Bronx Health REACH 2024 in Pictures

 

2024 marked the 25th anniversary of Bronx Health REACH and 25 years of our commitment to making health equity in the Bronx a reality. What has sustained, motivated and emboldened us to do this work over 25 years? The community. Bronx Health REACH is first and foremost, a community coalition.

We are thankful and appreciative of our partners, allies and staff who have been critical to this work and all that makes this possible. Many thanks to the following who have generously provided funding for our work:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Initiative

• CDC – COVID-19 and Flu Vaccine Initiative

• Health Resources and Services Administration - COVID-19 Bridge Funding

• New York State Department of Health's Creating Healthy Schools & Communities Initiative

• New York State Department of Health/National Association of Chronic Disease Directors - Building Resilient & Inclusive Communities

• New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services

• NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene 

• New York Health Foundation

• New York City Council (Immigrant Health)

• The NYC Civic Engagement Commission

• National Institutes of Health/NYC Community Engagement Alliance (NYCEAL) To End Covid-19 Disparities

• The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)/Natl Institute of Food and Agriculture

• Silicon Valley Foundation

Bronx Health REACH 2024 Initiatives

Bible Church of Christ, Every Day is a Miracle, Manna of Life Ministries and Thorpe Family Residence Nazareth Housing implemented Healthy Pantry Initiative strategies to increase access to healthier foods. 

 

A series of Healthy Pantry Initiative Training videos were created to promote healthy food choices and cultural food preferences for our food pantry partners. Bronx Health REACH partnered with The CUNY Food Policy Institute to assess the quality of the foods in the three cafes at the Lehman College campus.

11 sites participated in the Health Bucks Best Practices Training and received Health Bucks (HB) coupons. They distributed 5,900 HB coupons with an average redemption rate of 83.14% and led 27 farmers’ market tours with 270 participants.

The Food as Medicine Produce Prescription Program, in collaboration with Corbin Hill Food Project, had 69 distributions with 53 participants picking up 2,346 shares, and hosted 28 food demonstrations.

9 bodegas will participate in selling healthy grab-and-go items as Bronx Health REACH received funding from the NY Health Foundation to pilot a healthy bodega initiative in partnership with the Bodega and Small Business Group, Collective Fare, and others.

 

The Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP) Coalition worked to pass the Good Food NY Bill. Bronx Health REACH endorsed INT 641, a NYC Council bill requiring that at least two meals on restaurant children’s menus meet certain nutrition standards. Several Bronx Health REACH partners provided testimony during a NYC Council Health Committee meeting in December. 

BHR partnered with Morrisania WIC to host 8 monthly Lactation Discussion sessions with 71 individuals attending. NY Presbyterian, BronxCare, Lincoln Hospital, Albert Einstein, Jacobi, and Montefiore referred 50 individuals to the Baby Café. 27 breastfeeding moms, along with their families and children participated in a Mothers Breastfeeding Fashion show in June. 

Six doulas were trained and completed surveys on how to educate pregnant and breastfeeding women about vaccines.

BHR partnered with Bronx River Alliance advocating for safer entry to the Bronx River Greenway from  E Tremont/E 177th Street by collecting 263 signatures, exceeding their original goal of 125 signatures. The Bronx River Open House at Starlight Park kicked off their program season in April, bringing in over 1000 community members to Starlight Park.

Transportation Alternatives completed walk audits and made recommendations to the NYC Dept of Transportation for improvement of the Grand Concourse Phase 5. They include: improving bike lane markings, bollards for raised bike lanes, raised crosswalks and speed bumps. 

Equity Design, BronxWorks, Greater Faith Cathedral, Bible Christ Church, and Christian Bible Temple completed the Active Communities Tool Assessment, a walk audit, and held a number of town hall meeting to identify complete street redesign projects that will lead to more pedestrian-friendly routes and increased physical activity.

PS18 hosted 7 open streets programs and held their 2nd annual bike fest; PS32 hosted 10 Open Street programs;  PS/MS5 hosted 7 open streets programs and; PS59, a new school partner, hosted 2 events.  

NY State Division of Criminal Justice Service provided funding for CS300 to build a school garden. CS300, Bronx Health REACH, the Mary Mitchell Center and the NY Botanical Garden collaborated with students and teachers to build 8 garden beds, planting vegetables and herbs.

2024 marked the return of Boogie on the Boulevard as a live, in person event that, for the first time, was officially part of the NYC DOT’s Summer Streets program. 21 organizations participated in immersing the public in fitness programs, art, music, and more.

In partnership with Bronx Health REACH and Cornell University Cooperative Extension-NYC, MARC Academy and Family Center provided nutrition and physical activity training to 15 home-based childcare providers.

