How Data Sparks Conversations About Health and Equity in the Bronx

 The following post features Bronx Health REACH Project Director Charmaine Ruddock and was written by County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R), a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and can be found at their website. 

For over two decades, Bronx Health REACH (BHR) has been a force for health equity in New York City’s most under-resourced borough. Led by the Institute for Family Health, this coalition of more than 80 organizations has worked to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in the Bronx. One of their most powerful tools? County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) data-informed Health Groups (formerly known as Rankings).

Health Groups illustrate the relative similarities in county health among Health Groups on a national scale. Health Groups support data-informed comparisons in county community conditions, as well as population health and well-being on a national scale. When CHR&R previously used ordinal rankings to order each county in a state from most to least healthy, Bronx County consistently ranked 62nd out of 62 counties in New York State — a stark reminder of the deep-rooted inequities facing the community.

In 2015, Bronx Health REACH and several key stakeholders in the Bronx launched #Not62: The Campaign for a Healthy Bronx, using CHR&R data as a rallying cry. “We’ve used the Rankings as a critical way to talk about it,” said Charmaine Ruddock, BHR’s project director. “This should be unacceptable.’”

This simple but powerful message has helped Bronx Health REACH “needle” policymakers—their word for persistent, strategic advocacy. “Others call it advocacy; we call it needling,” Ruddock explained. “To be incessant and insistent. To prod those who need to be prodded.”

CHR&R data have also helped the coalition educate the public. Many Bronx residents didn’t know their county’s health relative to others in the state. “It gave us a clear, easy-to-understand way to talk about the health of our community,” Ruddock said. “It helped us say, ‘Here’s where we are. Here’s what needs to change.’”

In 2021, Bronx Health REACH hosted a community event with CHR&R staff to celebrate improvements in some health behaviors and community conditions. “We were able to show where we moved from 50-something to 20-something in certain measures,” Ruddock said. “That was because of our efforts and partners’ efforts. The Rankings helped us tell that story.”

As CHR&R has shifted from ordinal rankings to data-informed Health Groups, Bronx Health REACH continues to use the data to push for change. “With the Health Groups, we see the opportunity to connect with other communities across the country who are in similar health groups. That opens the door for a national conversation.” In June 2025 Bronx Health REACH — partnering with the steering committee of the Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx, the National REACH Coalition and CHR&R — convened a meeting with organizations from communities in eight states, who shared similar challenging health outcomes and the determining community conditions.  The goal of the meeting was to address these outcomes and to explore the possibility of joint efforts.  

CHR&R has also helped Bronx Health REACH build credibility with funders, health systems and elected officials. “CHR&R comes with such authority,” Ruddock said. “When we use CHR&R data, it validates what we’re saying. It gives weight to our demands.”

Health Disparities Work Group #Not62 Campaign

 

To continue to create awareness around The Bronx being designated as the unhealthiest county in New York State, the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup appeared on Stay Alive with Church Alive.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released the 2024 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. The report shows there are places where the Bronx has improved: Physical inactivity in the Bronx decreased; the percent of those uninsured decreased and unemployment had a notable improvement from 13.6% in 2023 to 7.8% in the 2024 data. However, for fifteen years in a row, the Bronx remains the least healthy of New York state counties.

In response to the report, Bronx Health REACH designated April as #Not62 month. Our Health Disparities Workgroup prepared information sheets for community and faith based organizations to distribute and post prominently in their organizations. In addition, the faith based organizations were encouraged to use their platform to share information about #Not62 during their day of worship throughout the month. 

The Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup also appeared on Stay Alive with Church Alive, hosted by Bishop Timothy Birkett. Appearing on the show were Bronx Health REACH Project Director Charmaine Ruddock, Rev. Wendy Kelly Carter from Beulah Baptist Church, Pastor David Powers from Church of St. Helena's Roman Catholic Church in the Bronx and Sandra Jenkins from Church of God of Prophecy, Bronx NY.

The Health Disparities Workgroup spoke about creating awareness around #Not62 – The Campaign for A Healthy Bronx through townhalls, public rallies, and social media. They also spoke of the set of Policy Asks they have created focusing on Health, Housing and Economic Development and encouraging policy makers, elected officials and community leaders to support implementing these Asks through public budget allocations and policies at the City, State and Federal levels.

