The Bronx Salad Makes its Debut at BronxWorks

The Bronx Salad made its debut on the BronxWorks menu this spring! The Bronx Salad initially planned as part of a healthy menu initiative with local restaurants has expanded beyond restaurants. It is now served at schools, after school programs and bodegas. There is even now The Bronx Salad Toolkit for Schools recently created by Bronx Health REACH and Grow to Learn NYC. BronxWorks adapted “The Bronx Salad” Toolkit for Schools.

On the rooftop garden of the BronxWorks Carolyn McLaughlin Community Center, afterschool students grew and harvested many of the Bronx salad ingredients including cilantro, corn and kale. The Program Coordinator from the afterschool program, Project Achieve, and the Horticulturalist at BronxWorks guided participants in growing the ingredients. Engaging the children throughout the process of growing, harvesting, preparing, and eating the Bronx Salad included conducting more than 60 lessons addressing nutrition and gardening. Many of the ingredients of the Bronx Salad were explored by the children in the classroom through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities.

Kim Wong, a program director at BronxWorks explained, “Feedback on the salad has been very positive and we plan to continue to grow the salad ingredients in our roof top garden and offer it in our BronxWorks afterschool program meals as well as at our BronxWorks meetings and events.” The Bronx Salad has been served to over 600 participants in children, teen, and adult programs. The salad was such a huge hit that it will now be offered once a month at the afterschool program.

So far, the Bronx Salad Toolkit for Schools and starter seed kit has been given out to over fifteen schools in the South Bronx and grown and harvested in five of those. To learn how to grow the Bronx Salad in your school garden, download The Bronx Salad Toolkit.

NY Watershed Takeaways for Health

New York City water is high quality and safe to drink. Careful steps are taken through the process of collecting, testing and transporting the water to your home. 

This post was written by Bronx Health REACH staff members Kelly Moltzen and Emily Oppenheimer.

In September 2017, we toured the Croton region of the watershed with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). In NYC, water is collected from two main regions: (1) Catskill Delaware and (2) the Croton System. Since its creation through the present, the system has been committed to transporting high quality water.

Water is essential for health and cognition, yet water intake among children and adults is below the recommended levels nationally. The alternative to water is often sugar-sweetened beverages, which are strongly linked to obesity. Bronx Health REACH has taken many steps to promote water as the healthiest alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages.


Throughout the tour, we were impressed by the steps taken to ensure high water quality. The DEP uses the natural ecology of the land to manage the system:  trees and other forest plants naturally filter the water. The DEP is also growing new forests to further the natural filtration process. The DEP approaches new forests with resiliency planning, by planting new trees that are acclimated to warmer regions. NYC uses a pure, natural water source, and over 90% of the water does not need to be filtered. There are only three other cities in the US that have water sources that don’t need filtration, which include Boston, Seattle and San Francisco. All water goes through quality testing before being delivered to NYC. The water is clean and safe: UV rays are used to stop the replication of microorganisms in the water.

The NYC watershed system was created in the 1840’s to ensure safe and clean water would be accessible to all people. Prior to the creation of the watershed system, unsafe water led to infectious diseases like cholera. Construction began in 1837 on the Old Croton Aqueduct, which was led by immigrant labor. Many people in the region lost their homes to make way to build the new infrastructure. In NYC we owe our gratitude to those who lived in upstate New York during this time and sacrificed their homes for our water. This system ran south to the Highbridge in the Bronx, and helped to deliver water to Manhattan. Although Highbridge is presently used as a pedestrian walking bridge, it was originally created and used as an aqueduct.

Since the creation of the water system, the DEP, in collaboration with NY communities, take many steps to ensure the water collection and surrounding region is high quality. Historically, the NYC water system has improved our health for generations. It vastly improved public health in the past by providing a clean water source to all. Presently, it also provides a healthy beverage to all.

To learn more, visit:

The New York Times article, How New York City Gets Its Water

New York City Department Environmental Protection 

NYC 2016 Drinking Water Supply and Quality Report

School Aides Conquer Active Recess with Fit4Life Structured Play Training

Starting off with heart-pumping exercise, hip hop music and a lot of high-fives, a Bronx Health REACH sponsored physical activity training reminded 20 schools aides and 2 physical education teachers how much fun physical activity can be. By the end of the three hour training held on September 19th at PS443, aides were laughing and fully engaged in Fit4Life’s Play With Purpose interactive program.

Fit4Life Executive Director, Maurelhena Walles who facilitated the class, reminded the aides, “If you look like you are having fun, the students will too.”

