Food as Medicine: A “Prescription” for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

 

This article was written by Kenny Escobar, Nutrition & Physical Activity Coordinator, Jamila Outlar, Produce Prescription Coordinator, and Intern Stephanie Garcia.

In the winter of 2023, Bronx Health REACH and Corbin Hill Food Project Inc. (CHFP) launched the Food as Medicine Produce Prescription Program (FAM) for patients at three Bronx-based Institute for Family Health (IFH) centers to promote the consumption of healthy food.

The FAM project is funded by the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) of the USDA.  Project participants must be an IFH patient over 18 years of age and screen positive for food insecurity. Once enrolled, participants receive a box of high quality, fresh local fruits and vegetables on a bi-weekly basis for a minimum of six months. The average price for the box of produce is roughly $35 but through FAM the cost to patients is only $2.50. The participants can pay with SNAP, cash, debit, or credit card. Participants who have SNAP can also pay with Health Bucks.

The FAM project also provides participants with recipes at each distribution in order to encourage the eating of fruits and vegetables. These recipes include creative and helpful ways to use the produce from that week’s distribution. Food demonstrations accompany the distribution of the recipes at least once a month at each health center introducing participants to  fruits and vegetables they may not have known or previously eaten. 

Chef Yadi leading a food demonstration. 

Bronx native Chef Yadira Garcia, also known as, the “Happy Healthy Latina” or Chef Yadi, is the chef enthusiastically creating delicious and nutritious dishes for patients to try. She makes sure that patients are educated on the multiple ways to prepare the different produce and is always open to answering any questions that the participants may have. 

As of February 2024, when enrollment ended, 374 patients were enrolled in the program and 130 have completed their 6-month commitment. We will conduct a program evaluation to assess patients’ overall opinions and feedback of the program to determine the effectiveness of this intervention and the impact it has had on the participants. To date feedback from some participants indicate that the program, for them, is a resounding success. An Urban Horizons patient shared that they are “very happy as a lot of us need this program, we get healthy food and we need this in the neighborhood. You’re doing a very good thing for us." A Stevenson patient said she “enjoys this program so much as I am learning how to cook and eat different things.” A patient from Walton stated, “by receiving these produce box two times a month, I am able to eat healthier which is contributing to my weight loss.”

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 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.

The Bronx Salad at Bronx Day in Albany

Bronx Health REACH partner Henry Obispo of United Business Cooperative promoting The Bronx Salad at Bronx Day in Albany.

Bronx Health REACH's Kelly Moltzen and Henry Obispo from United Business Cooperative, a partner in the Healthy Restaurant Initiative attended and promoted The Bronx Salad at Bronx Day in Albany on June 12th. Expo participants had an opportunity to taste The Bronx Salad, which was well received. The event to showcase the products and services of Bronx businesses and organizations was organized by New York State Assemblymember Michael Benedetto. Assemblymembers Victor M. Pichardo, Marcos Crespo, Andrew Hevesi, Senator Jose E. Serrano, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. spoke at the event.

Bronx Health REACH believes Bronx restaurants would be better equipped to serve The Bronx Salad if partner restaurants were supported as business owners through strategies developed by United Business Cooperative. Bronx Health REACH will continue working with United Business Cooperative and Bronx legislators to try to increase the capacity of Bronx food businesses to source healthy ingredients such as those used to make The Bronx Salad.

Stevenson Farm Share is a Hit with IFH Patients and Community Residents

The Corbin Hill Food Project Summer Farm Share Program, supported by Bronx Health REACH and hosted by the Institute for Family HEALTH (IFH) Stevenson Family Health Center has become a staple among IFH patients and Soundview residents looking to purchase affordable local, farm fresh vegetables and fruits. Every Tuesday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. the Farm Share is set up either inside (or outside weather permitting) the Stevenson Health Center where customers can purchase a variety of local and seasonal vegetables and fruit for only $10. Customers place their orders by Tuesday and pick them up the following Tuesday.

The program began a year ago with GrowNYC’s Fresh Food Box Program and has since changed hands with Corbin Hill Food Project's Farm Share. In the beginning, around 15 to 25 customers per week signed up to receive farm shares that has since increased to 25 to 35 customers per week! Joseph Ellis, our Community Health Worker along with the Institute for Family Stevenson Health Center's Tiffany Diaz are there every week setting up the Farm Share and greeting customers.

