May 15th
New York Road Runners invites kids ages 4 to 15 to join them for a fun and FREE day of running, jumping, and throwing at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island between 7:45 am and 4 pm. There is no cost of admission for youth or adults and every child who participates will receive a Youth Jamboree t-shirt and event ribbons. Boys and girls 5-10 years old will compete in the morning and events for youth 11-15 years old will take place in the afternoon. There will be a 55-meter race for 4-year-olds at 12:30 p.m. For more information on the Youth Jamboree or to download the registration forms and schedule, please go to www.nyrrf.org, e-mail jamboree@nyrr.org, or call 646.758.9675.


Walk with a Doctor – May 17th
The Committee for Interns and Residents is sponsoring an obesity themed walk-a-thon and health fair on Tuesday, May 17th between 4 pm and 7 pm at 2330 Eastchester Road in the Bronx. This is an opportunity to build relationships with healthcare providers and doctors and there will also be free giveaways, health screenings, and activities. Please contact Nagiane Lacka at nlacka@cirseiu.org for more information.


Fit City 6th Annual Conference – May 17th
The NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene and the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter is holding its 6th annual Fit City conference that will look at ways to address the childhood obesity epidemic through transformations in the built environment. This conference will bring together architects, planners, designers, developers, and public health professionals to address how building design and policy decisions can improve health outcomes in communities and help prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and asthma. The full day event will take place at the Center for Architecture at 536 LaGuardia Place. Advance registration is required, please go to http://cfa.aiany.org/index.php?section=calendar&evtid=2523 to register and for the full schedule.

American Community Gardening Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Fighting Obesity Grant – due May 30th
ACGA and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are offering four $250 grants to programs that are fighting childhood obesity through their gardening program. The applicant is to submit a news article of three hundred words or less about what they are doing in their school/community garden to combat childhood obesity (can include up to three photos). The articles are due May 30th and will be published in the 2011 ACGA Greening Review. Please send or email articles to Bobby L. Wilson 1757 Washington Rd East Point, Georgia 30344 or bobbyw@uga.edu.


New York City smoking ban for parks and beaches goes into effect May 23
The smoking ban passed by the New York City Council in February will go into effect on May 23, prohibiting smoking in New York City parks, beaches and playgrounds. The ban will cover 1,400 parks and 14 miles of beaches citywide. Fines for smoking in these areas will start at $50.

Join Bronx Health REACH for World No Tobacco Day on May 31
Bronx Health REACH has been working with the Bronx Smoke-Free Partnership in an effort to curtail the aggressive tobacco marketing to youth taking place in Bronx neighborhoods through signage and product placement in convenience stores. Read more about our recent activities here. Also, we invite all Bronx youth to take part in the World No Tobacco Day press conference and rally on Tuesday, May 31, at 3pm in Union Square Park in Manhattan. There, they can make their voices heard and tell Big Tobacco they have had enough.


New York 2 New Orleans
New York 2 New Orleans (NY2NO) is a youth-led non-for-profit that creates meaningful service-learning opportunities for NYC high school students in both New Orleans and New York. This summer NY2NO is launching its second consecutive "Food Justice Summer," that will include up to 5 trips to New Orleans, 5 New York based service-learning initiatives, as well as two summer sessions of their programs “Growing Youth Organizers', and the “Community Action Project”. The trips are still being planned but if interested please contact Alex Goldman at 917-656-1558.


Volunteer with City Harvest
City Harvest is looking for a long-term (4 month) volunteer to assist low-income residents in the South Bronx in accessing healthy seasonal food options as part of its Healthy Neighborhoods programming. City Harvest is New York’s only food rescue organization and is looking for a student, community resident, or anyone looking to gain some experience in the food systems change field to start in June. Please contact Tatiana Orlov at torlov@cityharvest.org if interested in applying.


NYC Green Cart Photo Exhibit - through July 10
The Museum of the City of New York is displaying a photo exhibit titled “Moveable Feast: Fresh Produce and the NYC Green Cart Program” that documents the Green Carts throughout NYC neighborhoods. The resulting photographs, in styles ranging from portraiture to landscape to street photography, capture not only the carts themselves, but also the stories of the vendors, customers, and their communities. The exhibit is running through July 10.

