Don't Stress, Eat Fresh Bodega Marketing Campaign Receives Funding from City Council

New York City Council Member Andrew Cohen visited Tita Mini Market, a partner bodega in the Healthy Bodega program. (Left to right)  Ariana Cipriani from Jerome-Gun Hill BID, Charmaine Ruddock from Bronx Health REACH, Council Member Andrew Cohen, Hakeem Al Hariri owner of Tita Mini Market, Liz Spurrell-Huss from Montefiore’s Community and Population Health Department and Frank Marte from The Bodega Association.

The Don't Stress, Eat Fresh Healthy Bodega marketing campaign has received $2500 funding from the City Council. Funding was part of the allocation for the Bronx Delegation. In February, members of the Bronx Bodega Partners Workgroup met and spoke with six members of the Bronx Delegation at City Hall about the marketing campaign. At the meeting, some of the Council Members expressed interest in visiting our partner bodegas located in their districts.

Justin Cortes, Budget Director for Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson visited Aqui Me Quedo. (Left to right)  Frank Marte from The Bodega Association (ASOBEU), Justin Cortes, Maria Morales from Montefiore, Juan Romeo-owner of Aqui Me Quedo, Chris McKay from Church of God of Prophecy, Charmaine Ruddock from Bronx Health REACH, Liz Spurrell-Huss from Montefiore’s Community and Population Health Department.

Justin Cortes, Budget Director for Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson, paid a visit to partner bodega Aqui Me Quedo to learn more about the Healthy Bodega Program. Mr. Cortes was joined by Workgroup partners from the Bodega Association, Bronx Health REACH and Montefiore Medical Center. Bishop Earl McKay and son Chris McKay from Church of God of Prophecy, who will be doing a program with the bodega and the Church Youth Group, also joined the tour. News12 The Bronx was there and did a feature on the program.

Charmaine Ruddock from Bronx Health REACH, David Diaz from the Bodega Association USA, Council Member Fernando Cabrera and Frank Marte, owner of Green Earth Grocery.

Council Member Fernando Cabrera visited Green Earth Grocery, and Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. visited La Mina Mini Market. Both bodegas partner with Bronx Health REACH in its Healthy Bodega Initiative. Council Member Diana Ayala visited Los Hermanos, a partner bodega of BronxWorks. Bodega tours were also planned with Council member King but because of unforeseen circumstances they did not happen. We strongly encourage all members of the Bronx Delegation to visit participating bodegas in their districts.

Funding for the Don't Stress, Eat Fresh marketing campaign would help create more consumer awareness of bodegas selling healthy food. The hoped for result would be an increased demand for healthy food in our partner bodegas. To publicize the importance of the campaign, Workgroup members have successfully submitted Op-Eds to various Bronx community newspapers and posted on social media tagging Bronx Council Members.

Click here to find a partner bodega in your neighborhood.