There have been meetings with elected officials including staffers of Bronx Congressional members: Congressman Ritchie Torres, Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Chuck Schumer. During these visits, BHR advocated for the #Not62 campaign, and shared the policy Asks and recommended actions. These visits continue the HDWG's strategy of engaging with and educating elected officials with the goal of having policy and system changes to improve the health status of Bronx residents. We had met in the past with Mayor Bill de Blasio when he was in office, and last year with Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson sharing data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings Report and updating her on our Asks.

Click here to watch video of the HDWG on Stay Alive with Church Alive. 

Boogie on the Boulevard Returns on Saturday, August 24th

 

After a four year hiatus, Boogie on the Boulevard returns on Saturday, August 24th.

After a four year hiatus, Boogie on the Boulevard returns Saturday, August 24th from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.  This year’s Boogie on the Boulevard will differ in one significant way from previous ones as it will now be part of the New York City Department of Transportation's Summer Streets. The event will be along the center lanes of the Grand Concourse, from East Tremont Avenue to 182nd Street which will be closed to cars and open to a world of fun, providing residents an open space to run, bike, walk and participate in music, art, dance and fitness programs. Other offerings will include yoga, Tai Chi, bicycle safety, live dancing and music performances.  

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!

Improving School Physical Activity Access Through Open Streets

 

P.S. 32 teachers and students jumping rope at their Open Street event.   Photo credit: Street Lab

This blog post was written by Kelly Moltzen and Diana Bernal.

As part of the New York State Department of Health’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program, Bronx Health REACH worked with Equity Design, Street Lab, P.S. 32 The Belmont School (P.S. 32) and P.S. 18 The John Peter Zenger School (P.S. 18) to activate the schools’ surrounding spaces to increase students’ physical activity and create spaces known as “Open Streets” that can be utilized by the schools and their surrounding communities, for movement and fitness.

For many children school is where they receive the majority of their meals and physical activity to keep them healthy. School-based physical activity, included as part of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), can increase the physical activity that students receive at school. However, for many students in the Bronx this is not the case.  Too many do not get enough physical activity because of limited indoor space, lack of open space/safe streets, and underutilization of nearby parks, many of which are in disrepair. Even though the Bronx is the greenest Borough with one quarter of its land area made up of parks, it is also a fitness desert. There are many inequities seen throughout the Bronx that limit the access and utilization of all this green space, contributing to the high rates of chronic illnesses in the Bronx.

In response to these challenges, Bronx Health REACH has been working with P.S. 32 to make the school a fitness hub for the community; and with P.S. 18 to expose the community to different forms of physical activity. The goals of these schools is to provide physical activity opportunities before and after school and in doing so  improve the school spirit and to engage more of the community in physical activity.

P.S. 32 students utilized equipment provided by Street Lab to create their own soccer arena to play.   Photo: StreetLab.

Bronx Health REACH partnered with Equity Design and Street Lab to assist P.S. 32 and P.S. 18 in hosting their own Open Street events  during the 2022-2023 school year. In preparation for these events, P.S. 32 closed down Beaumont Avenue, between 183rd Street and Grote Street, and hosted Open Street events after school on two consecutive Tuesdays in October 2022, and on three consecutive Tuesdays in May 2023. Seven “WalkShops” were held with P.S. 32 second grade students, where they learned about what makes an Open Street. Students shared their themes of World Cup (soccer), Celebration of the Arts, and a Beaumont Avenue Waterpark at P.S. 32’s Spring Open Streets. Equity Design also led a walking group of students that would walk around the outside perimeter of the school. At P.S. 32's Open Streets events, school and community participation increased every week through word of mouth. During the 3 consecutive Tuesdays in May 2023, participation increased from about 100 participants on the first Tuesday to 200 by the third Tuesday. Parents and community members participated in the Open Street events and everyone expressed how great it was to see a safe place where students can have fun. 

 

Cyclists from Major Taylor joined P.S. 18’s Open Street events teaching community residents how to ride a bike. Photo: Equity Design.

