Maternal Health and Breastfeeding in The Bronx

 

Evelyn Alvarez from Bx Rebirth Collective was one of the panelists that spoke at our March Coalition meeting. 

Given the high rates of poor maternal health and the relatively low rates of breastfeeding in the Bronx, Bronx Health REACH's March Coalition meeting focused on the importance of maternal health and breastfeeding. Ten panelists spoke on the work being done to improve the health and wellbeing of Bronx moms and their newborns.

Reverend Que English, Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spoke about strengthening the response of faith and community-based organizations to the maternal health disparities affecting black women. Rev. English stated, "Black maternal deaths in the US are 3 to 4 times higher than for non-Hispanic white women, but with our National Faith in Action on Maternal Health guide we are educating  and providing support to communities, and addressing barriers to breastfeeding, so that every person in the US can have a safe and dignified pregnancy and birth."

Erin Guero, a board-certified lactation consultant supervisor with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that offers lactation support to breastfeeding mothers, shared an analysis of Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). The data reveals that a significant portion of mothers stop breastfeeding before they want to due to a perceived insufficient milk supply, highlighting the need for evidence-based information and support to help mothers achieve their breastfeeding goals. "Despite the fact that 95% of mothers can establish a full milk supply, many lack the necessary support and information to continue breastfeeding successfully," says Erin.

Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet Peguro stated that maternal health is a central focus of the Bronx Borough President's agenda, particularly given the disproportionately high maternal mortality rates in the Bronx among Black and Hispanic women. Janet shared, "The Bronx Maternal Health Consortium has been established to drive change by advocating for funding, patient education, and reducing barriers to care, including stigma around breastfeeding."

The Bronx Baby Cafe, in partnership with Bronx Health REACH, provides valuable resources and support for breastfeeding parents, both virtually and in-person.

Theresa Landau, Program Director at the Morrisania WIC and a longstanding Bronx Health REACH partner most recently with our breastfeeding initiative, has been a staunch breastfeeding advocate over the years. Theresa pointed out that breastfeeding is more than a lifestyle choice; it's a critical public health measure that can yield significant cost savings and health benefits for both babies and mothers. She noted that with the Bronx continuing to have some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in New York City, the need for initiatives to normalize breastfeeding in the community is critical. Adding that, "our Baby Cafe, offered in partnership with Bronx Health REACH, provides valuable resources and support for breastfeeding parents, both virtually and in-person. Efforts are underway to ensure diversity and inclusivity in lactation support, through training a more representative group of lactation consultants."

Samantha Hunt from A Better Balance spoke about her organization's mission to help workers understand their legal rights and provide support for pregnant mothers and nursing moms at their workplace. They offer a free and confidential legal helpline and advocate for stronger workplace laws, such as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which ensures reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related needs, as well as the Pumping Breaks Act (Pump Act) that mandates a private space and protected breaks for expressing milk at work, with guidelines ensuring appropriate facilities for pumping.

Nandini Shroff, Director of Applied Research and Project Management at The Institute for Family Health (IFH) shared results from the IFH Breastfeeding Workgroup that conducted a Breastfeeding Survey and Lactation Space Assessment among IFH employees in 2019 and 2023. Some of the findings from the surveys revealed that employees were allowed adequate time to pump during work hours and employees are aware of available spaces for breastfeeding and pumping. Areas for improvement included childcare policies and lactation space amenities. The lactation space assessment revealed that more locations offered private spaces for pumping, although refrigeration capacity remains a challenge. Some recommendations from the survey include: Funding all Institute Maternal Health Advocates to attend a Certified Lactation Consultant training and a breastfeeding course for the three residency programs; Explore opportunities for additional Breastfeeding Cafes at Institute health centers and provide hospital-grade breast pumps at all Institute sites for staff to use.

Paige Pinyerd is the Lead Maternal Health Advocate for The Institute for Family Health's Perinatal Care Navigators.

Paige Pinyerd, Lead Maternal Health Advocate for Perinatal Care Navigators at The Institute for Family Health's Stevenson and Walton locations, shared how they provide support for new and expecting moms focusing on personalized care and education, by promoting breastfeeding education from pregnancy through postpartum. Paige noted that, "with our one-on-one education sessions, our aim is to empower individuals, reduce barriers to care, and create a strong support network for pregnant and postpartum individuals, with the ultimate goal of improving maternal and infant health outcomes."

Evelyn Alvarez and Nicole Jean Baptiste are doulas with Bx Rebirth Collective, whose mission is to provide continuous support to birthing individuals and promoting breastfeeding peer counseling and training within the community. Nicole discussed the benefits of Doula care, resulting in lower rates of pre-term birth, increased breastfeeding success, and decreased rates of postpartum depression.  And, Evelyn shared that, "through our partnership with Bronx Health Link, we deploy doula support at Lincoln Hospital to ensure individuals receive critical support during labor and delivery, to empower birthing individuals and improve maternal and infant health outcomes in the Bronx."

If you missed the March Bronx Health REACH Coalition meeting, visit our YouTube page to watch the videos.

Food Education Roadmap: Building a Healthier Relationship with Food in Schools

 

This blog post was written by Diana Bernal, Program Coordinator for the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program at Bronx Health REACH.