"Customers enjoy coming to the Stevenson Farm Share because it’s so close to where they live," said Joseph. "Customers have told us that the produce sold at the Farm Share is fresher and lasts a lot longer than what their local supermarket sells, and with the summer growing season here, there is more of a variety of vegetables and greens offered. Customers use the recipes we give out, and with our regular customers spreading the word about the Farm Share, more people have signed up."

The Farm Share is scheduled to run through November. Customers can pay with cash, credit card, debit card, EBT, or SNAP. Interested participants can sign up in person or online. For further information call (718) 589-8775 ext. 2832. Sign up now to enjoy fresh, local veggies and fruits!

Parents from Three Partner Schools Participate in Farmer’s Market Tours

Bronx Health REACH intern Elecia Faaiuaso (left) speaking with attendees of a farmers market tour.


This post was written by Bronx Health REACH intern Elecia Faaiuaso.

This fall, Bronx Health REACH gave parents of students from Bronx East Academy, Bronx Charter School of the Arts, and Hyde Leadership Charter School the chance to pick fresh fruits and vegetables without ever leaving the Bronx. Bronx Health REACH staff hosted three farmers’ market tours for 22 parents residing in District 8. Within minutes of arriving in the park, alive with fall foliage, parents saw the bountiful produce stands and lit up with excitement ready to dig in! Parents walked over to further investigate the inviting smells of honey crisp apples and bouquets of peppery arugula. The journey for better health had begun before the tour even started.

The farmers’ market tour included both nutrition information followed by time to shop in the market. Farmers’ market tours make fresh food more accessible and are a great way to provide instantaneous opportunities for healthy eating with new recipe ideas to cook nutritious meals for the participants’ families. Parents who participated received $10 worth of Health Bucks — $2 coupons used to purchase fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. Health Bucks were provided by Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr.’s office, who secured $22,000 worth of Health Bucks for his constituents in this year’s budget. Thank you Council Member Salamanca for supporting these efforts in your district!

Despite the cool, brisk air in the park, parents enthusiastically participated in a rich discussion about the benefits of farmers’ markets, the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables available, and the affordable prices. Staff also noted the importance of maintaining a healthy, fiber-rich diet with fruits and vegetables.  “It keeps everything moving along thus cleaning your system!” exclaimed the staff member. At the end, parents were given informational material, including a My Plate Planner, a guide for harvest times for vegetables and fruits, a list of starchy versus non-starchy vegetables, and tips for getting children to eat more fruits and vegetables. After receiving the tips and materials, parents were eager to share their own personal experiences, cooking methods, and food storage advice. One parent shared a unique way to preserve “sofrito” made with fresh herbs — freezing it in ice cube trays. Staff ended the discussion session by thanking the parents for attending and saying how helpful it is to hear cooking tips and food shopping experiences from parents, as they hold the power in the kitchen and determine what the family eats.

After the discussion, parents were encouraged to speak to the farmers about the produce being sold and to try fruits or vegetables they may not have eaten before. With Health Bucks in hand and excitement on their faces, shopping for healthy produce commenced!  Walking through the tents, parents marveled at the affordable prices and were thrilled to be able to buy unfamiliar produce such as acorn squash and familiar items like Bosc pears. Many of the parents on the tour left the market with 3 to 4 bags of fruits and vegetables!

At the end of the tour, Bronx Health REACH had parents share their shopping experience at the farmers’ market. One parent expressed her appreciation for the local farmers and their commitment to “come to the city to provide us with fresh produce in [their] area”. They all agreed that the market was very clean, and the vendors were friendly and provided fresh, affordable produce. The parents would like to see Bronx Health REACH provide more tours so that others could “learn and enjoy” these farmers’ markets as much as they did. One parent commented that she would always pass by the farmers’ market while riding the bus, and even though she wanted to stop and check it out, she never had the money to do so. She pointed out that the Health Bucks helped make it easier for her to purchase fresh produce from the farmers’ market and eat healthy. Bronx Health REACH hopes to arrange additional farmers’ market tours for parents in the spring of 2018 when farmers’ markets reopen.

Visit the GrowNYC website to stay up-to-date on events and the farmers’ market schedule.