P.S. 18 closed down 148th Street between Morris Avenue and College Avenue, and hosted Open Street events on 3 consecutive Saturdays in October 2022 and one in May 2023. P.S. 18 was gifted 65 bikes and helmets by USA Cycling and Major Taylor Development, an inclusive national cycling club. Thanks to this partnership, P.S. 18 was able to realize their vision of introducing students to other forms of physical activity, starting with biking. Major Taylor Development also provided a biking clinic during P.S. 18’s Open Street events. Students learned how to ride a bike safely at the Open Street events. In the Spring P.S. 18 held a Teachers’ Appreciation Open Street event providing teachers with an opportunity to experience the Open Street and connecting with one another through games and bike riding. P.S. 18 students and community members from the nearby NYC Housing Authority development who had never been on a bike were able to learn how to ride and practice on the closed street. During their 3 consecutive Saturdays in October 2022, registration on the first Saturday had only 15 students, but by the third Saturday over 90 students registered to ride a bike.

Bronx Health REACH will continue working with P.S. 32 and P.S. 18 providing the necessary support so that each school’s Wellness Council takes ownership of the planning and organization of Open Streets with the goal of sustainability. Our hope is that these Open Street events demonstrates the need for cleaner and safer streets for the schools and the community so elected officials and other community leaders become more active partners so community members have increasing access to physical activity. By supporting the schools in implementing Open Streets, this is a step towards implementing permanent infrastructure changes and “Complete Streets” - thereby realizing the vision of the schools and meeting the needs of the community.

Health Disparities Workgroup Roundtable Discussion with Fordham University Faculty

 

Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup members had a roundtable discussion with several Fordham University faculty to get expertise and feedback on the HDWG’s Asks. 

In the Spring, Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup members had a roundtable discussion with several Fordham University faculty to elicit their expert feedback on the HDWG’s Asks. This was the first of several roundtables being planned to focus on different sections of the HDWG Asks. The particular focus of this meeting was on the economic Ask. Robert J. Brent, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Janis Barry, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Economics, and H. Shellae Versey, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology were the participating faculty members. We are excited to continue working with Fordham University and their faculty and staff on the HDWG Asks and creating opportunities for students to engage with the community on the #Not62 campaign. Thank you to Fordham’s Keisha Shay, Ph.D., Associate Director of Academic Development and Administration and Surey Miranda-Alarcon, Director of Campus and Community Engagement, who are helping to organize the roundtables.

Bronx Health REACH Meets with Bronx Borough President

 

Members of the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup (HDWG) met with Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.

In March, members of the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup (HDWG) met with Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson and Dr. Nancy Kheck, Director of Health and Human Services for the Bronx Borough President’s Office. The meeting was held to discuss the findings of the 2023 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings report and the policy Asks of the HDWG. 

In January, during her State of the Bronx address, the Borough President indicated that improving the health of the Bronx was a priority. At the meeting with her, the group discussed with her how the recently announced work of her office fits into these Asks. A follow up meeting will be scheduled with the Borough President in the upcoming months.

Men’s Health Workshop Debuts at the Institute for Family Health Stevenson Family Health Center

Eight men attended the Men’s Health Workshop at the Institute for Family Health’s Stevenson Family Health Center. Joseph Ellis, author of this article, is fourth from the left.

This post was written by Joseph Ellis, a Community Health Worker at Bronx Health REACH.

As a Community Health Worker for Bronx Health REACH and the Men’s Department Coordinator for my church, Bronx Deliverance Center of Faith, I have been working and communicating with men in the community and the churches for several years. Our conversations have been on various subjects such as spiritual growth, finances, community involvement, and health.

I’ve noticed that when we begin to talk about our health, we come up with many reasons why we are not giving our health top priority in our life. For example, we work, we are tired when we get home, we have no desire, we are not interested in exercising because it takes too much time, we eat whatever our partner cooks, or we do not have time to go to the Doctor.

Normally men have a difficult time discussing issues concerning our health. Our perception of ourselves is often: whatever we face, we can handle. Irrespective of the challenge, men believe they are indestructible, and can address any issue on their own, even if it’s a health one. But this is not always the case.

Many of the men I have spoken with mentioned having struggles with health concerns like diabetes, being overweight and losing the weight, being stressed about work and providing for their families. As a Community Health Worker, I wanted to do something to address these concerns. If I could get them all together in a workshop and have their health concerns addressed by a doctor, maybe they would be more receptive to opening up about the challenges they have as men regarding being healthy.