When it comes to health outcomes, nearly 40% of New York City public school children are overweight or obese and this disproportionately affects Black and Latino students.  Children living in the Bronx have the highest prevalence of being overweight at 43% compared to 38% in Manhattan, 39% in Queens, 40% in Staten Island, and 41% in Brooklyn. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing chronic diet-related disease, such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. 

Through our Creating Healthy Schools & Communities (CHSC) program, Bronx Health REACH works with Bronx schools to help improve their school wellness, nutrition, and physical activity. In doing so we learn the struggles schools face when it comes to the students’ health and nutrition. School leadership and teachers have told us that their students do not like the food being served to them during their school lunch period, and that many would rather eat chips, like Takis (spicy corn chips made of rolled tortillas, similar to taquitos), and other unhealthy foods. These are known as “competitive foods”, which includes all food and beverages outside of the reimbursed meals provided by schools. New good nutritious food changes, like Plant Powered Fridays, which is when students are served meatless meals, have been made in an effort to introduce more plant-based foods to children. Bronx Health REACH, through its CHSC work with schools, have discussed with school leadership  how to improve nutrition in schools. The leaders  shared, that  Plant Powered Fridays has not been well received in schools and that  the kids do not eat the food. Teachers pointed out that students are more likely to try new things when they are being engaged and taught about it, thus highlighting the need for food education. According to the Food Ed report: 

“Food education describes any combination of educational strategies, accompanied by environmental supports, designed to motivate and facilitate voluntary adoption of food choices and other food and nutrition-related behaviors that are conducive to the health and well-being of individuals, community, and the planet.” 

On June 6, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams, along with New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) Chancellor David Banks, and the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy’s Executive Director, Kate MacKenzie, announced the Food Education Roadmap to promote healthier school communities across New York City. “Prioritizing Food Education in Our Public Schools: A Path to Developing a Healthy Next Generation” provides goals, strategies and key performance indicators to ensure that students have the tools and knowledge to lead healthy lifestyles. The Roadmap Goals and Strategies focus on building on the knowledge and accessibility of healthy eating and wellness among students, as well as for those in the community who serve as advocates.  

Food education takes a wider approach and focuses on more than what healthy and non-healthy foods are. It focuses on our relationship with food and how this relationship is connected to, and affected by, other influences such as culture, economy, and communities. By implementing food education in schools, students will be able to understand why certain foods are healthier than others which will enable them to form a better relationship with food, and in turn help to guide them to making healthier choices. 

Bronx Health REACH’s many years of experience working to change the food culture of schools helping children embrace new healthy food underscores the need for food and nutrition education in  making such a change happen.   There are many resources and organizations getting kids to try new foods that are introduced in the schools through the Farm to School program that the NYCDOE Office of Food and Nutrition Services participates in. 

References:

1. FoodEdReport_010.pdf (nyc.gov) 

2. databrief1.pdf (nyc.gov) 

Join Us 9/14 for The Bronx Responds: One Year After the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health from Local to National Policies and Back

You are invited to join us on Thursday, September 14th (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) for a virtual conference with thought provoking and action oriented discussions about food and nutrition-related work happening in the Bronx and the policy implications of this work.  In 2022, the White House held the first Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in over 50 years and as an outcome, earlier this year, a National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health was released.  The priorities of our national government and policymakers have implications for food access, affordability, and nutrition education in the Bronx and similar communities impacted by diet-related health disparities.

Topics include:

• Nutrition and Health Equity in the Bronx 

• Overview of the Farm Bill and Its Effects on Local Communities  

• Improving Food Access in Community Settings 

• Integrating Nutrition and Healthcare: Food as Medicine and Food insecurity screenings 

• Knowing What’s in Your Food: Bringing Nutrition Education to the Community

• Eating Soulfully 

• Reimagining your Local Bodega with Better Food 

• Envisioning the Food System of the Future 

Click Here to Register.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting via Zoom.

Speakers include:

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

Christina Badaracco,  Healthcare Consultant, Registered Dietitian, and Co-Author of The Farm Bill: A Citizens’ Guide

Dr. Jen Cadenhead, Executive Director, Teachers College Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education and Policy  

Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter, Author of The Spirit of Soul Food: Race, Faith, & Food Justice 

Ribka Getachew, Director of the NY Good Food Purchasing Program Campaign, Community Food Advocates 

Norma Gonzalez, Farm Share Manager, Corbin Hill Food Project 

Theresa Landau, Program Director, Morrisania WIC

Francisco Marte, President, Bodega and Small Business Group 

LaToya Meaders, Co-Founder and CEO, Collective Fare 

Dr. DeAnna Nara, Senior Policy Associate, Center for Science in the Public Interest 

Aleyna Rodriguez, Executive Director, Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center

Gladys Roman, Executive Director, Manna of Life Ministries

Ismail Samad, Interim Executive Director, Corbin Hill Food Project 

Chet Van Wert, Associate Research Scientist, NYU Stern School of Business

 

Bronx Breastfeeding Reconvening 2023 - Strengthening the Community for a Successful Breastfeeding Journey

 

On May 19th, Bronx Healthy Start Partnership along with Morrisania Diagnostic & Treatment Center WIC Program (Morrisania WIC), Bronx Health REACH and other Bronx-based supporters hosted the Second Annual Virtual Bronx Breastfeeding Reconvening 2023. Approximately one hundred participants including mothers, healthcare professionals, and community leaders, came together to promote and advocate for breastfeeding within the Bronx community.