Bronx Health REACH coordinated the Physical Activity for School Aides training at the suggestion of the District 9 Superintendent's Office who saw a need for school aide training in physical activity. Bronx Health REACH chose partner, Fit4life, a nonprofit organization that provides teachers and school staff with the tools to bring active play, character development, and healthy competition back into the classroom and onto the school playground, to run the training.

During the three hour training, Ms. Walles taught aides how to structure a class, about the gross motor skills of K-1 vs 4-5th graders, and what progressive learning looks like in an active setting. Using the Play with Purpose model, Ms. Walles taught the aides approaches to traditional and non-traditional sports, dance, fitness and movement-based programming that focuses on boosting a youth's self-confidence, maximizing the amount of time one moves, minimizing competition, encouraging sportsmanship and promoting a lifetime of activity. 

Ms. Walles pointed out that, “Teacher Aides play a significant role in the education of a child. To empower them with tools on not just what to do in the class, but rather why they are teaching a particular game or activity and how to teach is powerful. Once someone understands and owns the fact that they do indeed play a role in the education of children. Once a person understands that (active) learning, team-building, leadership and communication takes place during Structured Recess, the perspective changes.” School aide Nancy Vega added, “I had a lot of fun at the training and the techniques we learned will be very useful at recess.”

Bronx Health REACH coordinates professional development trainings in physical activity and nutrition education throughout the year as part of the services they provide to Bronx schools in education districts 7, 8, 9 and 12. If your school is interested in district-wide training in nutrition education, physical activity, competitive food marketing/ guidelines,  school wellness for teachers, staff and parents, parent engagement support or training in any of our five wellness toolkits, Email Moria Byrne-Zaaloff, Program Coordinator for Creating Healthy Schools and Communities at Bronx Health REACH or call (212) 633-0800 x 1287.

Symposium Provides Forum for Community Based Organizations to Showcase Their Work

On September 27th Bronx Health REACH, along with the Center for the Study of Asian American Health at NYU School of Medicine’s Department of Population Health, and Bronx Community Health Network, all grantees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant; and the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, a CDC Partnership to Improve Community Health (PICH) grantee hosted a symposium, “Community Transformation through Partnerships.” Over 150 people attended the forum that provided community based organizations such as Transportation Alternatives, Casita Maria and others to share strategies and initiatives designed and implemented to create opportunities for healthy living in communities with significant rates of racial and ethnic health disparities.

Dr. Ruth Petersen, Director for the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, 

and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Opening the symposium was Dr. Ruth Petersen, Director for the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Petersen spoke about the REACH program improving the health of many Americans by providing 2 million people greater opportunities for choosing healthy foods and beverages, and 600,000 people with increased opportunities to be physically active as a result of environmental and policy improvements. Richard Hamburg from Trust for America’s Health and Dr. Susan Beane from Healthfirst were keynote speakers. Mr. Hamburg noted that the best long term investment is increasing CDC funding to programs such as REACH as doing so has been shown to improve the health and well-being of many communities. Dr. Beane discussed Healthfirst's efforts to merge health and social services to create and support a 'Healthy Village' system of healthcare.

Gail Heidel, Associate Director of Creative Arts Programs at Casita Maria.

Bronx Health REACH partners were featured on two panels. On the Community Leadership and Engagement panel Erwin Figueroa, Bronx organizer for Transportation Alternatives spoke about the work of transforming the Grand Concourse into a Complete Street. And, on the Evaluation and Storytelling panel, Gail Heidel, Associate Director of Creative Arts Programs at Casita Maria, gave an overview of their projects painting murals on playgrounds in the South Bronx to encourage more outdoor physical activity. She also spoke about engaging residents to be active participants in the Bronx campaign to become ‘The World’s Strongest Borough’ utilizing the ‘Mobile Pull-Up Bar of Power.’

Charmaine Ruddock, (left) Project Director at Bronx Health REACH.

The final panel of the day was a unique conversation with funders and grantees discussing, from their respective perspectives, the expectations and efforts of each when trying to effect long term sustainable changes in communities disproportionately experiencing racial and ethnic health disparities. The panelists were Max Winer from New York University, Sarah Oltmans from Robin Hood Foundation, Nupur Chaudhury from the New York State Health Foundation, Linda Lee from Korean Community Services and Bronx Health REACH's Charmaine Ruddock. Charmaine focused her remarks on the importance of getting buy in from the community. 'You can't have folks helicopter into the community and helicopter out; there has to be a commitment to the community.'