With the help of Ms. Tabasa Ozawa, one of the interns at Bronx Health REACH, we created a Men’s Health survey that we distributed to men to get a broader idea of the other health topics they are concerned about. Using this survey, I was able to outreach to 160 men from different ethnicities and ages in the community, churches, and masjids. It took a couple of months to gather all this important information together.

From the information gathered, I organized a Men’s Health Workshop at the Institute for Family Health’s Stevenson Family Health Center in the Bronx. Dr. Eric Gayle, the NYC Regional Medical director for the Institute for Family Health, led this first Men’s Health Workshop on Saturday, January 18, 2020.

Dr. Eric Gayle led the workshop and answered questions about Men’s health.

Several health topics were chosen that we felt would encourage a dialogue among the men.
Those topics were:

a. Age Dependent Preventive Health
b. Health
c. Wellness
d. Interacting with your Primary Provider
e. Cancer Screenings


The interaction between the men and Dr. Gayle was dynamic. He talked to them and not at them. As they warmed up to him, the questions just kept coming. This workshop was designed to get the men to open up about their health concerns, and they did. Scheduled for two hours, the workshop easily went another half an hour.

Questions were addressed about diabetes, family history, discussing your health concerns with your doctor; (the doctors are here to help you but need you to communicate to them what is bothering you), sexual health, prostate growth and cancer, what are the options to combat these concerns and more.

The workshop hit home for the men and they wanted to know when we would be holding the next one. When the workshop ended, a couple of the men hugged Dr. Gayle and prayed for him. Wow! What a positive response to a dynamic workshop.

Attendees were encouraged to be proactive in managing their health.

As a Community Health Worker, I am encouraged that having these Men’s Health Workshops will be a tremendous help in assisting the men in our communities to take charge of their health and become more proactive. With the help of Dr. Gayle and other providers at the Institute for Family Health, we will continue to organize more workshops to provide a forum where men can have an open discussion about their health.


If you would like more information about the Men’s Health Workshop, contact Joseph Ellis at (212) 633-0800, ext. 1341.

Year Two of Service Begins With A Summer Harvest and Cafeteria Improvement Plans

Adrianna gave a presentation at the FoodCorps National Orientation in Portland, Oregon. 

This post is written by Adriana Perez, our FoodCorps member who partners with the Sheridan Academy for Young Leaders (PS457)/the Family School (PS443). Adriana is dedicating a second year of service to engaging students and teachers in creating a school wide culture of health through experiential learning in their school garden, cafeteria and classroom. 


I recently returned from FoodCorp’s National Orientation in Portland, Oregon, where I was able to take a deep dive into planning for my second year of service at the Sheridan Academy for Young Leaders (PS457)/The Family School (PS443) in the Bronx.

During the week-long orientation, I brainstormed with FoodCorps staff and Service Members from across the country, led a session on how to overcome challenging work relationships, renewed my energy and ambitions for the coming school year through project management workshops, and formed a new appreciation for all the work that I accomplished last year.

 This year, I will not only be working at the two schools, but I will be returning to school myself. I will be entering a Master’s program at New York University in Food Studies with a concentration in Food Policy and Advocacy. My courses will help me expand my knowledge on food system issues, increase my understanding of how food and cultures intersect and how to effectively advocate for food system change. My FoodCorps experience at PS457 and PS443 last year has deepened and solidified my belief that not only should healthy, sustainable food be available to every community, but that every community should have the opportunity to learn more about where food comes from, how to prepare it, and how to have a balanced relationship with food. Through my studies at NYU, I will have the knowledge to educate my school community in local food systems and policy, and train them to be school wellness champions.


This year, I have decided to focus on three areas of technical assistance:  garden program development, cafeteria renovation and professional development for teachers. Last year, I worked with the Wellness Council, students and teachers at PS457 and PS443 to rebuild the schools’ garden spaces. I learned how to navigate scheduling conflicts for garden classes and garden management support from students, staff and parents. This year, teachers will be able to schedule their classes on a regular basis to visit the gardens. Garden clubs can help plant, maintain and harvest gardens on their own school properties as well as the community garden, a garden managed by both schools. Once the vegetables and herbs are ready to harvest, parents will be able to pick up or harvest vegetables during dismissal.

