Recent Stories
October 2, 2012
Originally published in Newark Pulse On Friday, September 28th, a new Learning Trail was opened at Nat Turner Park. The Trail the first one in Newark, was built by the combined effort of United Way Essex and West Hudson, NJ Partnership of Healthy Kids, YMWCA of Newark and Vicinity, Newark Youth Build and Newark Leadership Academy. The Born Learning Trail provides 10 self-guiding and engaging, interactive activities that adults can use to create early learning opportunities for children. By following a series of colorful shapes, signs and hopscotch squares, children can learn their numbers and letters through active play. The Trail is a great way for a community to use outdoor space to promote literacy, social development and physical activity. To learn more about the trail visit www.unitedwayessex.org or www.newarkymca.org/NJPartnership. SHARE:
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September 29, 2012
In the end, even the weather cooperated. Courtney Price, NJPHK-Newark project manager, had been watching the skies and praying for the rain to stop. The build day for the Born Learning Trail in Nat Turner Park was just two days away…and no rain date had been set. “I kept praying for good weather,” said Price. “We had scheduled the build for Wednesday and Thursday followed by the ribbon cutting on Friday. We had our resources and volunteers lined up. Everything was going for us, except the weather forecast.” Her prayers were answered. The two build days came off like clockwork and the rain held off until after the ribbon cutting on Friday. With NJPHK-Newark as the catalyst, the build days brought together community groups to erect, paint and stencil 10 engaging, interactive activities on the playground in Nat Turner Park. Once completed, the Born Learning Trail of colorful shapes, signs […]
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September 23, 2012
As a child, broccoli and lima beans were at the top of my list of all time yucky foods. I tried hiding the broccoli in my milk and giving the lima beans to my dog under the table. Neither one of these plans worked well for me. First the broccoli did not hide well in the milk and my dog did not like lima beans either! I tell you this story because I still to this day some 40 plus years later still will not eat broccoli or lima beans. We develop eating habits good or bad at a very young age that seem to stick with us for the rest of our lives. This is why I feel that the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids- Vineland has made some great progress bringing farm fresh fruits and vegetables to the Vineland School District’s school lunch menu. While we […]
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September 13, 2012
Flanked by school children, fire fighters, community volunteers, funders and government officials, Principal Bernadette Trapp cut the red ribbons on Monument Elementary School’s new playground and Cool Café on September 12, 2012. The event symbolized a new era of healthy living for the nearly 500 students who now will have better access to healthy foods and opportunities for safe physical activity. NJPHK-Trenton and the Greater Trenton-Area YMCA are major partners in the building and planning of the new playground as a part of the school’s Healthy Initiatives program. Partnerships with NJPHK-Trenton and ARAMARK Food and Nutrition Services, enabled the school to introduce healthier meal options for students. “Monument was chosen as the Healthy Initiatives pilot school because Bernadette Trapp demonstrated genuine interest in the health and welfare of her students and strong determination to find the funding that could create a safe place to play,” said NJPHK-Trenton Project Manager Marissa […]
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August 24, 2012
Donned with fancy aprons and matching chefs hats, eight Trenton students recently brought out their inner culinary skills in a recent Tweet-2- Eat tasting demonstration outside of Monchy’s Bodega on North Clinton Ave. The girls made healthy versions of corn and bean salad, fruit smoothies and cheese quesadillas. They also gave out samples along with healthy recipes to customers who stopped by during the demonstration. “Everything was delicious,” said Marissa Davis, project manager for the NJPHK-Trenton. “Not only did the girls have fun with their newfound culinary skills, but they asked if they could return the following week to cook again.” Monchy’s is one of four stores that have signed up to participate in Trenton’s Healthy Corner Store and Bodega initiative. The goal of the Healthy Store and Bodega initiative is to provide support store owners in offering healthier options including fresh fruits and vegetables. The goal is to increase […]
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August 23, 2012
Until recently, six year old Roberto had never dipped into a public pool or had any swim lessons. However, Roberto and a number of other New Brunswick neighborhood children, along with their parents were able to participate in a six-week swim program this summer every Friday night. Thanks to an agreement between the Raritan YMCA and Rutgers University Cook College, families from PRAB, Unity Square and Mae J. Strong Child Development Center were able to access the University’s pool to learn how to swim during off peak hours. Partnership agreements like these help improve the health of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity, while maximizing resources. “When we work together as a community, we’re empowered to give our children and families more opportunities to be active, and that’s critical to preventing obesity,” said Gina Stravic, President of the Raritan YMCA and Co-director of New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-New […]
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August 23, 2012
As NJPHK-New Brunswick’s Partnership Coordinator, Dr. Fatimah Williams Castro believes that creating healthy communities is the key to reversing the obesity epidemic. “Children need safe places to walk, bike and play and families need access to fresh foods at affordable prices,” Dr. Williams Castro explains. “My goal for NJPHK-NB is to cultivate a movement that draws on the strength of New Brunswick’s local assets, including community-based organizations and families and the research, corporate, health, and public sectors. Together, we can tackle this epidemic in New Brunswick and keep our kids and their families active and healthy.” Dr. Williams Castro joined the NJPHK-NB in June 2011. She holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Rutgers University. She has contributed to health research with the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and has a background in social movements, law, and urban studies. She spent a number of years in Honduras, Central America where […]
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August 23, 2012
More than 23 million children and teenagers (31.8 percent) ages two to 19 are obese or overweight. “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK) recognize the serious threat obesity poses to the health of America’s children and the importance of decreasing its prevalence not only in the state of New Jersey, but across the entire United States,” stated Darrin Anderson, Deputy Director, NJPHK. During the month of September, NJPHK communities will sponsor several activities to promote healthy environments. These events and activities include: Camden—Community playground build day in Northgate Park on October 20th New Brunswick—Community viewing of film written and produced by elementary school students on childhood obesity challenges faced in their community Newark—Community Build Day of a Born Learning Trail in Nat Turner Park on September 26, 27 and 28th Trenton—Ribbon cutting ceremony of first healthy cafeteria created in Trenton at Monument Elementary […]
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August 23, 2012
Courtney Price, NJPHK-Newark Project Manager Recalling one of my favorite books by Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach; James is a boy who longs for friends. One day he stumbles across a gigantic peach in a forest behind his house. Throughout the story the peach becomes his fortress inhabited by many who become something he always wanted—friends. The story goes on to end with the pit of the peach becoming the location for James’ mansion found in New York’s Central Park, which was open to all his new friends. If you’ve ever visited Central Park you’ll know how magical a park can be for a child. Some of Newark’s parks can be an exciting FREE trip and “magical” for young children and their families. With many open areas for uninhibited play, pools for swimming or trees for keeping cool, parks can leave a lasting impression on a child and […]
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August 23, 2012
Registration is now open for the Obesity Prevention in New Jersey Conference, scheduled for December 11, 2012 at the Hilton in East Brunswick. The conference theme is “The State of the State: Important Next Steps,” and will feature special guest speakers, as well as breakout sessions focused on various topics related to obesity prevention. Dr. Terry T-K Huang, Senior Advisor for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Obesity Research Task Force will serve as the keynote speaker for the morning events. In addition to his role at NIH, Dr. Huang serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He has conducted a great deal of research in the areas of pediatric obesity, metabolic syndrome, fetal and early childhood nutrition, and risks for obesity and chronic diseases. Dr. Marlene Schwartz, Deputy Director of the Rudd Center […]
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