The Breastfeeding Reconvening serves as a forum for open dialogue and collaboration, with mothers at the center of the conversation, providing their firsthand experiences, challenges, and successes to inform the direction of the initiative, and most important, to normalize breastfeeding in the Bronx.  Presenters at this year’s Reconvening included breastfeeding advocates; Karla Lewis, BA, IBCLC; Allison Walsh, IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE, LLLL; Dianne Cassidy, MA, IBCLC-RLC, ALC; Katie Kelter MD, IBCLC; Chelsea Thompson, JD among others from across the borough. 

The morning began with a warm welcome and overview of the day from Alma Idehen of Bronx Healthy Start Partnership. Bronx Healthy Start is a collaboration led by Albert Einstein College of Medicine that works towards reducing infant mortality and improving women's health among women and mothers through outreach and enrollment in health insurance coverage under the  Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and connects families to medical homes.

Carla Lewis, facilitator of the Morrisania WIC Baby Café, kicked off the event with a conversation with Bronx mothers about their breastfeeding experiences including their challenges, successes, and needs. Carla asked each of the moms participating in the panel the following: ”What did you wish you had before and throughout your time breastfeeding” Three breastfeeding mothers shared that having a support system made a difference in their breastfeeding journey. It was an open and heartfelt conversation that allowed other mothers  to connect and share their own individual breastfeeding experiences. 

Dianne Cassidy, a lactation consultant, discussed research on how increased support for a breastfeeding mother leads to a longer duration of breastfeeding. Participants were asked to share positive ways someone can support a breastfeeding mother including family support, work accommodations, and high quality services from the prenatal period up to and beyond birth. A list was generated for supporters to use with their clients in the future. Allison Walsh’s presentation discussed communication to help families succeed during the lactation period. This included addressing conflicting information that hospitals, obstetrics, clinics, pediatricians, social workers, other Community Based Organizations and family members may provide, and how to communicate different norms, culture, and supports. The ultimate goal is to create a common language around breastfeeding that everyone can use to best support lactating mothers. Katie Kelter, MD, IBCLC discussed from a medical perspective how she is advocating for breastfeeding in the community. She provided recommendations such as starting breastfeeding education early by including it in K-12 school curriculums, providing more resources to families and supporters, increasing trainings for healthcare providers, offering more education on New York State Labor Laws in the workforce, and expanding funding for breastfeeding services. 

Chelsea Thompson from A Better Balance presented on back to work readiness for nursing mothers in NYC. She discussed the various work leaves for pregnant and lactating women and non-birthing partners such as the provisions of the Pump Act, the pending passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and the effect they will have on families. The PWFA requires covered employers to provide “reasonable accommodations” to a worker’s known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an "undue hardship."

Bronx Health REACH’s Rachel Ingram led the final session of the day by highlighting resources that would be beneficial to families and new mothers. Bronx Health REACH (BHR) provides trainings to help worksites and community spaces become breastfeeding friendly spaces. BHR also provides funding for two baby cafes in the Bronx: Morrisania WIC Baby Café and Bronx Healthy Start’s Breastfeeding Support Group. The Chocolate Milk Café is a national network developed by Black breastfeeding advocates and professionals to provide culturally congruent care to families of the African diaspora through peer-led lactation support and professional development programming. Professional support mentioned included WIC Peer Counselors and Doulas. WIC Peer Counselors are mothers in the community with personal breastfeeding experience who are trained to provide support to new mothers/parents. Doulas are trained to advise, inform, and offer emotional and physical comfort to parents, before, during, and after childbirth. Finally, there is virtual support available through NYC Warmline and the Compass App. The NYC Breastfeeding Warmline provides FREE virtual breastfeeding support from a Certified Lactation Consultant. Compass is a new app that supports parents from pregnancy through postpartum. The Reconvening wrapped up with participants joining breakout rooms to discuss ways in which the resources could be used in promoting breastfeeding and for community members and families to access and use. 

Closing remarks were made by Theresa Landau, MS, RDN, CDN, Program Director for Morrisania WIC, who thanked everyone for their input and attendance and encouraged all to join the next Bronx Breastfeeding Coalition meeting to continue the conversation. A Lactation Resource Guide with contact information and types of services offered was shared with participants and is listed below.

We look forward to seeing breastfeeding work in action at next year’s Reconvening!

LACTATION RESOURCES:

Bronx Healthy Start Go To Lactation Resource Guide

Breastfeeding Disparities Qualitative Research Study

Paying it Forward – Dianne Cassidy, MA, IBCLC,-RLC, ALC

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Doula Care

Bronx Doula Access Project

Farm Share Program Wraps Up Successful Season at Two Community Health Centers

This post was written by Milagros Neyra, Community Health Project Manager.

The Bronx Health REACH/Corbin Hill Farm Share Program wrapped up a successful season with over 500 bags of fresh and affordable fruits and vegetables distributed to Mt. Hope, Morris Heights, and Soundview residents. While the Farm Share site at the Institute for Family Health’s (IFH) Stevenson Family Health Center continued for a second year, IFH’s Walton Family Health Center debuted as a new, second location for the Farm Share program.