Since summer harvesting was so successful at PS443/PS457, Adriana invited parents to pick up seasonal produce at dismissal during the first week of school. What a healthy way to start the new school year!


As my primary responsibility is to work at PS 457, the teachers will not only receive teaching assistance during classes in the garden, but I will also provide support in creating lessons and strategies so that food education can be incorporated into common core standards for every grade. My objective is to equip teachers with tools that will encourage healthy eating for their students while introducing new subject-specific concepts and reinforcing previous lessons.

Finally, my biggest ambition for the year is to work with the Wellness Councils, which now exist as two separate councils, to undertake cafeteria improvements. These changes can be as simple as streamlining the traffic flow on the lunch line or as complex as providing a public announcement system or purchasing new tables for the cafeteria. The Wellness Councils will help me create excitement and strengthen support and engagement from the administration and cafeteria staff as well as aides and parent volunteers managing students during lunch. My hope is that through these changes, all students will be able to have a more enjoyable cafeteria experience through creating excitement around the school food menu in school and greater efficiency in the cafeteria.

This year will be challenging, but I plan to rise to the occasion and hit the ground running with these goals clearly set out before me. I look forward to working with the teachers, meeting new staff, and collaborating more closely with the principles of PS457 and PS443, Ms. Febus and Ms. Penn.

Bronx Health REACH and Elected Officials

New York State Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, Chairman of the Education Committee, spoke at Bronx Health REACH's September 6th Coalition meeting.

New York State Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, Chairman of the Education Committee, discussed his continuing support of school wellness programming at Bronx Health REACH's September Coalition meeting. He spoke about sponsoring NY State Assembly Bill A7607, which directs the Commissioner of Education to establish a New York State model wellness policy for local educational agencies as well as a school district wellness policy database.

The Assemblyman assured Coalition members that he was committed to helping Bronx Health REACH and our Bronx partner schools ensure that policies supporting school wellness continue. To that end, he agreed to meet with members of the WELL campaign committee to continue this conversation. NY State Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, a co-sponsor of the bill, was also in attendance and spoke briefly to the meeting attendees.

Left to right: Lauren Phillips from the Food Bank for New York City, Naureen Akhter, Deputy Director to NY Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, Kelly Moltzen and Moria Byrne-Zaaloff from Bronx Health REACH, and Jerome Nathaniel from City Harvest.

Bronx Health REACH's Kelly Moltzen and Moria Byrne-Zaaloff joined Lauren Phillips from the Food Bank for New York City and Jerome Nathaniel from City Harvest, member organizations of the NYC Alliance for Child Nutrition Reauthorization (NYC4CNR), for a meeting with Naureen Akhter, Deputy District Director to Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez (NY). They are seeking Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez's support for high-quality nutrition education programming, modernizing school kitchen equipment, increasing access to scratch cooking in schools, as well as expanding programs that reduce food insecurity and improve regional farm and food economies.

Don't Stress, Eat Fresh Healthy Bodega Campaign was at Boogie on the Boulevard

Participants exercising with low sodium bean cans purchased from a local partner bodega. 

On Sunday, September 15th, the center lanes of the Grand Concourse, from 162nd Street to 170th Streets were closed to vehicles and open to a world of fun for the 6th Annual Boogie on the Boulevard. The Institute for Family Health/Bronx Health REACH was one of the sponsors of the event that featured music, art, dance, fitness programs and healthy food samples for Bronx residents to enjoy.

Bronx Health REACH showcased the Don't Stress, Eat Fresh Healthy Bodega campaign as part of its Healthy Bodega block. There were delicious healthy food samples from Sustainable Snacks, Cabot Cheese and partner bodega Aqui me Quedo. The Healthy Beverage Zone distributed fruit infused water. Partners in the Fresch Grab & Go! Bodega initiative offered healthy food samples.

One mom pointing to the Rethink Your Drink! display with the large, sugar filled bag beneath the Arizona Iced Tea can, warned her son that if he continues to drink it everyday, he will suffer from diabetes and other health complications as he gets older.

In addition to all the food sampling, there was the Healthy Bodega challenge games led by  Maurelhena Walles and Talik Norman of Equity Design. Participants had fun using cans of low sodium beans as weights to exercise. There was also a relay race to gather as many healthy food items as you would find in a bodega.  To cap off all the activities at the Healthy Bodega Block there was a raffle and four lucky winners each received a Healthy Bodega Bag stocked with all kinds of goodies. Fun was had by all.