Bronx City Council Members Increase Health Bucks Allocation

Bronx residents shopping at Bronx farmers' markets had the opportunity to purchase more fruits and vegetables thanks to City Council Members Vanessa L. Gibson, Fernando Cabrera, Ritchie Torres and Rafael Salamanca who, from their respective budgets, collectively allocated $43,000 towards Health Bucks. Developed and distributed by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Health Bucks are paper vouchers worth $2 each that shoppers use to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets. Bronx Health REACH thanks them all. Because of their funding so many more Bronx residents were able to purchase fresh produce from farmers’ markets including parents from several public schools working with Bronx Health REACH’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities Initiative.

Institute for Family Health Stevenson Center Expands Neighborhood Healthy Food Options with Fresh Food Box Program

This post was written by Bronx Health REACH intern Hillary Ramirez.

The Fresh Food Box site at the Stevenson Family Health Center has attracted more customers since it opened in July. Every Tuesday the Fresh Food Box tent is set up on the sidewalk in front of Stevenson Family Health Center, and is open to all community members. No affiliation with the clinic is required to join. Located in the Soundview neighborhood of the Bronx; the Stevenson Family Health Center is surrounded by residential buildings with few food purchasing options and little access to fresh vegetables. The Soundview community also has the third lowest daily vegetable and fruit consumption rate in the city.  To help remedy this situation Bronx Health REACH has partnered with GrowNYC and the Stevenson Family Health Center to try and meet  the need for more fresh produce in the area. The goal of GrowNYC’s Fresh Food Box (FFB)  is to provide more fresh vegetables and fruits to communities that do not have them or have too little of them.

Stevenson staff is excited to participate in the Fresh Food Box program, and are optimistic about the health benefits these fruits and vegetables will provide for patients. One clinic employee stated that patients simply don’t have enough healthy food options, and when they are told to adopt a healthier diet, the resources required for patients to follow that advice are either not convenient or affordable.

A young boy helps his mother select produce at the Fresh Food Box.

The Fresh Food Box program addresses that by bringing in  fresh produce at a very affordable price. A bag of 6-8 fresh, in-season vegetables and one fruit is only $14.  And while $14 for a bag of 6-8 vegetables and a fruit is the best deal in town, the program’s mission would not be complete without actively promoting and accepting EBT/SNAP, in addition to cash and credit cards. Similar to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)  program Fresh Food Box participants pay for their bag a week in advance, returning the following week to pick up their produce. To help participants with vegetables they may not be very familiar with, Fresh Food Box also includes a set of recipes to try at home.

Display of a Fresh Food Box share containing leaks, blackberries, lettuce, summer squash, golden plums, corn, cilantro and basil. 

With nearly 30 sign ups on the opening day, many community members were excited after receiving their bag full of vegetables, while others looked forward to trying the Fresh Food Box for the very first time. Some participants of the program brought along their children, allowing them to pick out the produce, using the Fresh Food Box program as an opportunity to teach their kids about healthy eating. The Stevenson Fresh Food Box runs until November 14th.

To learn more about the Stevenson FFB, call 212-633-0800 or email Michelle Hernandez.


Click here to learn more about GrowNYC Fresh Food Box Program.

Sprout Scouts: Good, Healthy, Safe, Happy, and Respected

Students clear the plant debris from the fall harvest to prepare for spring planting.

Cara Plott is a FoodCorps service member with Bronx Health REACH. She is working with The Family School in the Bronx to integrate garden and nutrition lessons into classes, promotes healthy food options in the cafeteria, and supports a school wide culture of health. Cara attributes her excitement at working with The Family School to the fact that teachers, administration, cafeteria staff, and students appreciate the importance of healthy bodies and healthy minds for learning and growing. 


Here is her report.

This spring has been an exciting time at the Family School as we have rolled out two new programs to give our students more opportunities to grow as learners and gardeners. One initiative is the roll out of our weekly garden lesson sequence. For the first time this spring, students from all Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade classes have engaged with our garden through planting seeds and learning how plants grow. Each class has a weekly garden class time, where students do hands on lessons that are aligned with the New York City science curriculum. In the fall, our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes will learn and plant in the garden. By systematizing our use of the garden space, more students and teachers will have the opportunity to use the garden as it becomes woven into the fabric of the school’s curriculum and culture.


Second, we have started our first ever afterschool gardening club, called Sprout Scouts. The Sprout Scouts are ten fifth grader leaders nominated by their teachers, some of whom are also Wellness Ambassadors. The Sprout Scouts club is jointly led by Ms. Goodspeed, a first grade teacher at The Family School, and me. Our Sprout Scouts have been hard at work getting the garden ready for planting by our younger students. So far they have cleared the garden beds of dead plant matter from last year and analyzed the components of our soil. They also helped to construct a pea trellis (see photo below)! Many of the activities that we do in Sprout Scouts are from the curriculum recently developed by FoodCorps in collaboration with LifeLabs.