The summer Farm Share season ran from July to November 2019. Participants picked up their bags, consisting of five to seven vegetables and one fruit, at the Walton Family Health Center on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, and Stevenson participants picked up their bags on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. From its inception, the Farm Share program was designed to give the neighborhood residents access to affordable, locally grown fresh produce. Recipes were provided so customers would have creative ways to prepare their vegetables at home. Cooking demonstrations, led by community chefs and supported by the Corbin Hill Food Project, were held at the locations allowing customers to taste test recipes using the vegetables.

“Having the Farm Share program at the Walton Family Health Center brought our patients, community members, and staff together for a common goal: to be able to purchase affordable, fresh produce, that is otherwise difficult to access in this community,” said Marlin Morel, Farm Share site coordinator for the Walton Family Health Center. “As a Health Coach, my goal is to teach our patients that food is the best medicine, and eating a balanced diet of fresh, whole foods is instrumental in their journey to better health.”

To participate in the program, patients, staff, and community members can sign up onsite or online at any time. By placing an order at least one week in advance of the pick-up date, participants can enjoy high quality and locally grown produce delivered to their health centers. “I'm so grateful that this program was in our neighborhood. Health statistics for the Bronx are very devastating and we desperately need this type of program, as well as the cooking and education about the right things to eat,” said Veronica Millender, a resident of Castle Hill for 43 years and a Farm Share program participant since 2018. “Having the Farm Share year round would mean more healthy residents and less chronic conditions. The big picture is the Bronx having healthier residents who are eating well and can afford to buy fresh produce for their families.”

Participants purchased the produce using cash, credit, debit, EBT/SNAP and Health Bucks. The affordable prices and flexibility of payment options, makes the Farm Share program accessible for all to purchase foods that may have been previously unattainable. The Winter Farm Share Season is scheduled to begin mid-January at the Stevenson and Walton locations. The Winter Farm Share Season begins January 14th at the Walton Family Health Center and January 21st at the Stevenson Family Health Center. If you would like to participate, you can order online or email Mila Neyra, Community Health Project Manager at mineyra@institute.org, or call (212) 633-0800 ext. 1224.

Bronx Health REACH Coalition's #Not62 Rally in the Media

The Bronx Health REACH Coalition's #Not62 rally, held on December 2, received a lot of media attention in December. Our Health Disparities Workgroup members appeared on Bronxnet's Stay Alive with Church Alive and OPEN. Bronxnet also covered the rally and interviewed some of the featured speakers. Finally, the Riverdale Press and the Bronx Times covered the rally as well.

Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup Meets with Mayor, Bronx Borough President, City Council Health Committee Chair; Holds Rally at City Hall to Demand that Elected Officials Make the Bronx a Priority

Members of the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup presented Mayor Bill de Blasio with over 2000 signed postcards from Bronx residents urging elected officials to make the health of the Bronx a priority.

 On Monday, November 25th, members of the Bronx Health REACH Coalition’s Health Disparities Workgroup met with Mayor Bill de Blasio to discuss the need for his administration to prioritize the Bronx in light of its persistent last place ranking in health outcomes among New York State’s 62 counties. The Coalition asked the Mayor to ensure that his Administration makes the health of the Bronx a top priority at all levels and in all sectors of New York City’s government, including healthcare, housing, economic development, education, transportation, etc. To demonstrate the broad concern about this problem among Bronx residents, Bronx Health REACH Project Director Charmaine Ruddock and two members of the Health Disparities Workgroup presented the Mayor with over 2,000 signed postcards from Bronx residents.

For the past ten years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin have released the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Report that measures health outcomes and contributing factors such as education, employment, income and the environment, all of which contribute to the community’s health and the quality of life of its residents. The 2019 report ranked Bronx County 62 out of the 62 counties in New York State, as it has in each of the previous 9 reports. Presently the health ranking of the other four counties/boroughs of NYC is: NYC/Manhattan (5); Queens (8); Brooklyn/Kings County (17); Staten Island/Richmond County (28). All four had their rankings improve from last year. Not so the Bronx.

At the meeting, the Bronx Health REACH representatives asked the Administration to create a task force to identify and address the factors that continually keep the Bronx ranked as the unhealthiest county; have all New York City agencies make the Bronx a funding priority; and appoint a liaison from the Mayor’s office to work with the #Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx!

Over 50 people attended a #Not62 Rally on the steps of New York City Hall to demand that New York State elected officials make the health of the Bronx a top priority at all levels and in all sectors of government.

 On Tuesday, December 3rd over 50 people gathered for a #Not62: The Campaign for a Healthy Bronx! rally on the steps of New York City Hall. Community leaders from several Bronx based community groups and Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson joined the rally to ask the Mayor, the Bronx Borough President, City Council members and New York State elected officials make the health of the Bronx a top priority.

“The Bronx Health REACH Coalition and its many partners and collaborators have been working hard to ensure that Bronx residents have all the opportunities they need to be healthier,
but we can only do so much. If the Bronx is to no longer rank dead last in all New York State counties in health outcomes, the health of its residents must become a top priority of the elected leadership of New York City and New York State and the entire Bronx community,” remarked Charmaine Ruddock, Project Director for Bronx Health REACH.