Faith Based Partners Tour Concrete Plant Park

Attendees at the June faith based outreach meeting toured the edible gardens at Concrete Plant Park. 

Faith based partner members were given a tour of Concrete Park at the June faith based outreach initiative. Meeting at Bronx Health REACH partner church, Mt. Zion CME Church, the group walked to the Westchester entrance of Concrete Park, located at Bronx River Avenue and Whitlock Avenue. Nathan Hunter from Bronx River Alliance took the group of 14 on a tour of the edible gardens. As part of our initiative to support active design efforts and increase safe, accessible places for physical activity, we have connected our faith based partners with the work that Bronx River Alliance has been doing to increase awareness of the available park space community residents can access.

Rev. Theresa Oliver, Senior Pastor at Mt. Zion CME Church initially toured both Concrete Plant Park and Starlight Park in May, and joined the June tour. She remarked, "It is remarkable that we have this amazing oasis right in our own backyard here in the Bronx. We sampled berries and mint from the edible garden. When it cools down I will bring our congregation to the park after our Sunday service."  Joseph Ellis, Bronx Health REACH Community Health Worker added, "I remember when it used to be an empty space filled with trash but it's great to see it transform into an amazing park and open space that the community can use and enjoy." We encourage everyone to visit Concrete Plant and Starlight Parks and take part in the many outdoor activities offered by our partner Bronx River Alliance.

Bronx Health REACH's Charmaine Ruddock Selected as CDC's Office of Minority Health Equity Champion

Congratulations to BHR's Project Director Charmaine Ruddock who was selected as the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity Champion. Leandris C. Liburd, Director, Office of Minority Health & Health Equity (OMHHE) commented, "Our Health Equity Champion is one of the pioneers who has contributed significantly to the implementation of REACH and its branding as CDC’s flagship health disparities program.  We are honored to recognize Charmaine Ruddock who leads the Bronx Health REACH program. I can personally attest to her tireless commitment to reducing racial and ethnic health disparities in the Bronx and her sustained efforts to support REACH nationally."

Great job Charmaine. We are proud of your leadership!

Health Disparities Workgroup Update

Last October more than 60 Bronx Health REACH Coalition members and community residents held a Not62 Rally on the steps of the Bronx Supreme Court calling on the Mayor, the Governor and all elected leaders to make the health of the Bronx a priority. They chanted, '62 will not do! We can do better! We must do better!'

Earlier this year the the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation along with the University of Wisconsin released the 2019 County Health Rankings Report. And, as in past reports, the Bronx was ranked the unhealthiest county in New York State, i.e. 62 out of the 62 New York State counties. To address the Bronx being the unhealthiest county, the Bronx Health REACH Coalition through its Health Disparities Workgroup took action in March and April to determine the best ways to engage New York elected officials to make the health of the Bronx a policy priority, and a funding priority.

New York State Assemblymember Victor M. Pichardo attended the March 2019 Health Disparities Workgroup meeting (see below for more details) as well as leaders from Bronx Community Boards #5 and #7. The representatives from the Community Boards shared with the Workgroup the challenges they faced including informing Bronx residents of the various services that are available to improve their health. The Community Boards would like to partner with other stakeholders to address health disparities in the Bronx and will work with the Health Disparities Workgroup to get more community participation at community board meetings.

In April, Baretto Bay Strategies, an urban solutions consulting firm that provides strategic advice to public agencies and community development organizations, led an interactive workshop to help the Workgroup create a better strategy to engage elected officials in the #Not62 - The Campaign for a Healthy Bronx. Baretto created an Action Agenda to determine which issues should be addressed and how to identify those individuals who would be allies in addressing the health challenges faced by Bronx residents. A draft SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis was created to help members determine if our target was too big and develop a time frame for reaching our goals. The Workgroup will use the Action Agenda in the coming months to determine the best strategy to promote health equity in the Bronx.

At the May meeting many long time Health Disparities Workgroup members reflected on the loss of Pastor Foley, but found a renewed sense of commitment to keep his legacy alive. Workgroup members vowed to continue to keep the pressure on our elected officials to improve not only the ranking of the Bronx, but the health and well-being of all Bronx residents.