CDC Visits Bronx Health REACH and Partner Sites to Assess the Impact of the Three Year REACH Funding

Janelle K. Gardner, Project Officer and Public Health Advisor for 

the CDC, (fourth from the left), with staff from Bronx Health REACH and 

the Institute for Family Health Mt. Hope Family Practice Health Center.

Janelle K. Gardner, Project Officer and Public Health Advisor for the CDC made a site visit to Bronx Health REACH in September. Bronx Health REACH staff and partners provided an update on the work done to date for the CDC REACH grant awarded in 2014 to increase access to healthy food and physical activity. During the first half of the site visit, the Bronx Health REACH staff and partners from Transportation Alternatives, Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education, Mainland Media, Mount Zion CME Church, Cosmopolitan Church of the Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit Church presented on the various healthy eating and active living initiatives.

The afternoon half of the site visit included visiting several Bronx locations where initiatives have been implemented. These included a visit to the Institute for Family Health Mt. Hope Family Practice Health Center where Bronx Health REACH has worked with the staff to implement a Vegetable and Fruit Prescription program for obese patients. Ms. Gardner met and spoke with Mt. Hope staff about the implementation of the program. There were visits to two restaurants (Delmy Food Deli and Mexicocina), and to Fine Fair Supermarket, all of which are selling The Bronx Salad. The final visit of the afternoon was at the Bodega Association where Ms. Gardner met with the leaders of the Association and Julia Mair from the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network, Inc. (HITN), to discuss the work being done on the Healthy Bodega Initiative.

Bronx Health REACH thanks all our partners who participated in that successful CDC site visit. Ms. Gardner spoke glowingly of the impact of the work and especially of the partners involvement.

Bronx City Council Members Increase Health Bucks Allocation

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

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.'

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.

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.

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.

Parent Tasting Event at P.S. 443/P.S. 457: The Alternative Menu

On November 16th, greeted by center pieces adorned with harvest vegetables and the aroma of fall food, twenty-two parents and forty children from P.S. 443/P.S. 457 participated in a tasting of the Alternative Menu – one of three school menus from which school principals can choose. The event, co-sponsored by the NYC Department of Education’s Garden to Café/Office of School Food offered a welcome respite from parent-teacher conferences occurring throughout the day.

Before the tasting began, Bronx Health REACH’s Moria Byrne-Zaaloff and FoodCorps member Angela Doyle, working with P.S. 443, held a brief workshop with the parents to discuss the important role school food plays in their children’s health. Moria and Angela spoke about how most students eat two-thirds of their recommended calories in school, and a diet that consists of colorful whole vegetables and fruits fuels students’ brains and bodies with the necessary nutrients to grow and learn.

The Alternative Menu encourages students to eat more plant-based foods made from scratch without added sugar or salt. By eating more food high in fiber, with lean protein and whole grains, students will have the energy to focus and perform well in school throughout the day. Moria and Angela emphasized how students can still eat their favorite foods such as hamburgers during the school lunch period, but the burger would be served on a whole grain bun with a healthy chickpea and tomato side salad instead of French fries.

The event culminated with a tasting of Alternative Menu items that included cinnamon-spiced acorn squash, beet-apple slaw and Jonquil apple slices, all from local New York farms. Parents complimented the cooking of Holly Howitt and George Edwards, Chefs from the Garden to Café program of Office of School Food. Garden to Café is an initiative of the Office of School Food and FoodCorps that provides bi-annual taste testings at schools to encourage children to consume more fruits and vegetables during the school day, and how to make healthier food choices. They were thrilled to see their children willing to try the healthy foods being offered. Parents left the event with recipes, and a reusable place mat with information about the Alternative Menu along with how to get their child’s school to switch to this menu.

Thank you to George Edwards, Coordinator-Garden to Cafe Program and Holly Howitt, Chef of School Food, and FoodCorps member Angela Doyle for taking on this challenge and making it a huge success!

NYC Department of Education Releases 2017 Wellness Policy

In mid-December, the NYC Department of Education released the revised NYC School Wellness Policy in Principals’ Weekly. This policy guides NYC school districts' efforts to create supportive school nutrition and physical activity environments with the assistance of a local wellness council. School Wellness Policies are a USDA requirement for all school districts participating in the federal breakfast and lunch programs as per the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 [Sec. 204 of Public Law 111-296] and Child Nutrition and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act [Sec. 204 of Public Law 108-265].