For our Flu and COVID-19 vaccination Initiative, BHR hosted 15 vaccines events where 240 flu vaccinations and 161 COVID vaccinations were given, distributed 13,960 handouts; gave 26 presentations to 1,028 people; and hosted 8 partner training events for 79 people.

The BHR Health Disparities Workgroup designated April as #Not62 month and appeared on the Bronxnet show, Stay Alive with Church Alive. In May, "Creation of a Movement: #Not62 Campaign for a Healthier Bronx" was showcased at the Institute for Family Health's 12th Annual Research and Innovation Symposium. In October, Eve Plotka attended the RWJF Culture of Health Prize Alumni lunch with other #Not62 steering committee members from Montefiore and the NYC Department of Health.

BHR worked with Dr. Roger Ball to bring in experts, resources and materials to better understand the problems being addressed by the BHR Health Disparities Workgroup to develop goals focused on #Not62 - The Campaign for A Healthy Bronx.

For our Immigrant Health Initiative, our Bronx Health REACH Community Health Outreach Team of Joseph Ellis, Cheikhou Ann and Felix Rojas, completed 73 outreach events, made 130 patient referrals, and participated in 6 podcasts.

October 2024 marked two years of ‘Men Let’s Talk,’ a forum for Black and Latino men to engage in open and honest discussions about concerns regarding their mental and/or sexual health and wellbeing. To date, 323 people have participated in discussions on a variety of topics listed above. 

BHR showcased projects at IFH's 12th Annual Research and Innovation Symposium. Presentations included: “Food as Medicine: Designing and Implementing a Produce Prescription Program at Federally Qualified Health Centers"; "Doula and Perinatal Care Navigator's Impact on COVID19 and Flu Vaccine Decision Making in Bronx Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women"; “Immigrant Health Initiative - Efforts to Support Underserved Immigrant Groups by Improving their Access to Health Care." In October, Cheikhou Oumar Ann, Felix Rojas and Joseph Ellis were recognized for their outstanding work during NYCDOHMH’s Harlem Family Wellness Suite Day for Dads event.

The Boogie Down Walking Club: Implementing Walking Programs as a Sustainable Form of Physical Activity

 

Members of Grand Concourse Seventh Day Adventist Church Walking Club.

This post was written by Immaculada Moronta.

With the high rates of obesity and overweight in many South Bronx neighborhoods, a low impact activity such as walking provides a great opportunity for residents to get physical activity. But being able to safely engage in physical activity in many Bronx neighborhoods is no simple walk in the park. Many areas of the Bronx are densely populated urban areas where open, green spaces are limited, and many public areas have conditions that discourage residents to get out and walk. There are unsafe walking conditions such as unpaved and uneven or dirty sidewalks, construction activities, unsafe crosswalks, busy vehicular traffic and areas with criminal activity. 

Bronx Health REACH, in collaboration with Equity Design, an organization that uses physical activity to motivate and transform the lives of youth, adults and communities, launched a walking program, with seven participating faithbased organizations. Bible Church of Christ, Cathedral at Greater Faith in the Bronx, Church Alive Community Church, Grand Concourse Seventh Day Adventist, Every Day is a Miracle, New Life Rehoboth Church and St. Jerome Church completed the program with 80 participants in the summer of 2023. From June to September, the partners collectively walked 128.23 miles/296,801 steps.  

Members of Cathedral at Greater Faith in the Bronx Walking Club.

The walks not only provide a low-impact physical activity and social connectedness, but also create a safe environment for the community of walkers by activating spaces deemed unsafe or unfit for walking, and to help narrow existing health inequity gaps that remain for Black and Latino residents in many Bronx communities.

The partners designed their walking routes with technical assistance provided by Equity Design and tailored their goals to the needs and capacity of the people leading the clubs and the participants. For example, the goal for one of the walking clubs included a one-mile walk in 20 to 30 minutes, while another it was 1,000 steps per participant. The walking clubs also set a collective goal of completing one million steps. Prospective members of a walking club completed a survey to determine what days and times they preferred to walk, how many times a week to meet and if they had any health issues that would impact their ability to walk.  Each walking club partner completed a walking assessment of their proposed walking route to determine walkability, taking into account: sidewalk conditions, pedestrian traffic, the number of trees and seating per block along a route, cleanliness of routes, vehicular traffic and accessibility to public transportation. 

Members of Christian Bible Temple Walking Club.

A major success of this project was that each walking club created their own timeline and action steps to ensure the sustainability of their program. A tool developed for the walking clubs was a walking course map highlighting and identifying the degree of ease vs. difficulty for each route i.e. steep places vs. flat surfaces and distance. The tools could be accessed through Google Earth on users’ smartphones. A captain and co-captain were selected by the members of each walking group. To promote their walking club and church affiliation some walking clubs printed their own t-shirts for each participant to wear and provided them with visors, water bottles, pedometers, captain t-shirts, and whistles. 