These two workshops were the last efforts of Pastor Foley’s work with Bronx Health REACH before he died.  His leadership will be sorely missed.

If you would like to attend our next Health Disparities Workgroup meeting, join us on Friday, July 12 at 1:00 p.m., at Mt. Zion CME Church, (1148 Elder Avenue), Bronx NY 10472.

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.

Healthy Children & Families Program Event: A Multi-Faith Effort to Improve Health Outcome

We had a great turnout for our Healthy Children & Families program event on January 12th. We recognized Mt.Zion C.M.E, Agape Love Christian Center, New Covenant Christian Ministries, Iglesia de Dios, St. Jerome H.A.N.D.S Community Center, Evangelical Christian Church, St. Angela Merici Catholic Church, and Word of Life International Church for participating in the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program in 2018.

On Saturday, January 12th, 28 multi-faith leaders gathered at the Church of God of Prophecy to recognize the impact of the Healthy Children, Healthy Families program, on the children, families and faith based organizations that participated. It also highlighted key aspects of the program for those interested to learn more. This health program has broad appeal across all faiths. Four masjid leaders interested in the program attended, making this Bronx Health REACH’s first multi-faith event.

Bronx Health REACH recognized the eight faith-based organizations who implemented the program in 2018. The organizations honored include: Mt.Zion C.M.E, Agape Love Christian Center, New Covenant Christian Ministries, Iglesia de Dios, St. Jerome H.A.N.D.S Community Center, Evangelical Christian Church, St. Angela Merici Catholic Church, and Word of Life International Church.

Since December 2018, eight faith based partners have run the eight week program for children (ages 8-12) and their parents/caregivers, to increase healthy eating and active living and reduce high rates of obesity in the Bronx. Loyce Godfrey, Bronx Health REACH faith and nutrition consultant, and Cheikhou Ann, Muslim Community Health Leader, spoke about the connection between faith, food and health from both Christian and Muslim perspectives. They emphasized the connection of  religious values to health.

Taleek Norman from Kids in the Game led attendees in fun, interactive fitness activities.

Evy Torres, Peer Health Coordinator who led the program at Evangelical Christian Church spoke passionately about her experience teaching healthy behaviors to children and families. She explained, “The beauty of this program is being able to empower our children and unify the family.” Two children from her church who participated in the program shared their personal experience with the audience. One child shared his deep admiration for the fitness coach; and another told the group about her nutrition lessons and the confidence she has gained by participating in the program.

To illustrate aspects of the physical activity component of the actual workshops, Maurelhena Walles and Taleek Norman from Kids in the Game led attendees in fun, interactive fitness activities. In each workshop, Kids in the Game provides fitness activities that families can integrate into their daily lives.

We congratulate all those who participated in 2018, and are excited in 2019 to welcome new faith based partners looking to improve the health of their members!


If you are part of a faith-based organization that would like to participate in Healthy Children, Healthy Families in spring 2019, contact Yolanda Benitez at (212) 633-0800 ext. 1344.

NYC Department of Education Reports Increase in Physical Education

In December Bronx Health REACH and our PE4All Coalition partners submitted testimony to the New York City Council Education Committee to extend programming for PEWorks, scheduled to end in June, and to also request expanding the Local Law 102, NYC Department of Education Reporting of Physical Education in NYC schools. PEWorks, a successful program developed to revitalize physical education has made great strides in improving physical education (PE) in NYC schools. The Program has increased the number of elementary schools with trained PE teachers to 85 percent, has trained 6,200 classroom teachers in physical activity programming, and has funded wellness programming in 207 schools and provided facility upgrades to 40 schools.

The NYC Department of Education reported a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving the required amount of physical education in the 2017-2018 report of the state of physical education in NYC. We reviewed the annual reports from the past two years and found a five percent increase in students receiving PE in high school and a four percent increase for middle schools. We believe the improvements are a result of the PEWorks program, a DOE initiative to revitalize physical education in public schools. (Click here for PEWorks Year 3 Report.) Overall, the 2017-2018 Annual PE Report of the NYC Department of Education determined that 60 percent of all Bronx public school students are receiving the required amount of PE per week.