The revised policy provides comprehensive guidelines on physical activity, physical education, health education and services and policy governance all in one document for the first time.  An interesting new requirement is that the New York City Department of Education is now required to share recordkeeping and progress reports on wellness policy compliance with the public. The policy also now includes resources available through the DOE to establish physical activity programs before and after school such as the CHAMPS sports and fitness program. The Active Design Toolkit for Schools  and Active Design Playbook for Early Childcare Settings are also highlighted as resources to create school environments that promote physical activity and healthy food/beverage choices. The updated policy provides information and resources on: State and local physical and health education instruction requirements, recommendations and expectations; and the roles of the citywide District Wellness Advisory Council, School Wellness Councils, and members of the school and local community in supporting healthy schools by implementing the citywide wellness policy.

The easiest way for schools to ensure they are in DOE policy compliance is to include the information for Physical and Health Education in the Student Transition Achievement Success (STARS) report which should include all the wellness programming they are already accomplishing. Schools should also feel welcome to share success stories with the Office of School Wellness and Bronx Health REACH, so other schools can learn about their exemplary work. In addition, schools are encouraged to register their wellness council on the Office of School Wellness portal where there are useful resources for developing and planning a wellness council and policy. (See events below for upcoming trainings for wellness councils.)

The Bronx Salad Available at Seven Bronx Eateries During NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2018

                                              Photo by The Bronxer

The Bronx Salad is now available at seven Bronx eateries during NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2018 through February 9. Launched in the Bronx in 2016, The Bronx Salad is part of the Healthy Restaurant Initiative, a collaboration between the Institute for Family Health’s Bronx Health REACH Coalition, South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO), and the United Business Cooperative (UBC). The Bronx Salad and its signature dressing have received unanimous praise from over 1,000 Bronxites. Made with simple, fresh ingredients, the dressing includes the famous Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce, created by acclaimed Chef King Phojanakong, using peppers grown at more than 40 Bronx greenmarket farms and community gardens.

The Bronx Salad is available at the following Bronx locations during NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2018:

Bronx Tavern 780 East 133rd Street, Bronx, NY 10454

Da Boogiedown Caffe 555 Bergen Avenue, Bronx, NY 10455

Fine Fare Supermarket 459 East 149th Street, Bronx, NY 10455

Mottley Kitchen 402 East 140th Street, Bronx, NY 10454

NY Bagel Cafe & Deli 53 Bruckner Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10454

Porto Salvo 424 East 161st Street, Bronx, NY 10451

XM Cafe at Bronx Museum 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10456

To date The Bronx Salad has been offered in several Bronx eateries and has been served to over 500 people at public events in the Bronx such as Boogie on the Boulevard. Initially planned as part of a healthy menu initiative with local eateries, The Bronx Salad has expanded beyond restaurants and is now served at schools and after school programs. BronxWorks has served The Bronx Salad to over 600 people in their children, teen, and adult programs, and The Bronx Salad Toolkit for Schools has been given out to fifteen schools in the South Bronx. Five of those schools have grown and harvested some of the ingredients for the salad.

Bronx Forever

Image: comicbook.com website

Are there lessons from Wakanda, the fictional country in the movie, Black Panther that we can apply to the Bronx, our own special place? Maybe not specific lessons, but for the only NYC borough with a majority population of color used to being discredited and disparaged we feel a kinship when Carvell Wallace from the NY Times in an essay on the movie “Black Panther” writes,  “Wakanda is a fictional nation. But…[it] must also function as a place for multiple generations of black Americans to store some of our most deeply held aspirations. We have for centuries sought to either find or create a promised land where we would be untroubled by the criminal horrors of our American existence.” Like director Ryan Coogler with Wakanda, Bronx Health REACH's vision for the future Bronx is a place where its residents are no longer troubled by its history of poverty and want but a place where triumph is the watchword for the new order. Where it is not 62nd out of 62 counties in health outcomes.  Where it is not the poorest urban congressional district.  Where housing is good and affordable. Where safety is the new watch word.  Where people live long and healthy because they get to eat right and exercise more. Where graduation rates are the best.  Changes not brought about through gentrification but through a changed socio-economic circumstances for the Bronx black and brown people. In his love letter to the filmgoers who went to see Black Panther, Coogler’s post script, was ‘Wakanda forever’, our postscript is “Bronx forever”  Not 62 wedreamaworld Bronxforever. 

Rev. Dr. Theresa Oliver, Always Willing to Help Someone Along the Way

Bronx Health REACH continues its series on individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Institute for Family Health's Bronx Health REACH, and have also been strong activists for needed change in the Black and Latino communities in the Bronx. A notable member of this group of change agents is Rev Dr. Theresa Oliver, Pastor at Mt. Zion CME Church in the Bronx, New York, and a partner in the Bronx Health REACH faith based outreach initiative.