Students helped to build a pea trellis on one of the raised beds. Here students are stringing twine to create the net up which the pea plants will grow.

Why are we so passionate about gardening at The Family School? First, from seed math, to writing poems about changes in spring, to analyzing nitrogen content of soil, we know that our students can greatly benefit from the hands on learning opportunities in the garden. Second, seeing where the food they eat comes from and developing a better understanding of the cycle of nature equips our students with the knowledge and critical thinking skills to make healthy choices in their own lives now and in the years to come. Third, the garden creates a unique community for our students. While we are learning gardening and cooking skills, we are also learning life skills, like how we should respect all living things, from our fellow humans to the smallest worm. On our first day of Sprout Scouts, our Scouts came up with words that described the way that they wanted to feel in the garden: “Good, Healthy, Safe, Happy, and Respected.” Through our work in and out of the garden we seek to help make our fellow gardeners know that they deserve to feel each of these things, and that they are supported to grow into whatever they aspire to be.

Kids Come Alive in PS443 Garden Space

This post was written by Kelsey Kinderknecht, a FoodCorps New York service member.

The garden is an outdoor classroom space where students come alive in new ways. Many students don’t thrive in a classroom setting where they must sit still, listen, and do exactly what they are told. Rather, many students thrive in an experiential learning environment where they learn with hands-on activities.

The changing of seasons from winter to spring is an exciting time to utilize the outdoor garden classroom where students learn and explore in new ways. As a FoodCorps member at PS 443 in the South Bronx, I have the opportunity to see kids light up when we take classes outside to the garden. Students learn how to nurture all their garden friends from pill bugs to worms to soil to our little plant seedlings. Many students that I witness struggling in the indoor classroom have a positive shift in behavior in the garden space.

M came alive in the garden space. He arrived in the United States only a couple months ago. He speaks an African dialect that no one else can speak in the school, therefore, he is not able to speak in his 4th grade class with his teacher or classmates. From the very first day, the classroom teacher and I took the class to the garden, this little boy came alive. He immediately dug his hands in the dirt and knew exactly how to plant the carrot seed without needing to comprehend the instructions. Since that first garden experience, he is now able to comprehend and speak a little English. Last week I was able to have a conversation with M about what he planted in Africa. With a smile from ear to ear, he named many fruits and vegetables: spinach, bananas, mangos, carrots, oranges, tomatoes. That day I realized that communication in the garden classroom uses a language of experience and culture: learning the responsibility that comes from nurturing and caring for living things.

Another student, one of my 2nd graders comes alive in the garden space.  As I was giving the instructions for the day, this little girl could not stop talking and asking questions about the garden and the sugar snap pea seeds we were planting. “What’s inside the seed? When will there be snap peas?” The teacher looked at me in awe and said “this is so great! I cannot get her to speak in the classroom!”  Just like the new seeds they are planting, kids come alive in new ways in the garden space!

Growing a Sustainable Food System in the Bronx

In the midst of growing national and international discussions about the intersection of food, health, and the environment, and just days before the People’s Climate March, the Bronx Health REACH quarterly coalition meeting on September 19^th featured a dynamic panel discussion on local agriculture and sustainable farming. The group of panelists included representatives from community gardening organizations and local agriculture initiatives, such as La Finca del Sur, NY Sun Works, Corbin Hill Food Project, South Bronx Farmers Markets, The Partnership for a Healthier Manhattan at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the Office of Council Member Ritchie Torres. Although the Bronx has been consistently ranked 62 out of 62 counties in New York State, this panel demonstrated that there are many innovative projects underway that should be recognized, replicated, and expanded.