Dr. Neil Calman, President and CEO of the Institute for Family Health, which has led the Bronx Health REACH Coalition since 1999, stated, “It is critical that the state and the city work together to address social determinants of health – housing, education, and employment – in order to make real, sustainable changes in the health of the community.”

“Though progress in the Bronx has been made to address the health disparities that persist, much more work remains to be done,” said Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson (Bronx, District 16). “The Jerome Avenue Public Health Taskforce will be releasing a report examining the social determinants of health along Jerome Avenue. By focusing on housing, economic development, public outdoor spaces, healthcare quality and access, and our local food environment, this report will highlight the many ways we can collaborate on all levels of government as well as through local community partnerships to turn the tide on the overall health of our community, and the Bronx as a whole.”

“Year after year, the Bronx ranks 62 out of 62 in health outcomes – the result of a myriad of factors, including air and water pollution, insufficient access to safe and affordable housing, and a lack of access to quality healthcare,” said State Senator Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx/Westchester). “If we want our laws to reflect our promise to keep New Yorkers healthy, we must create comprehensive, health coverage for all and pass the New York Health Act. We must prioritize the Bronx at both the state and city level – by putting the Bronx at the top of the list we can start to reverse the trend, and improve health outcomes for Bronxites.”

In 2014 #Not62: A Campaign for A Healthy Bronx! was launched by the Bronx Borough President, the Bronx District Public Health Office, the Institute for Family Health/Bronx Health REACH, and Montefiore Health Systems, Inc. as a direct response to the ranking.

As a founding member of #Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx!, the Institute for Family Health/Bronx Health REACH Coalition is proud of its efforts to serve as a model of community empowerment that demonstrates how to build healthier communities. We do this by promoting primary prevention through health education; and advocating for the necessary policy, systems and environmental changes that leads to a transformed community that supports health and wellness.

Left to right: Barbara Estrin from the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup, NYC Council Member and Chair of the Council Committee on Health Mark Levine, and Bronx Health REACH's Charmaine Ruddock.

On December 18th, Charmaine Ruddock and Barbara Estrin from the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup met with Council Member and Chair of the Council Committee on Health, Mark Levine. We spoke with Council Member Levine about the  #Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx! He offered suggestions on how best to go about securing future City Council funding to support the Campaign.

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.

Helping Bronx Seniors Eat Healthier through Healthy Food Demonstrations

This post was written by Olivia Wurgaft, an intern at Bronx Health REACH and student attending Washington University.

As a Global Health major at Washington University, I would like to pursue a career in public health after I graduate. It is one of the reasons I was so happy that, as part of my internship at Bronx Health REACH, I got to work on their Food Service Guidelines initiative with meal serving sites in the Bronx. Specifically, I had the privilege of leading two healthy food demonstrations.

During the month of June, Bronx Health REACH held healthy food demonstrations at the Presbyterian Senior Services Parkside (PSS Parkside) and Presbyterian Senior Services Jackson (PSS Jackson) sites in the Bronx. PSS is a nonprofit agency with nine community centers that strive to strengthen the capacity of older New Yorkers, their families, and communities to thrive. PSS Parkside and Jackson clients receive meals, exercise classes, technology training, group trips, and a multitude of other services. These food demonstrations are part of Bronx Health REACH’s efforts to help sites serve healthier meals to their clients.

Earlier this year, Bronx Health REACH collaborated with Lenox Hill Teaching Kitchen to provide trainings for PSS Jackson and PSS Parkside staff. Lenox Hill Teaching Kitchen designed a daylong food business training to help nonprofit organizations prepare and serve institutional meals that increase fresh, healthy, and local foods to support their clients’ health. The outcome of this training was to gain a better understanding of how to serve meals with more scratch cooking with fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and less sugar, fat, and salt. At the end of the training the goal of the kitchen staff from PSS Jackson and PSS Parkside is to increase their use of fresh, healthy and local food.

 In addition to the training, Bronx Health REACH has been providing PSS Jackson and PSS Parkside with technical support to achieve these goals including food demonstrations. These demonstrations are to introduce healthier food to clients through tastings, give them a say in what appears on their menu, and show them that healthy food can be tasty and inexpensive. Both sites chose “Olga’s Bulgur with Chicken” as the recipe for their demonstration because it includes more vegetables and whole grains and less meat.

Before the demonstration, I went to a supermarket close to the site, to make sure the ingredients were easily available for clients to make the dish themselves. I also made sure to price out the recipe to make sure it was affordable.

At both sites I arrived around lunchtime to prepare for the demonstration. While I was chopping and measuring out the carrots, celery, peas, and garlic, some clients came up to ask what I was doing, which told me they were interested in learning about what they were going to eat. Some were also apprehensive of trying something new, but promised they would keep an open mind. I started each food demonstration with a discussion about the nutritional benefits of each ingredient. I emphasized how the fiber in the bulgur wheat improves digestion, the vitamin A in carrots improves eyesight, and how low sodium soy sauce reduces salt intake, which is particularly beneficial for people with high blood pressure or diabetes.

