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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MTA Board Votes to Ban Alcohol Ads on Subways, Buses and Trains

The Bronx Health REACH coalition celebrates Building Alcohol Ad-Free Transit’s (BAAFT) recent victory - the October 25th MTA vote to ban alcohol ads on subways, buses and trains. During the September 27th MTA Board meeting with BAAFT members in attendance, one of the MTA Board members made a motion to vote on BAAFT's proposal to amend the advertising policy to eliminate alcohol ads, but another MTA Board member countered that the MTA Board would need more information and delayed the vote. Thanks to the efforts of BAAFT and the Bronx Health REACH coalition members who gathered petition signatures, held rallies, and appeared at various MTA public hearings, the MTA voted in favor of banning all alcohol ads from the NYC transit system. This victory helps to assure that, at least in the transit system, New York City children will not be exposed to alcohol ads.

Office of Minority Health and Newman's Own Foundation Award Grants

The Fresh Food Box at the Institute for Family Health's Stevenson center.

The Institute for Family Health/Bronx Health REACH has been awarded funding by the Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement the Healthy Families, Healthy Children initiative in 22 Bronx churches. Funding by the OMH will enable Bronx Health REACH to launch an effort to help prevent and reduce obesity among children and adolescents in African American and Latino churches, several of whom are part of the 22 Bronx partner churches in the Bronx Health REACH Coalition. This program builds on Bronx Health REACH’s successful and popular faith-based, Fine, Fit and Fabulous, evidence-based program for adults which teaches nutrition and fitness utilizing faith based values, a group discussion format, and peer support in goal setting and achievement.

For the third year in a row, Newman's Own Foundation has awarded Bronx Health REACH with a grant to increase healthy eating in the South Bronx through nutrition education and food access initiatives. Funding will support healthy shopping tours and cooking demonstrations for patients participating in the Vegetable and Fruit Prescription program at the Institute’s health centers, provide technical support to bodega owners participating in the Healthy Bodega Program, and promote the Fresh Food Box program at the Institute's Stevenson Family Health Center.

Faith Based Partners Lead Voter Registration Drives

With help from Bronx Health REACH's faith based partner churches, Deacon Dorothy Faison of Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus and Royal Eason of Friendly Baptist Church, more Bronx residents have become registered voters. Deacon Faison, along with members of Cosmopolitan Church (Pastor Robert L. Foley Sr., Deacon Palmer, Deacon Rose and Sister Robinson) led three voter registration drives from July to September. When they positioned themselves outside the Fordham Road 4 train station, most of the people they approached were already registered to vote, but many knew others that were not registered to vote and took the forms to give to them. Deacon Faison stated that with the help of one Spanish speaking parishioner, they were able to reach more people and distributed over 150 voter registration forms.

Royal Eason, a member of Friendly Baptist Church led a voter registration drive by himself in the Soundview Park area and at a neighborhood shopping mall. He distributed over 200 voter registration forms and was able to get those that were not registered to vote to fill out the forms right there, which he then dropped off at a Post Office near his home. Why did he go out and register voters? "I got tired of hearing people talk about how they are disgusted with all the bad things happening in their neighborhood. I would let those that were not registered to vote know that it was their duty to vote, and if they didn't vote they didn't get to say anything about how bad things are. A lot of people don't realize the power of what voting can do, and what you can and cannot get unless you vote."