Growing up in Fairfield, Alabama outside of Birmingham, Rev. Dr. Theresa Oliver didn't realize how unjust the separate but equal policies were until a visit to the dentist’s office when she was in college. 'I went with my mother to the dentist’s office and the Blacks had to sit in a waiting room in back that was separate from the main room in the front. I was trying to read one of my textbooks but found it difficult to concentrate as there was a lot of talking by others in the waiting room. I noticed that the other waiting room was empty so I sat down in that room, and was able to read in silence. After a few minutes the receptionist came out and informed me that I was not allowed to sit there. I asked her why, and I can't recall if she gave me an answer, but I was so annoyed and ended up going outside to sit in the car. That experience did something to me as I kept thinking, no one else was sitting in that room and I didn’t see why my sitting there and reading quietly to be a problem, but that receptionist was so insistent telling me that I had to leave. That encounter deeply affected me.'

After graduating from Miles College Rev. Oliver married and moved to New York starting a career as a registered medical technology staff member at Bellevue Hospital working the overnight shift. 'I preferred the overnight shift because it was good for my mental health. During my breaks I would open up my bible and this particular scripture would always pop up:


The Year of the Lord’s Favor
    The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
      and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV

After seeing this scripture always pop up at various times the turning point came when one of the church members told me that I was going to be a pastor at another church. As he was speaking to my heart, I put my faith in the Lord and enrolled at New York Theological Seminary. I received a Masters in parish ministry and eventually got a doctorate. The pastor at my church decided to move to South Carolina and requested I replace him as pastor, so I have been a pastor at Mount Zion CME Church since 2000.'

In 2010 Rev. Oliver was introduced to Bronx Health REACH through Dr. Sandra White, a sister of a Mt. Zion pastor. 'Dr. White told members of our congregation about a program that would introduce healthy eating to our congregation. 'I became interested because my doctorate was on holistic ministry and improving the health among African- Americans. There has always been a stigma around discussing health within our congregation - that's from the secrecy that we always had in the South with people; you just didn’t go to the doctor on a regular basis for a check-up. If you did, by that point it was too late and there was nothing that the doctor could do to make you better.”

Bronx Health REACH started a nutrition program with Mt. Zion, and at the first meeting, staff from Bronx Health REACH passed out survey sheets for the congregation to complete. It consisted of questions around the health and eating habits of those participating. “Other than a few members, I was surprised to find that everyone completed the sheets. Our church would go on to host a couple of health fairs, and eventually we began serving healthier food at our church dinners. We also eliminated soda. To this day we use the fruit infused water pitchers to serve water flavored with pineapple and orange. The parishioners love it and I like to see them drinking that rather than soda.'

When funding for that program ended, Rev. Oliver was asked if she would continue to work with Bronx Health REACH, even though there was no stipend to do the work. 'My answer was yes, I wanted to continue working with Bronx Health REACH because the work that has been done is so important in improving the health and well-being of those in our church. We have gotten people to open up about their health, talk about improving their diets with fresh fruits and vegetables, do blood pressure checks and hold exercise classes.”


Rev. Oliver’s past encounters with racism motivates her to fight for health equity on behalf of African-Americans and Latinos residing in the Bronx as a member of the Health Disparities workgroup. Looking back, the path Rev. Oliver chose turned out fine, 'If you can help somebody along the way, then your life won’t be in vain. I am happy where I am.”

Creating Healthy Schools & Communities: A Worthwhile Investment for New York State

15 Girl Scout members and three teachers from Bronx Delta School, a Bronx Health REACH partner school, participated in a healthy celebration lesson which culminated in making fruit kabobs designed to look like caterpillars, lady bugs and butterflies.

Every year since 2009 the  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Report has ranked the Bronx 62 out of New York State’s 62 counties in health outcomes. The obesity and overweight rates of our public school students is 39%. In 2015, with a five year grant from the New York State Department of Health through its Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) program, the Bronx, along with 45 other counties across New York State, was provided an opportunity to create healthy environments in our school districts and surrounding communities. Since then, we have made tremendous strides with this program.