I sautéed the chicken, added the vegetables and mixed them in with the bulgur wheat, explaining the process as I went along. Before adding it to the pan, I brought the pot of bulgur wheat around to each participant, explaining that it can be used similarly to rice and showing them what it looked like. When the dish was finished, I distributed samples for everyone to try. Participants filled out surveys about the recipe and the demonstration. At PSS Parkside, the responses were overwhelmingly positive. Most of the participants enjoyed the recipe and wanted it on the menu. One client said that the “dish was filling, [and had] nice and crunchy vegetables.” Another loved how it was “economic and easy to make at home.”

 At PSS Jackson, the participants were more wary to try a new dish. However, after watching the demonstration and becoming more comfortable with the ingredients, not only did they try it, but they really liked it. One client explained, “I liked this activity because it allowed me to try new and interesting foods that I could possibly have more of in the future.” This comment reaffirmed for me the benefits of food demonstrations and similar programs that expose participants to healthy and tasty options. Without this demonstration, many clients would never have tried bulgur, and now, after liking it, wanted it in their meals. After these successful food demonstrations, I am both excited and hopeful that PSS Parkside and PSS Jackson can easily add healthy, tasty, and economical recipes to their menus to increase the health and well-being of their clients.

This interactive and fun activity was extremely useful in keeping clients educated and involved in menu planning at their sites. Many told me that they wanted to eat healthier, but did not have access to the right ingredients or the knowledge of how to do it in an inexpensive way. Through the food demonstration, they were able to learn about this recipe that will help them do just that. From this experience, I learned that sometimes all it takes to open people up to new ideas, such as eating healthier meals, is the opportunity for them to try it. My internship enabled me to help Bronx Health REACH provide this opportunity.  I believe both sites will have an easier transition to a healthier menu.

PSS Jackson Clients Discover Menu Improvements are Delicious

Clients enjoy samples of Olga's Bulgar and chicken.

As part of Bronx Health REACH's Food Service Guidelines Initiative, we are working with partner Presbyterian Senior Services (PSS) at their Parkside and Jackson locations in the Bronx to improve their menus by incorporating more fresh vegetables, reducing meat and serving healthier homemade salad dressings. In March, Lenox Hill Teaching Kitchen provided  training for Presbyterian Senior Services kitchen staff on how to create more healthy, fresh, locally sourced and sustainable foods to improve their seniors’ overall health and well-being.

To date, two tastings have been held at each senior center. Seniors enjoyed samples of “Olga’s Bulgur and Chicken” at one tasting, and were offered Chicken with Butternut Squash Stew at another. At the first tasting, they learned about the benefits of eating more whole grains and were given copies of the recipe to prepare at home. At the second, many enjoyed the stew despite it having less meat and more veggies in it. One client said, "I have high blood pressure so I have to be careful of what I eat. This tastes delicious. I would make this at home." Another client added, "This was so delicious, I had two servings!" In the future, Bronx Health REACH looks forward to working with the PSS sites on improving the healthy meals served daily and engaging new sites with this initiative.

Bronx Health REACH Testifies at City Council Hearings

Bronx Health REACH Director Charmaine Ruddock testified in support of the New York Health Act.


On December 6th, Bronx Health REACH Project Director Charmaine Ruddock provided testimony to the New York City Council in support of the New York Health Act. The New York City Council was voting to call on the New York State Legislature and Governor to pass the New York Health Act, that would guarantee publicly-funded healthcare for all New York State residents without deductibles, co-pays or out-of-network charges. Charmaine spoke on how the passing of the New York Health Act would benefit Bronx residents since the borough is currently not only the unhealthiest county in New York State, but has the largest percentage of uninsured adults (22%) and the largest percentage of adults going without needed medical care (12%). The New York Health Act would enable more Bronx residents to live healthier, longer lives.

The New York Health Act would also provide Bronx residents access to the same quality of healthcare others receive in other parts of NYC and would improve health outcomes for all residents. NY Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried and former NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Mary T. Bassett also testified before the Council, as did Dr. Bassett's mother, who is seated next to Charmaine in the photo above.

Moria Byrne-Zaaloff spoke in support of nutrition education.

On January 16th, the New York City Council held a hearing on the Food and Nutrition Education Reporting Bill. This Bill would require the New York City Department of Education to submit an annual report of food and nutrition education classes to the New York City Council.

Moria Byrne-Zaaloff, Bronx Health REACH’s Program Coordinator for Creating Healthy Schools and Communities testified on the lack of nutrition education in NYC public schools, its importance, and the anticipated impact the bill would have in improving the healthy eating of public school students.

Currently, there isn't any publicly available information on how many schools are actively implementing nutrition education to meet NYC health education requirements. With a reporting system in place, schools and school-based partners focused on nutrition education will have a better sense of gaps and barriers to providing nutrition education in NYC public schools.

Nutrition Education Advocates Educate City Council Members on the Importance of Nutrition Education in Public Schools

This post is written by Moria Byrne-Zaaloff, MPH, Program Coordinator for Creating Healthy Schools and Communities at Bronx Health REACH. 


The energy in the room was palpable as I entered the New York City Council hearing room surrounded by advocates, councilmember staff and a flock of media corralled in the corner. I was there to testify on behalf of Bronx Health REACH, alongside other advocates, teachers, parents and students from across the five boroughs on the importance of nutrition education in schools. The hearing was in response to the Nutrition and Education Reporting bill sponsored by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Council Member Mark Treyger, Chair of the Education Committee and supported by many in the nutrition education community.