Bronx Health REACH E-blast: February 28th, 2011

Reminder: Faith-Rooted Organizing Training March 4^th

Come learn how to address social and economic injustices in a way that draws power from the roots of one’s faith. Faith-rooted organizing is a method of organizing based on the Civil Rights movement, bringing people together to create change. It will be held Friday March 4^th from 9:00am to 5:30pm at Judson Memorial Church (55 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012). To register, click this link or paste into your browser: http://www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?ETID=3154 or contact Saralyn Jones atsjones@nyfaithjustice.org or Neise Martin at nmartin@nyfaithjustice.org or (212) 870-1254.

NY Faith & Justice’s Minute for Health Campaign

How can your community of faith live a healthier lifestyle?  NY Faith & Justice and Faith Leaders for Environmental Justice are offering to bring health messages directly to the members of your faith community.  Get easy tips on simple things you can do to improve your health and fight against diabetes and obesity. For more information, contact Stephen Tickner at stickner@nyfaithjustice.org or (917) 628-5131. 

We Are The Bronx (WATB) Fellowship – Request for Proposals

We Are The Bronx (WATB) is a Fellowship of over 25 non-profit organizations in the Bronx that was created in 2009. WATB provides non-profit professionals opportunities to network and training in leadership development. WATB created the 2010-2011 Grant-Making Committee to provide project funding to a Bronx-based individual or organization that shares the WATB mission of strengthening the borough. This year the 2010-2011 Grant-Making Committee will award a grant of up to $1000 to a Bronx-based individual or organization that engages youth in leadership development or community empowerment endeavors. 

Click here for the RFP.

Click here for the Application.

Funding opportunity for faith-based organizations in NYC

The Fund for Public Health in New York, on behalf of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, is requesting proposals from faith based institutions/organizations to receive grant funds up to $1,450.00 to implement Phase II of the New York City Walkers for Wellness Program which involves: 1) establishing walking clubs and 2) adopting the New York City Department of Health nutrition policies for social events and regular meetings.  Note: Only faith based organizations that have proof of 501c3 non-profit status, operating in the five boroughs of New York City are eligible to apply.  Application deadline is 5:00PM Friday, March 18, 2011.  For more information, visit here.

Pando Projects – Growing Gardens Growing Kids

Through the non-profit organization Pando Projects, several Community HealthCorps members at the Institute for Family Health are helping Pre-K classes at MidBronx Council Services to grow a community garden. The project will be using Earthboxes which are low-maintenance container gardens that have high yields of produce. The teachers in the Pre-K classes will be given a weekly curriculum for 3 months. They will help their class plant an Earthbox to contribute to the garden. Growing Gardens Growing Kids will increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, provide hands-on learning so the children understand where food comes from, and teach them nutrition and healthy habits. Read more about Growing Gardens Growing Kids at www.pilot.pandoprojects.org/ying. If you have any questions, contact the project leader Ying Guo through the website.

Grow to Learn NYC

GrowNYC, in collaboration with the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, has launched a new school garden initiative called “Grow to Learn NYC.”  “Garden” is being defined broadly to include container gardens and edible walls, not just traditional gardens.  At the new website, http://growtolearn.org/, you can find resources for teachers and parents, how-to guides, information about financing school gardens through mini-grants, Garden to Café, and more. Online school garden registration and applying for city resources through GreenThumb can be done at this website as well.  You can also contact the experts if you have additional questions or would like help facilitating a garden committee meeting at your school.

Bronx Food & Sustainability Coalition (BxFSC) Meeting: February 28^th

Come learn about the BxFSC’s plans for Bronx Week in May, and see how you can get involved, and get a firsthand peek at classroom gardening!  The next BxFSC meeting will be graciously hosted by Steve Ritz in his classroom at Discovery High School.  Please join us!

Date: Monday, February 28

Time: 6:30pm  

Location: Discovery High School, Room #279

2780 Reservoir Avenue, Bronx NY 10468.  Discovery High School is located up on the Walton High School campus (take the 4, B or D train to Kingsbridge Rd).