Through CHSC, Bronx residents can eat healthier through a collaboration between Bronx Health REACH, the Bodega Association of the United States and Goya Foods which has been stocking healthier products in Bronx bodegas, and providing taste tests and cooking demonstrations. We have been helping Bronx youth and low-income communities of color counter the targeted marketing of unhealthy foods and beverage products by supporting efforts for them to create their own counter-marketing campaigns. We have also trained school aides on fitness programming enabling them to structure physically active recess time for students. And, we have engaged community leaders and residents to advocate for street safety improvements. One of those leaders, a Bronx Health REACH partner church, Word of Life International, was named Transportation Alternatives’ 2017 Partner of the Year.

However, in 2017 significant cuts were made to the CHSC grant, and it is  under threat again this year to further cuts. With these cuts the question surely is, how can we ensure that the health and wellbeing of Bronx children, as well as the children in other high need New York communities, become a priority of our elected officials in Albany? Funding such a critical public health program helps the many community organizations across the Bronx and other areas of New York State make a difference in the lives of our children and community members.

Public health programming such as CHSC represents an investment with significant returns in New York State. In the first two years of funding, CHSC grantees have worked with 4.5 million New Yorkers, or about 23% of the state’s population, infusing wellness and health information and programming into 226 local communities, 83 high-need school districts, 358 retailers, and 498 worksites, enacted 51 policies and 120 infrastructure projects encouraging walkable and bikeable communities.

Our community partners have incredible capacity to create healthy and livable communities, as these successes demonstrate. CHSC and other public health funding goes a long way to improving the health and well-being of New Yorkers, and these programs should be further supported, not cut. Public health funds are important and well spent in the most vulnerable communities as they work to promote equity where all residents should have the opportunity to thrive.

The United States Department of Agriculture, recognizing the importance of the type of Policy, Systems and Environmental change work that CHSC grantees do, recently approved reallocating  SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) funding to the New York State Department of Health from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance for CHSC, but it is not guaranteed that this funding will continue to be used for the CHSC program. We hope to see CHSC funding maintained in the FY 2018-2019 Governor’s budget. The more funds provided for this program, the more grantees will be able to accomplish in the communities where we serve.

REACH Funding Included in 2018 Federal Omnibus Bill

Great news! Last week’s passage by the U.S. Congress of its FY 2018 federal Omnibus Appropriations Bill includes $50,95M for the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) CDC program. The Institute for Family Health's Bronx Health REACH has been a REACH grantee since the inception of the program allowing us to develop our community coalition and partnerships to address the longstanding health disparities and their root causes in the Bronx.

This FY18 funding is a major victory given that, up to a few weeks ago, for the first time since its inception REACH had been zeroed out of the President’s budget as well as that of the House and the Senate. Huge thanks to our local representative Congressman Jose E. Serrano who made this a priority along with his colleagues in the Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucus.  We also had several amazing partners in DC based organizations including , Trust for America's Health, American Public Health Association, Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAH), the YMCA, the National REACH Coalition (NRC), National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Prevention Institute (PI) and the Public Health Institute who tirelessly advocated for the funding to be reinstated.

Like REACH communities across the country, the Bronx Health REACH Coalition serves as a model of community empowerment that demonstrates how to build healthier communities; promote primary prevention through healthy behaviors; increase awareness of racial and ethnic disparities and promote health equity; identify and promote models of community level change; support system wide changes that address the determinants of health and improve access to respectful, culturally sensitive and high quality care.

Bronx Health REACH applauds Congress for investing in the REACH program as it is the federal government’s only community-based program that addresses racial and ethnic health disparities in urban and rural areas.

Corbin Hill Winter Farm Share Comes to Two Institute for Family Health Bronx-Based Health Centers

Bronx Health REACH, Stevenson Family Health Center and Mt. Hope Family Practice have partnered with Corbin Hill Food Project to host a Winter Farm Share where employees and patients can purchase vegetables and fruit every week for only $10. The Winter Farm Share at Stevenson Family Health Center is offered every Tuesday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Mt. Hope Farm Share is offered every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Since the January 23rd debut, over 125 people have purchased from the Winter Farm Share. Customers can pay with cash, credit card, debit card, EBT, or SNAP.

Interested participants can sign up in person or online. For further information about the Stevenson Health Center Farm Share, you can call Tiffany Diaz at (718) 589-8775 ext. 2832; for the Mt. Hope Farm Share, you can call Casey Luber at (718) 583-9000. Sign up now to enjoy fresh, local veggies and fruits!

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

Why the Don’t Stress, Eat Fresh School Curriculum Matters

On June 12th PS36-Unionport School and Saba Quality Plus Deli & Grocery unveiled the Don't Stress, Eat Fresh Campaign at Saba Quality Plus Deli & Grocery.