This is great news! But we all know that more progress is needed for true systemic change in the Bronx. Thirty-one percent of Bronx public schools lack a certified full-time physical education teacher, 18 percent of Bronx public schools receive less than the required amount of physical education, 46 percent of Bronx public schools lack space to conduct physical education classes indoors and only ten out of 1299 schools have a designated space for adaptive physical education.

If this reporting bill gets passed, there will be additional funding for PEWorks  as well as expanded reporting on topics such as: public school compliance with PE curricula, professional development for certified physical education teachers, adaptive physical education provided to students with disabilities, and after school athletic funding. Although the committee is no longer accepting testimonies, we encourage you to reach out to your local councilmembers and ask them to support this bill.

Bronx Health REACH and Our Elected Officials

In September members of the Bronx Health REACH Coalition met and spoke with Dr. Herminia Palacio, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.

On September 12th several Bronx Health REACH Coalition members met with Dr. Herminia Palacio, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services to discuss the Coalition’s work and Not62 – The Campaign for a Healthy Bronx. Sandra Jenkins from Church of God of Prophecy, Deacon Dorothy Faison and Pastor Robert Foley, Sr. from Cosmopolitan Church, Flora Goldston from Walker Memorial Baptist Church along with Amril Hamer from Transportation Alternatives, and PS 218’s Tabitha Kellner and Nurse Echols all attended the meeting. The Coalition members highlighted the work they’re doing to improve the health of the South Bronx. They were emphatic in pointing to the importance of the Mayor prioritizing the borough in all the City's agencies and resource allocations.

Dr. Palacio, made note of the fact that she was well acquainted with the Bronx having been raised there and understood the concerns the group spotlighted. A follow-up meeting with Dr. Palacio is planned for later in the year as well as a meeting with the NYC Mayor in 2019.

Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup Holds Not62 Rally

More than 60 Bronx Health REACH Coalition members and community residents attended the Not62 Rally on October 29 on the steps of the Bronx Supreme Court.

Chanting "62 Will Not Do! We Can Do Better, We MUST Do Better!" over 60 Bronx Health REACH Coalition members and community residents participated in a  Not62 Rally on October 29. The rally took place on the steps of the Bronx Supreme Court to bring attention to the Bronx being ranked 62 out of New York State’s 62 counties in health over the past 9 years in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Ranking Report. Led by Bronx Health REACH's Charmaine Ruddock, the rally called on the Mayor, the Governor and all elected leaders to make the health of the Bronx a priority.

Speakers included: Rev. Theresa Oliver from Mt. Zion CME Church, Maxine Golub from the Institute for Family Health,  NYC Council Member Fernando Cabrera, Pastor Robert Foley, Sr. from Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus, Amril Hamer from Transportation Alternatives, Felix Rojas from Holy Spirit Church, Brett Scudder from the Suicide Institute, Rev. McKay from Church of God of Prophecy, and Karines Reyes from the New York State Nurses Association/Campaign for New York Health. Postcards were distributed to those attending the rally to collect signatures that  will be delivered to the offices of the Mayor and the Governor in the upcoming weeks.

News12 The Bronx covered the event and you can view it here.

Don't Stress, Eat Fresh Healthy Bodega Marketing Campaign Active in the Bronx

The next time you are walking in the Bronx, riding on an MTA bus in the Bronx, or driving behind one of those buses be sure to check out our Don't Stress, Eat Fresh Healthy Bodega marketing campaign promoting our fifteen partner bodegas and the healthy food they are selling. Ads in English and Spanish are on the inside and on the taillights of Bronx MTA buses. They are also on four bus shelters, two urban panels (signs aboveground at subway stations) and on LinkNYC kiosks. We are also using Geofencing as part of the marketing campaign.

How geofencing works:  If someone is walking within the range of one of our fifteen partner bodegas that has been set up for geofencing, he or she will receive an ad on their smartphone promoting the Healthy Bodega campaign. The ad appears on whatever app the person may be using at the time, or even appear later. With geofencing, the person does not necessarily have to be using their smartphone at the time when passing by the location set for geofencing. When the person clicks on the ad they are taken to a full listing of all the partner bodegas in the Healthy Bodega program listed by zip code so that they can choose a specific bodega to shop for healthy food.

If you see one of our advertisements, take a photo and post on social media with the hashtag #FreshBronxBodegas. The Don't Stress, Eat Fresh campaign runs through December.