Currently, information on nutrition education programming in schools isn’t publically available. Bronx Health REACH and other organizations viewed this hearing as an opportunity to highlight the importance of nutrition education and the barriers to it in New York City public schools. The Bill would require the New York City Department of Education to submit an annual report of food and nutrition education classes, conducted by school teachers/staff or external partners in each New York City public school to the New York City Council. The report would account for the frequency and total minutes of instruction, number of students taught, total instruction time by teachers and outside organizations, and number of school teachers/staff who received training in each NYC public school.

Minutes before the hearing began advocates and the co-sponsors of the proposed legislation, Councilman Mark Treyger and Manhattan Borough President Gayle Brewer, gathered for a rally on the steps of City Hall declaring food and nutrition education essential to student health. Councilman Treyger spoke of the gaps in our current education system including a lack of professional development training. He cited the commissioner’s report from 2015 which showed that “over 90 percent of our educators teaching health and wellness are not even licensed to teach health.”

While this data may be remarkably different after the rollout of HealthEd Works, a promising pilot program of the DOE to bring nutrition education programming, professional development training, and resources to 500 public schools in the next few years, parents deserve to know whether their children are currently receiving the same educational programming as resource-rich public schools.

At the hearing, Councilmembers Mark Levine, Brad Lander, Andy King, and Debi Rose asked questions and spoke in support of the proposed legislation, but it was the voices of the students, teachers and advocates that were the most powerful. Maria Mohammed, a Bronx high school graduate, spoke about how students are not being fully educated about the harms of processed food. “What are we going to tell them 5 years from now? We are sorry that we failed you and need to do better for the next generation.” Pam Cook of Teacher’s College spoke on behalf of Meredith Hill, Assistant Principal of Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science and Engineering who wrote, “When we educate students about what they put in their bodies, they gain power--the power to be educated consumers making healthy choices.”

As a public health professional working in NYC for the past couple of years, I spoke about the constant frustration and burn-out I have seen in the teachers working at our Bronx partner schools who face the challenges of not having enough time to fit nutrition education in the schedule for all students, vague guidelines from the NYC DOE regarding how many hours or lessons per semester should be dedicated to nutrition education in elementary and middle school, and insufficient professional development training in nutrition education. Working in neighborhoods with limited funding, capacity, training and resources leaves many of the energetic and self-motivated teachers ill-equipped to meet students’ needs for nutrition education.

Seeing the level of enthusiasm and commitment in the hearing room to ensure that all NYC public school children receive adequate nutrition education to equip them to make healthy food choices, reawakened the hope of a better future for NYC schoolchildren. On a separate note, seeing the civic process at work  made me feel grateful to live in a country where your voice can be heard.

Bronx Health REACH Welcomes Our New FoodCorps Member

We welcome Adriana Perez, our new FoodCorps member who began her service in September at PS443 & PS457. Adriana will dedicate a year of service to engaging students and teachers in creating a school wide culture of health through experiential learning in their school garden, cafeteria and classroom. She will also support the healthy snack policy implementation and spearhead PS443's garden renovation.

Adriana’s passion for all things food originated in the kitchen when she helped her mom bake for family events. Adriana graduated from Johnson & Wales University and was a pastry chef at Walt Disney World. She was drawn to the farmers' market circuit, renewing her belief that healthy and sustainable food should be available to all communities. She welcomes opportunities for all to learn about the sources of their food.

Second Tabernacle Church and Mt. Zion CME Come Together to Cook and Reclaim Health

Two Bronx Health REACH partner churches, Second Tabernacle Church and Mt. Zion CME are the second and third churches to complete the 6-session workshop series, ‘A Taste of African Heritage,’ from Oldways, a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization.  A Taste of African Heritage introduces participants to a delicious, plant-based diet high in flavor and low in cholesterol, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium. 14 participants cooked the recipes and learned about healthy ways of eating plant based foods.

Nellie Bryant from Second Tabernacle Church and Bronx Health REACH's Joseph Ellis were instrumental in getting both churches involved. 14 participants cooked together, enjoyed fellowship and learned to bring back the healthy "Old Ways" of eating.

"I had a great time teaching the Oldways African Heritage & Health Program," said Ivette Brown from Bodies By Brownie, who led the workshop. "The church members enjoyed being introduced to new alternative food options like millet, quinoa, and various spices. Fellowship was the most important component, and by cooking together we not only learned new ways to prepare healthy meals, but were able to connect with one another."

Ivette Brown, who led the 6-session workshop, contributed to this article.

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.

A Zest for Life and Learning: A FoodCorp Member Reflects on Her Year Cultivating an Environment of Wellness at the Family School

In September, 2017 I was both excited and nervous as I began my year of service as a FoodCorps member at The Family School in the Bronx. The reason for joining FoodCorps was to join the fight against food injustice. Since this was my first-time teaching at a school, I approached it with an open heart.

On the first day of school I was presented with my first challenge – scaffolding covered what used to be the school’s outdoor garden. But I persevered. With funding from Grow To Learn and the School’s Wellness Committee, I created two mobile gardens housed on wheeled carts that provided the 2nd,  4th and 5th grade students  the opportunity to grow and harvest their own herbs, pea shoots, lettuce, arugula and mesclun greens indoors. Using The Bronx Salad Toolkit for Schools, seed starter kits and a few grow lights, the students and I were able to bring an indoor mobile garden to life. The second graders learned about the life cycle of plants such as peas.