The panel was moderated by Tanya Fields—the renowned food activist and founder of the BLK Projek, which uses food to create economic development opportunities in the South Bronx. Fields’ work to promote locally farmed and accessible food within her community has included the Hunt’s Point Farm Share, the Libertad Urban Farm Project, the Veggie Mobile Market, and many other programs. Fields strives not only to support and expand local farming opportunities, but to use healthy food and sustainable gardening as a tool to empower women and youth in marginalized communities. Similarly, La Finca del Sur focuses on economic development and food justice through urban farming, led primarily by Latina and Black women. In addition to their community garden site, produce from La Finca del Sur is sold at the South Bronx Farmers Market, where customers can use SNAP/EBT as well as HealthBucks. Sindri McDonald, Council Member Ritchie Torres’Chief of Staff, spoke about Council Member Torres’ efforts to expand the distribution and use of HealthBucks within his district to make local fruits and vegetables more accessible to his constituents. Council Member Torres allocated $10,000 in discretionary funding for HealthBucks. A historic first. No council member before him  had ever  allocated funding for this program. We hope that this represents a trend where more Council Members will see this as an important enough initiative to secure funding for it.. Finally, the Corbin Hill Food Project provides an alternative to the farmers’ market model with their local farm share program. Local, sustainably grown produce is available at 20 delivery sites throughout Washington Heights, the Bronx, and Harlem, with reduced-price shares for those using SNAP and flexible payment options. This option is convenient for local residents who want fresh, healthy produce but either can’t or don’t want to shop at farmer’s markets. It’s important to develop more programs that not only make fresh, high quality food financially accessible in lower-income communities, but physically convenient and attractive for customers as well. Picking up a package of fruits and vegetables for the week from a local delivery site is appealing for many community residents, so much so that there is even a long waiting list of people who would like to become members.

Irrespective of the approach, all the panelists recognized the symbiotic relationship between the wellbeing of those who consume their products and the wellbeing of the earth. Not only is conventional, industrial agriculture environmentally damaging, but it does little to support local farmers or to empower consumers to play an active role in their food system. The fact that so many organizations and individuals in the Bronx recognize this connection and are mobilizing their community members to get involved in local, sustainable agriculture initiatives is what made this panel particularly inspiring. Since the panelists were representing largely grassroots organizations in the Bronx, there is clearly already some investment among community members in building  a healthy, local food environment from within. With buy-in from local residents and support from their legislative officials, it is likely that this food movement will lead to sustainable change.

Another theme of the event was the focus on changing habits within the younger generation to foster healthier lifestyles among children and youth. As Tanya Fields noted, “It’s easier to create whole children than to fix broken men.” The efforts of NY Sun Works to bring hydroponics and agricultural education to school classrooms, and the kids’ activities and workshops hosted by La Finca del Sur are just a few examples of local healthy food initiatives involving youth. Innovative projects, which include hydroponic plantings and rooftop gardens, represent  critical tools for advancing local food production in districts that lack readily available resources.

Overall, the sustained success of these important local farming programs will depend partially on funding opportunities, but also on the collaboration between local partners in the Bronx and their ability to cooperatively pool resources to serve their community. Last week, the USDA released some encouraging news on that front: $52 million of funding will go towards supporting local and regional food systems and organic farming. Importantly, the USDA will also put $30 million into marketing for farmers markets and promoting locally grown produce. This new funding is an important step towards building a stronger support system for local producers and consumers alike. Hopefully this is just the beginning of increasing government efforts to strengthen local agriculture networks in the Bronx and across the country. To read about the USDA announcement, please click here.  

 

 

Rachel Manning is a Community HealthCorps member with Bronx Health REACH. 

Fighting Childhood Obesity

In recent years, efforts to tackle childhood obesity have engaged everyone from the First Lady of the United States to local bodega owners. The reasoning is sound: today nearly half of the children in New York City are not at a healthy weight and the dearth of healthy options in many communities leave families with few options beyond the many fast food restaurants that crowd city blocks. The bright side is that these troubling statistics have led many organizations to integrate lessons around childhood obesity into their activities, bringing a “stay healthy” message into many different forums. As a recent New York Times article highlighted, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan has taken on this issue and run with it.

EatSleepPlay is a comprehensive, arts and literacy health-based project that uses creative and fun ways to engage children and their parents in the area of nutrition, sleep and active play. It includes a permanent exhibit where children can crawl through a giant digestive system and meet super-powered vegetable heroes called Super Sprowtz that explore the benefits of fruits and vegetables at a giant NYC Green Cart. The initiative reaches outside of the museum walls with an 11 week family health curriculum developed in partnership with the National Institutes of Health. The exhibit has proved popular with schoolchildren and some of the schools that Bronx Health REACH works with on an obesity prevention program have already brought their students to the museum as part of their nutrition education curriculum.