The impact of this initiative can be seen at both the community and individual level. One notable example of community level impact is Bible Church of Christ. During their environmental assessment of their proposed walking route, members observed that substance abusers and homeless people occupied an open space along their walking route. Instead of finding an alternate route, they invited all those that were there to join them. Several community members subsequently joined them in their weekly walks. As a result, those residents who joined, are helping the walking club create a safer space. Individual walking club members have been touting the benefits from walking. Christian Bible Temple completed a community clean-up day surrounding the blocks around the church that were was part of their walking route. Equity Design connected them with the New York City Department of Sanitation and received tools to continue with the cleanup. On the individual level, one woman, a senior citizen, had been using a walker when she started walking with the walking club, and now she no longer needs to use a walker.

The faith-based walking clubs not only provide physical activity but social connectedness as well for participants, which many sought following the devastating isolation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The level of commitment from the walking clubs is powerful. Many times over these walking clubs have brought people together with the goal of making healthier versions of themselves. Our walking clubs always find a way to bring out the best in each of their members with the goal of getting physically active in the Boogie Down Bronx!

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

 

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

Click HERE to Register. 

Questions? imoronta@institute.org.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How did you get your start in health and nutrition?

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

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

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

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

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

How did you connect with Bronx Health REACH?

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

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

What is a heritage food?

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

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

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

REACH June Coalition Meeting Celebrates 20 Years of REACH

Bronx Health REACH presented awards to Sue Kaplan and Joyce Davis for their work with Bronx Health REACH. (Left to right): Maxine Golub, Charmaine Ruddock, Sue Kaplan, Dr. Neil Calman and Joyce Davis.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program. And, as one of the grantees funded since the inception of REACH, it also is Bronx Health REACH's (BHR) 20th anniversary as well. At the June 7th Coalition meeting, a panel of some of the founding members looked back at the past 20 years. The panelists included: Dr. Neil S. Calman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Family Health; Maxine Golub, Senior Vice President of Program Development at the Institute for Family Health; Joyce Davis of Joyce Davis Consultants and Walker Memorial Baptist Church; and Sue Kaplan from NYU School of Medicine, Department of Population Health. The panelists discussed how it all began for BHR in 1999, what was the motivation, the vision, the mission.

"You had to go out into the community and do something, so I thought that applying for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) very first REACH grant was the perfect opportunity for us to build on the work inside our organization and to do something outside the walls of our community health centers about bringing the issue of race to the forefront. We were not thinking about the social determinants at the time, but we felt that we had to address the inequities in the health care system," said Dr. Calman.

Maxine added, "At the time I did not think we had the expertise but we wrote the grant and the CDC gave us a year to plan. We held focus groups and we learned to ask, rather than, to tell the participants, and used their feedback to write a community action plan with input from the community."

"One Pastor at a Bronx church told us that he had young people in his congregation with toes cut off due to health ailments and something had to be done to address these issues," said Joyce. It was an open and engaging panel where all agreed that despite the many accomplishments of BHR, there is still much work to be done to eliminate health disparities.

Prior to the panel discussion, both Joyce Davis and Sue Kaplan were presented with awards. Joyce's award was for her exceptional leadership, vision and commitment to Bronx Health REACH and Sue's award was for her exceptional partnership and commitment. Sue in accepting her award noted, "Bronx Health REACH is not a project, it is a commitment."

Faith-Based Organizations Tackle Hypertension in the Bronx

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Remembering Pastor Robert Lewis Foley, Sr.

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


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

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

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

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

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

Healthy Children, Healthy Families Promoted on Alive with Church Alive

Emily Oppenheimer and Yolanda Benitez appeared on "Stay Alive With Church Alive", hosted by Bishop Timothy Birkett to discuss the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program.

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 Institute for Family Health Awarded 5 Year CDC Grant for Bronx Health REACH

Bronx Health REACH meeting with our Coalition partners in June to determine which healthy initiatives to pursue for the upcoming grant.

Great news! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded the Institute for Family Health a new REACH grant for nearly $4,000,000 to be used over a five-year period. With this new funding, Bronx Health REACH will expand its activities to the entire borough of the Bronx instead of being primarily in the South Bronx. This new funding will allow us to build on our work of implementing community tailored interventions related to nutrition, physical activity and community-clinical linkages.

The focus of Bronx Health REACH in the new grant will be: increasing access to healthier foods and beverages; promoting breastfeeding by increasing the number of locations that are breastfeeding-friendly; supporting active design efforts to increase safe, accessible places for physical activity; and improving community-clinical linkages through the use of locally available health and health promotion programs.

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.

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

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

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

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

Health Disparities Workgroup Asks Mayor to Make the Health of the Bronx a Priority

Charmaine Ruddock and Mike Johnson from Bronx Health REACH with Mayor Bill de Blasio following the Mayor's Bronx Town Hall Meeting held on April 18.