The students also learned how to make The Bronx Salad, which contains many of the same ingredients they recognized from their home kitchen tables. One student exclaimed “I love cilantro and mangoes! My mother always has them in the house.” The students really enjoyed seeing their plants growing, and even tasted fresh pea shoots they grew themselves. I loved seeing students that had been squeamish about planting and working in the dirt at the start of the school year blossom into little gardeners. One student, Isabella convinced her mother that they needed to start growing their own food, and now they have a window sill herb garden in their home.

Together with the support of the faculty, staff, Garden to Café and the students, I was able to make great strides in increasing student consumption of healthy foods and expose them to new fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria throughout the school year. First, I worked with Tonya Green, The Family School Dean, to recruit and train eight student ambassadors to serve their classmates fruits and vegetables from the salad bar and collect feedback regarding which foods or flavors students liked or disliked, and what they would like to try next. This empowered the ambassadors to make the salad more enticing by designing and posting signs above the salad bar. By doing this students were encouraged to create rainbow salads. I also made raspberry and other sweet dressings for the students to try each week. Our most popular dressing was a tangy thyme and honey vinaigrette.

The school also held five taste tests in the cafeteria. For the tastings, the Garden to Café staff and I prepared samples of roasted acorn squash with brown sugar, garlic hummus and winter apple slaw for the students to sample during lunch time. Student ambassadors carried trays of the samples around the cafeteria and encouraged fellow students to sample. As more tastings were held students were willing to try the new foods without having to be coaxed by the ambassadors.

After each tasting, students would line up to record their opinions on a dot survey board. They would stand in front and have serious debates about why certain foods were better than others. One student stated, “Everybody loves carrots. Not me. I believe the lettuce was good.” At the end of one of the tastings, my team of ambassadors and I looked around the cafeteria with satisfaction. They were glowing with pride, seeing that their fellow students were enjoying healthier food items rather than sweets. It was a win for our small, but mighty team. One of my students, Rajib, summed it up best, “Everybody’s fed, everybody’s happy.”

In pursuit of more school-wide change in the cafeteria, the Garden to Café team and I organized an alternative menu tasting event for parents of students attending PS443 and PS457. George Edwards, Director of the Garden to Café program/ SchoolFood and Holly Howwit, Garden to Café Coordinator, prepared and served brown, sugar glazed root vegetables and apple slaw. Many of the parents and children asked for seconds and were genuinely surprised that these healthy foods being served could taste so delicious. One parent exclaimed, “This tastes really good and it’s healthy! I would love it if my child and I could eat like this all the time.” When parents and teachers agreed that students should have more opportunities to eat plant-based foods, I made sure students had numerous opportunities to eat healthy, not only in the cafeteria during tastings, but also during my lessons in the classroom.

Inside the classroom, I taught healthy eating lessons to three jubilant second grade classes. I worked closely with classroom teachers to align hands-on activities with their Science, Math and English lessons. Whether the students were studying fractions using different types of seeds or learning about how plants absorb water using celery, water and food coloring, I made sure the students had fun. Often when I entered the classroom, the students would scream my name, run up to me and hug me, or break into applause. My plan clearly worked. The real reward was when my students could recall information from my lessons. They would share, “I ate my vegetables today, Ms. Angela” or “When are you coming to make a salad again?” Students always had many opportunities to eat healthy foods in my classes. Together we made veggie skewers, fruit parfaits and salads.
I also led the Green Team students in a special eight session class, ‘Don’t Stress, Eat Fresh,’ about the barriers to healthy foods in their neighborhood, and the various techniques marketers use to influence their food choices. Students learned about the difference between processed food and whole food, how to read food labels, the various techniques marketers use to influence their food choices.

During a visit to the bodega near their school, students had the chance to test their knowledge and were surprised to see how many unhealthy products had ads on their packaging targeted to kids. They were also surprised to see many unhealthy snacks positioned on the shelves at their eye level to catch their attention as they walked into the bodega. At the start of the eight session class each student signed a pledge to eat less junk food and sugary beverages. By the end of the one month course, there was a slight increase in students buying fruits and vegetables at bodegas near their school.

The Family school really accepted me as part of the school family. The relationships I made with teachers, staff and students and the experiences we had will stay with me forever. I am grateful to have had the chance to serve the children of this Morrisania neighborhood. Looking back to when I was a younger student myself attending PS 41, my school lunch barely had any vegetables or fruits, so improving the eating habits of the Family School students was a goal close to my heart. I’m happy I connected with so many kids and helped them enjoy and eat more fruits and vegetables. Creating a healthier school environment was the ultimate goal, but the moments that I shared with the teachers and students of the Family School was most important to me. Hopefully the students will remember me as “the salad girl,” as I will remember the students having a zest for life and learning.

Angela Doyle was a FoodCorps service member serving with Bronx Health REACH. She was partnered with The Family School in the Bronx, NY to integrate garden and nutrition lessons into classes, promote healthy food options in the cafeteria, and support a school wide culture of health. She is very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with The Family School, where teachers, administration, cafeteria staff, and students appreciate the importance of healthy bodies and healthy minds for learning and growing.

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.