These kinds of efforts meant to engage young people in healthy activities in a somewhat non-traditional way have been sprouting up all over the city. Steve Ritz, a biology and earth science teacher formerly at Discovery High School in the Bronx, started Green Bronx Machine, a so-called “portable science lab” where students plant vertical living walls. (Watch Steve Ritz give a fantastic TEDx talk on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcSL2yN39JM.) Other schools tout healthy bake sales and integrate physical activity into classroom work because students aren’t receiving the recommended amount of physical education. Though more traditional methods, such as organizing sports teams or incorporating nutrition education into the curriculum are critical, the ability to think outside of the box in order to address the obesity epidemic is a crucial part of this movement.

Farm to Table: Supporting CSAs in Our Community

Not too long ago having access to farm fresh produce in urban areas meant driving upstate and picking apples or paying high prices at gourmet grocery stores. But the recent advent of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, which have been popping up throughout the Bronx and other underserved communities, are now bringing the farm to the city. CSAs give communities direct access to high quality, fresh produce grown by local farmers, who bring their wares to a designated drop-off site once a week for a reasonable cost. Participants buy a farm share, usually enough for a family of four, and can often use food stamps or pay on a sliding scale depending on income. At last count, there were approximately 12,000 CSAs in the U.S. and 350 in New York State alone.

The growing importance of CSAs in urban areas and food deserts (discussed in a recent blog post here) is underlined by the introduction of the Community Supported Agriculture Promotion Act by Senators Gillibrand, Leahy, Sanders, and Tester. This proposed legislation would create a competitive grant program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which would award federal funds to support new and current CSA farmers, develop innovative methods of delivery and distribution, and promote participation through outreach and education activities. The program would give preference to CSAs that expand their reach into food deserts or low-income communities.

This legislation is good news for fresh food advocates, who have been working to connect farmers with community members in underserved areas. Bronx Health REACH has been an active partner in supporting CSAs throughout the community and provided funding to the NYC Coalition Against Hunger to start a Bronx-based CSA that brings produce from Fresh Radish Farm in Goshen, NY to the Seventh Day Adventist Temple on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. Kelly Moltzen, Bronx Health REACH’s nutrition coordinator, is a member of the South Bronx CSA and recently visited Nolasco Farms in Sussex County, New Jersey where she learned about the 50 kinds of produce grown on the farm (see photo below). If you’re interested in joining a CSA or starting one in your neighborhood, the organization Just Food keeps a running list of CSAs in New York City and provides information to people interested in starting a program.

The Community Supported Agriculture Promotion Act will give crucial support to CSAs throughout the country as they connect underserved communities with local farms. Farm to table is not just a restaurant fad, but a true movement that is being recognized by our legislators. Let’s keep the momentum going!

Bronx Health REACH e-blast: June 3, 2011

** Legacy Project Funding Opportunity for Projects Addressing Diabetes Related Health Disparities – proposals due July 8**
Bronx Health REACH, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC) designated National Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities (CEED), announces a request for proposals for projects which aim to eliminate diabetes related health disparities affecting African American and/or Latino populations. Bronx Health REACH/New York CEED will award 3 grants of $25,000-$30,000 for a period of one year beginning September 30, 2011. Proposals for funding are due by July 8, 2011. If you have any questions regarding this announcement or want a copy of the application materials, contact: Jill Linnell, jlinnell@institute2000.org (212) 633-0800 ext. 1305 or Yvette Holland, yholland@institute2000.org (212) 633-0800 ext. 1232.

Excellence in School Wellness Awards
Bronx Health REACH is pleased to announce that four of our HEA+LTHY Schools NY partner schools received recognition from the NYC Strategic Alliance for Health for Excellence in School Wellness. PS 218 and Sheridan Academy received Gold Medals, PS 43 received a Silver Medal, and PS 64 received an honorable mention. Congratulations and keep up the good work!

Corbin Hill Road Farm – registration deadline for first delivery week is June 7th
Corbin Hill Road Farm is signing people up for its Farm Share program, which gives communities direct access to high quality, fresh produce grown by local farmers. From mid-June to mid-November, fresh produce will be delivered on a weekly basis at several locations in the Bronx and Harlem. Shareholders pay in advance (several flexible payment plans are available) and will receive a set number of produce items each week. The registration deadline for the first delivery week is June 7th. For more information and to sign up, visit the Corbin Hill Road website at http://www.corbinhillfarm.com/farmshare.html or call (718) 578-3610.