 In April, eleven members of the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup attended a Bronx Town Hall meeting held by Mayor Bill de Blasio. The workgroup was there to draw the Mayor’s attention to the very poor health outcomes of Bronx residents, evidenced in the Robert Wood Johnson County Health Ranking Report that ranks the Bronx 62 out of New York State’s 62 counties in health outcomes and health factors. They were also there to ask the Mayor to make the health of the Bronx a priority of his administration.

During the question and answer section of the town hall, the Workgroup got to do just that. First, Michael Johnson, Bronx Health REACH’s Communications Associate, asked the Mayor what was he and his Administration doing to improve the health of the Bronx. In response, the Mayor pointed to the widely accepted idea that poor health outcomes are a result, not just of a lack of healthcare but also of social and economic factors at work. We couldn’t agree with him more.

Left to right: Health Disparities Workgroup members Sandra Jenkins, Icelyn Ayo and Flora Goldstone.

Hearing this from him was the perfect set up for Charmaine Ruddock, Bronx Health REACH’s Project Director, to request a meeting with the Mayor and the Workgroup. The Mayor readily agreed. As Charmaine pointed out to the Mayor, a great urgency is felt to have the Administration prioritize the Bronx especially in light of the fact that, because of term limits this, his second term, is also his last. As you can imagine, the Workgroup members attending the Townhall left feeling, ‘mission accomplished’.

"I'm really excited that Charmaine was able to request a meeting between the Health Disparities Workgroup and the Mayor and his staff. It's important for the Mayor to be aware of the poor health outcomes of Bronx residents and that something has to be done to improve it," said Sandra Jenkins, from Church of God of Prophecy, a member of Bronx Health REACH’s Faith Based Outreach Initiative and the Health Disparities Workgroup.

Five Coalition Churches Participating in Faith-Based Hypertension Initiative

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

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

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

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

Tremont United Methodist Church Gets A Taste of African Heritage

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bronx Health REACH Acknowledges NYC Council Members Support of Health Bucks

At the March 2nd Coalition meeting, Bronx Health REACH acknowledged NY City Council members Fernando Cabrera (on left in photo above), Vanessa L. Gibson, Rafael Salamanca, Jr. and Ritchie Torres 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' market. Appearing at the meeting, Council member Cabrera spoke about the time an angiogram revealed he had a blocked artery and needed to have surgery, otherwise he would have had only twenty-four hours to live. That incident made Council member Cabrera change his eating habits and now he is a vegan with lower blood pressure. He urged all to join in fighting for healthy eating, especially for Bronx children.

 Aicha Bamba (in photo above on the right of Bronx Health REACH Director Charmaine Ruddock) accepted on behalf of Council member Ritchie Torres and John Zaccaro Jr. accepted on behalf of Rafael Salamanca, Jr. Mr. Zaccaro stated that Council Member Salamanca is pledging $50,000 towards Health Bucks in the upcoming FY 19 budget. From 2015 to 2017 Bronx Health REACH assisted 20 churches to distribute 4475 Health Bucks. From 2016 to 2017 600 Health Bucks were distributed to patients at 3 Institute for Family Health centers. The patients redeemed them during 15 farmers' market tours and a Fresh Food Box program.

Building Alcohol Ad-Free Transit Coalition Plot Next Move After Recent Victory

On February 13 members of the Bronx Health REACH coalition and other allies and supporters of Building Alcohol Ad-Free Transit's (BAAFT) came together to celebrate the victory of the MTA vote to ban alcohol ads on subways, buses and trains. The majority of those in attendance had participated in past rallies or appeared at various MTA public hearings in support of BAAFT. Bronx Health REACH's Charmaine Ruddock opened the event by acknowledging the leadership of Bob Pezzolesi the founder and head of BAAFT in garnering the support of such a diverse coalition that were so  instrumental in this victory improving the health and wellness of all residents.

Bob announced that following the October MTA vote and the media coverage banning alcohol ads, he has been contacted by other similar organizations from as far away as Sydney and London asking him for information and pointers about how they can also do the same for their transit systems. He also advised maintaining vigilance so that the MTA commits to keeping alcohol ads out of the system noting that the City of Boston had banned alcohol ads in 2013, but a recent proposal was made to allow some alcohol advertising to return.

Studies have confirmed that alcohol still contributes to an increase in health problems due to it being cheap, easily available, and marketed to many residing in high density areas. And because of the dangerous health effects from alcohol, Bob does not want the work of BAAFT to end and now sees taking the fight of removing alcohol advertising from neighborhoods as just one part of a larger movement to improving the health for all NYC residents. He believes those that participated in the movement to rid the MTA of alcohol ads can also connect with neighborhood groups that care about the same issues.