This post was written by Elecia Faauiaso, an intern with the Bronx Health REACH Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program who worked on the Don’t Stress, Eat Fresh Curriculum as her Masters Practicum in Public Health at New York University. Elecia also served as an instructor last fall on a counter-marketing study with CS448-Soundview Academy of Culture and Scholarship. She will be graduating with a dual Master's degree in Public Health and Dietetics this fall.

As the project coordinator and intern for Bronx Health REACH’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program working on the Don’t Stress, Eat Fresh curriculum, I was proud to see this campaign launch at PS 294-Walton Avenue School, PS36-Unionport School, and PS443-The Family School in June. The Don’t Stress, Eat Fresh healthy bodega marketing campaign is a borough wide bodega marketing campaign launched last November by the Institute for Family Health's Bronx Health REACH, the Bodega Association and the Bronx Bodega Partners Workgroup to encourage Bronx residents to purchase healthier foods and beverages at 56 participating Bronx bodegas. During the past two weeks students from PS 294-Walton Avenue School, PS36-Unionport School, and PS443-The Family School in partnership with M&H Deli Grocery, Saba Quality Plus Deli & Grocery and La Solucion distributed samples of healthy foods sold in the bodegas and posted signage hightlighting the healthy food.

At the three Bronx schools, I provided on-going technical assistance to the teachers with the support of Moria Byrne-Zaaloff, Program Coordinator for the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program. I trained the teachers in the 8 week Don’t Stress, Eat Fresh curriculum, which focuses on: healthy eating, processed foods, food marketing and marketing campaign development. Over the 8 week course students learned about the barriers to healthy foods in their neighborhood and the various techniques marketers use to influence their food choices. The most eye-opening activity to me was when students learned how to read nutrition labels.

A PS36-Unionport parent enjoyed the fruit salad samples distributed by students from the school.

Students brought in their favorite snacks from their local bodega and were shocked to learn how unhealthy many snacks were once they understood the high sugar and salt content of each. One student expressed concern about the harmful effects of consuming an entire package of Takis on a daily basis. She said, “When I eat a bag by myself, I'm actually eating for 3 to 4 people. That’s a lot of calories for me!” After she shared this with me I found that through education and by providing young students with the necessary tools and skills to navigate their way through our complex food system gives them the power to be health conscious consumers.

Each school took a survey of their partner bodega to determine what healthy options were available in their neighborhood bodega and to think critically about how product placement, accessibility, convenience and price all affects the food choices they make every day. Angela Boyle, a FoodCorps member with PS443-The Family School, told me that her students felt “important and professional” doing the bodega surveys, and assessing their neighborhood bodegas “gave them power.” I found it inspiring to see the students take action to change their own food environment. I believe where they eat, sleep, learn, play, and shop should support their choices in living a healthy lifestyle.

The bodega owners showed a lot of enthusiasm and were eager to participate in the Don’t Stress, Eat Fresh campaign. Carlos, a bodega worker at La Solucion shared, “I would much rather see students purchasing healthy smoothies and juices. It is important for them to learn healthy eating habits when they are young, so they do not get sick when they are older.” Students and teachers from PS443-The Family School hope to drive more customers seeking smoothies to La Solucion by posting the colorful posters and coordinating healthy food demos.

Why do we need to focus on these matters? We have so much working against us. The battle between the cheap and easy availability of processed foods versus the shortage of healthy foods in local bodegas; the misleading health claims and puzzling nutrition labels; packaged and canned goods that have colorful cartoon characters and celebrities on their labels. A lot of this subconsciously tricks and confuses the minds of the youth, and even adults as well, to make unhealthy choices. So what do we do to combat the manipulation and barriers? Engaging students in countering unhealthy marketing, reading food labels, and asking their local stores to sell healthy foods will certainly go a long way.

If you live near La Solucion (180 McCellan Street), MH Deli Grocery (1405 Walton Avenue) or Saba Quality Plus Deli & Grocery (1183 Castle Hill Avenue), go in and buy the fruit salad or smoothies promoted by the students.

Unionport School-PS36 and Saba Deli Unveil Don't Stress, Eat Fresh Campaign

Students from Unionport School-PS36 gave out samples of their Fruit Fix fruit cup.
 
Unionport School-PS36 students and Saba Quality Plus Deli unveiled their Don't Stress, Eat Fresh healthy bodega marketing campaign on Tuesday, June 12. Students offered free fruit salad samples to Saba Quality Plus Deli customers and promoted Saba by featuring the fruit salad during morning announcements, classroom and cafeteria presentations and by distributing fliers. Bronx Health REACH provided Saba Quality Plus Deli with training and technical support on how to better promote the fruit salad.