Bronx CAN Initiative – launching June 11th
Join NY State Senator Gustavo Rivera from the 33rd District in the Bronx and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. for the launch of the "Bronx CAN Initiative." Senator Rivera is holding himself as the poster boy for a Biggest Loser contest where he vows to eat healthy and exercise more in order to lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle. The first weigh-in for the initiative will be held at the Mary Mitchell Center at 2007 Mapes Ave, Bronx NY 10460 on Saturday June 11th from 11:30am-1:30pm. The event will be the start of learning more about where to find fresh food in the Bronx, prepare healthy, delicious meals for yourself and your family, and take advantage opportunities to get some exercise in your neighborhood. If there is a health-related event coming up that you would like to see highlighted on the Bronx CAN Initiative Calendar of Events, please send the information to gomezjim@nysenate.gov.

Walk NYC – June 11th
St. Mary’s Recreation Center is hosting a Walk NYC event on June 11th between 12 pm and 1 pm. The event is free and open to all ages and aims to encourage people to stay fit by walking. The walkers will meet in front of the Center at 450 St. Ann’s Avenue in the Bronx and will walk around St. Mary’s Park. Contact Shawn James at 718- 402-5155 for more details.

Get Your Mind Right, Body Right Health Fair – June 11th
New York Urban League Young Professionals and The Bronx Knows are hosting a free health fair for the Bronx community on June 11th in St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx (146th Street and St. Ann’s Avenue). The event, which will take place between 12 pm and 4 pm, will have free health screenings for HIV and STDs, check glucose levels and provide information on diabetes, discuss how to control asthma, and provide tips on healthy eating and fitness.

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

Bronx Urban Farm Tours – starting June 11th and monthly through October
On June 11th, Bronx Urban Farm Tours will be hosting a “Taste of the Latin Caribbean: Puerto Rican History in the Bronx” tour which highlights the agricultural contributions of the Puerto Rican community and culture in NYC. The tour costs $30 per person and will begin at 9:30 am at The New York Visitors and Convention Bureau, located on 810 7th Avenue (and 52nd Street) and will return at 3 pm. Bi-lingual tour guides will be provided. Urban farm tours with various themes will take place on a monthly basis through October. To register or for more information, call 718.817.8026 or email bronxfoodsummit@gmail.com.

Free Health Wellness Workshops – starting June 13th
Bronx Shepherds Restoration Corporation is hosting free health wellness workshops on Mondays starting June 13th from 1 pm to 3:30 pm at 1932 Washington Ave, 3rd floor. The workshop will teach participants how to manage their health in an interactive and fun way.

Get Screened + Get Cleaned – June 16th
The Institute for Family Health is hosting a health fair on June 16th from 12 pm to 4 pm. The event will take place at the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building at 163 West 125th Street in Harlem and will have free health screenings for diabetes, dental, glaucoma, blood pressure, nutrition, HIV, and cholesterol. The health fair will also include free haircuts for the first 50 attendees and massage therapy.

Good Health Bronx Initiative – June 18th
The Bronx Multi Faith Advisory Group and NYC Department of Health Office of Minority Health is hosting a full-day Good Health Bronx Initiative on June 18th in Crotona Park. The event will feature a 3 mile faith walk, health screenings, and information about health concerns affecting Bronx residents. Registration for the faith walk is required and each person will receive a free t-shirt. For information on registering please contact Lisa White at 646-253-5800 or email her at lwhite@health.nyc.gov.

Grand Avenue Mount Zion Church Health Fair – June 18th
Grand Avenue Mount Zion Church is holding a health fair on June 18th from 12 pm to 6 pm at 1696 Grand Avenue in the Bronx. The community health fair will provide Bronx residents with information about health services available in the borough and have health screenings for community members. Please contact Beverly Salmon (917) 526-3342 or Maud Bailey (914) 664-8528 for more information.

BeFitNYC.org
The New York City Departments of Parks & Recreation and Health & Mental Hygiene have launched BeFitNYC.org – a search engine to find FREE and low-cost fitness opportunities in New York City. From June 6th to June 12th the City will be hosting a week-long celebration of fitness to launch the site. BeFitNYC.org will allow people to find and join free or low-cost fitness activities, such as lunchtime walking groups, after-work runs, yoga meet-ups or zumba classes, as well as organize a fitness activity and invite friends and family to join using Facebook.

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.