National Nutrition Month & Registered Dietitian Day – March 9^th

March is National Nutrition Month and the American Dietetic Association urges you to “Eat Right with Color.”  Learn more by attending Registered Dietitian Day on March 9^th, where the theme is “Tackling the Challenges of Obesity in the Bronx.”  This event is open to healthcare providers and community members, and Honorable Congressman Jose E. Serrano andHonorable Congressman Eliot L. Engel have been invited. 

Date: Wednesday March 9, 2011

Time: 11am – 2:30 pm

Location: North Central Bronx Central Hospital (NCBH)

3424 Kossuth Avenue, Bronx NY 10467 on the 17^th floor private dining room     

RSVP w/ “RD Day” in subject line to meehan.maggie@gmail.com

For further information, see www.gnyda.org  or call Gloria Bent MS, RD, CDN, GNYDA at 718-519-2129 or Melissa Pflugh, MS, RD, CDN – President-Elect, GNYDA at 212-342-0713.

Obesity Think Tank meeting March 23^rd

On March 23^rd, Albert Einstein College of Medicine will host its eighth Obesity Think Tank meeting, which will highlight Bronx Health REACH’s obesity prevention efforts.  Come learn about our experiences and strategize new opportunities with us!

“Fostering Policy, Systems and Environmental Changes to Address Obesity and Diabetes in the South Bronx—Lessons Learned from Bronx Health REACH’s Eleven Years of Experience”

Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Time: 4:00 p.m.

Location: The Michael F. Price Center for Genetic and Translational Medicine and The Harold and Muriel Block Research Pavilion

5th Floor Conference Room (Room 551)

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Jack & Pearl Resnick Campus

1301 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY  10461

RSVP by March 17, 2011 to:  merrilly.calabrese@einstein.yu.edu

Health Disparity Working Group – March 9^th, 2011

To join our End Segregated Healthcare campaign, come to our Health Disparities Working Group March 9^th, 2011. Our working group meets every 2^nd Wednesday of the month at Cosmopolitan Church of Lord Jesus at 39 W. 190^th St., Bronx, NY 10468 from 1:30 – 3:30 pm.  During our next meeting, we hope to show a documentary of this issue made by New York Lawyers for Public Interest. We will also be discussing future meetings with elected officials, outreach strategy, and next steps in the campaign. Join us and support the Health Equality Bill! Contact Ying Guo at yguo@institute2000.org or at 212-633-0800 ext. 1341 for more information.

Medicaid Reform

Governor Cuomo has created a “Medicaid Redesign Team” to help him cut New York’s Medicaid program by $2 billion and redesign it for the long-term.  This 27-member team is made up of only one statewide community organization and has little representation from the public sector. It is primarily dominated by the hospital industry and is led by two men with ties to large, private hospitals. Given the imbalanced composition of the Redesign Team, we are concerned that the “savings” and “reforms” it will propose will also be imbalanced, resulting in cuts to Medicaid benefits, long-term and primary care services in the community, and safety net providers. In New York City, people of color are more than twice as likely to be publicly insured as whites. This means that cuts and bad decisions about reforms to the Medicaid program will have a bigger negative impact on communities of color.The New York City public hearing was held on February 4^th, 2011. You can view a video of some of the public hearing at http://tinyurl.com/6l27anv or join the Save Our Safety Net Campaign by emailing soscny@gmail.com.  You can stay updated on Medicaid reform through the health justice blog of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (http://healthjustice.wordpress.com/). Here is the link to the latest post and here is a link to key resources related to the Medicaid Redesign Team.

Institute for Family Health News

On February 9^th, the Institute for Family Health broke ground to expand its Walton Family Health Center on 177^th St and Walton Ave. in the Bronx. The remodeled and expanded center is expected to care for 10,000 more residents of Mt. Hope, University Heights, and West Tremont annually. The Institute is also going to be one of the first federally-funded Teaching Health Centers in the country. It will expand its residency program in its Mid-Hudson Valley health centers to address critical shortages of primary care physicians across the state.  “The Institute has a strong track record of training family medicine residents who continue to practice

in high-need communities” once their training is complete, and many of the new physicians that will be trained are expected to continue serving in these communities.  For more information and to access the press releases, please visit http://institute2000.org/org/press.htm.