'The fruit cup has grapes, strawberries and mangos. We are encouraging people to eat healthier this summer by purchasing the fruit cup instead of Takis and to drink water instead of Coke,' said Christian, a student involved with the program. Ms. Judith Siegel, a teacher leading the class remarked, 'After visiting some of the local bodegas we learned there were not a lot of healthy choices for the students, so we decided to create the Fruit Fix fruit cup and Saba generously agreed to sell it during the summer for $2.'

This is part of a borough wide initiative launched by the Institute for Family Health's Bronx Health REACH, the Bodega Association and the Bronx Bodega Workgroup to encourage Bronx residents to purchase healthier foods and beverages at 56 participating bodegas in the Bronx.

PS 333, IS 131 and PS 6 Awarded Bronx Wellness Champions Grants

PS333 was one of three Bronx schools awarded a Bronx Wellness Champion Grant.

Congratulations to PS 333-Longwood Academy of Discovery (in photo above), IS 131-The Albert Einstein School and PS 6-West Farms School on becoming this year’s Bronx Wellness Champions. This year Bronx Health REACH offered mini-grants to help schools make their nutrition and fitness projects possible. Through this grant, PS 333-Longwood Academy of Discovery launched a school-wide healthy snack initiative at their annual field day.  Students enjoyed whole grain granola bars, fruit and fresh water after a soccer game with their newly acquired soccer balls and pop-up soccer goals purchased with funding from the grant.

With their grant, IS 131-the Albert Einstein School built a green wall replete with basil, cilantro, spearmint and mixed greens in their vacant courtyard to increase healthy eating on campus. PS 6-West Farms School plans to use their grant to purchase portable gym equipment that can be used inside or outside the school to increase physical activity by 60 minutes a week. PS 6-West Farms School will receive their equipment this fall. As part of the grant requirements, the three schools completed a WELLSAT pre-assessment, a NYC Department of Education scorecard and created a wellness policy.

WANDA and New York Common Pantry Lead Development Training

Tambra Stevenson (seated in front row) led the morning 'Garden Party' session.

On June 7th, PS 69-Journey Prep School hosted a professional development training for teachers and parent coordinators, exploring how school gardens and other nutrition education programming can be incorporated into a core curriculum to build a healthier school environment. The “Garden Party” course, presented by Tambra Stevenson, CEO/Founder of Women Advancing Dietetics, Nutrition and Agriculture (WANDA), a leading initiative to empower people to lead and create healthy communities in Africa and the Diaspora, shared resources and tips for teachers on how to grow healthier eaters in their classrooms. The three-hour interactive training explored how they could teach students about healthy eating through games, reading and healthy celebrations.

Teachers discussed the role of food in tradition, heritage, medicine, and creative expression as well as self-medication and health inequities. They shared methods for addressing unhealthy snacking - the biggest problem in schools - and modeling healthy behaviors. One teacher spoke about how her school holds teacher-led health fairs. Each teacher manages a booth where they share what physical activities they may be doing, for e.g. taking a yoga class or, their healthier eating habits such as bringing a fruit smoothie to school. Teachers also discussed the importance of healthy food policies in their classrooms as well as advocating for school-wide policies. 'The best way to address food equity and create healthier food environments is to advocate for changes in food policies (in your school),' said Tambra.

Evelyn Vela, Environmental Program Manager at New York Common Pantry, led a two-part session, 'Building a Culture of Health: Your Garden and Beyond', that provided guidance on how school teachers, staff and aides could encourage healthy eating and increase physical activity in the classroom. In the first session participants learned how to develop a strong wellness council, i.e. a group of school community members who write the school wellness policy and implement it by planning and conducting wellness activities throughout the year. Evelyn pointed out that school gardens serve as an effective way to engage and motivate school wellness councils and school communities, increase fruit and vegetable consumption and teach the council to work as a team.

New York Common Pantry offers classroom-based support in nutrition education through a cooking and gardening curriculum. If you are interested in working with New York Common Pantry and are a District 7 school, contact Evelyn Vela at (917) 720-9711. Please let her know that you learned about this program through our newsletter.

For more information on starting or improving a wellness council, visit the DOE Office of School Wellness website. Interested in starting a garden curriculum? Contact Moria Byrne-Zaaloff, MPH, Program Coordinator for Creating Healthy Schools and Community Programs at Bronx Health REACH at (212) 633-0800 ext. 1287.