Recent Stories
May 13, 2015
Originally published in The Press of Atlantic City, Thomas Barlas-Staff Writer The baskets of apples, oranges and bananas are in plain sight for customers entering the Downtown Grocery and Deli on Wood Street. The location is perfect for enticing store customers to buy a healthy piece of fruit instead of an unhealthy snack, said Sara Paciocco, of the city’s Health Department. “It’s more available now that it’s in the open,” Paciocco said, adding she hopes more of the city’s mom-and-pop stores make the same kind of change. The Downtown Grocery and Deli is one of five local groceries participating in the New Jersey Healthy Corner Store Initiative. The program urges those stores to sell more fruit, fresh vegetables and other products lower in salt, sodium and fat. Officials with various health-related organizations visited the store Wednesday to help launch the program, which is also operating in Camden, Trenton, Newark and […]
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May 3, 2015
Since New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Camden (NJPHK-C) became a presence in the Camden community, significant progress has been made in the partnership’s efforts to focus on policy and environmental change to reverse the rate of childhood obesity: Camden schools and several faith-based service organizations have implemented wellness policies that guide food preparation and opportunities for physical activity. The school district has earned the recognition “Breakfast in the Classroom Champion” by being among the 20 New Jersey districts with the highest percent of eligible students eating breakfast. City parks in several neighborhoods have been reclaimed and refurbished by the residents and are now again sites for outdoor play. More corner stores now offer healthy food choices. These achievements are a tribute to the NJPHK-C coalition: Campbell Soup Company, the Food Trust, United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern NJ, and the YMCA of Burlington & Camden Counties. Together, these organizations […]
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May 3, 2015
This May, Newark is celebrating National Fitness Month in a big way with the introduction of CATCH in the city’s nine public preschools. CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) is an evidence-based, coordinated school health program designed to promote physical activity, healthy food choices and the prevention of tobacco use in children. Newark’s nine preschools will join the 8,500 CATCH schools and after-school organizations across America that are teaching children that eating healthy and being physically active every day can be fun. Dr. Marguerite Leuze, Health Services Director, Newark Public Schools has long been an advocate of CATCH. She brought the idea of piloting CATCH in four Newark preschools to New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Newark (NJPHK-N). She and Courtney Price, NJPHK-N Project Manager, took the concept to Samantha Lott-Velez, Interim Director, Office of Early Childhood, Newark Public Schools. Lott-Velez bought in immediately but envisioned all nine preschools benefiting from […]
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May 3, 2015
This spring, the Joyce Kilmer Middle School, is implementing A Comprehensive Approach to School Wellness. The approach will include environmental changes, such as the creation of a wellness room (complete with equipment), a cafeteria salad bar, expansion of the student garden, nutrition education for every student and physical fitness programming. The initiative is made possible through a generous grant from Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. Novo Nordisk, in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, saw significant opportunities to bring wellness initiatives to Trenton to target obesity. “The data from our community health improvement plan spoke volumes about the need for a wellness turnaround in the community,” said Marissa Davis, New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Trenton (NJPHK-T) project manager. “Novo Nordisk was looking for innovative, encompassing environmental changes, programming and education. They were seeking to partner and […]
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May 2, 2015
Volunteers are busy preparing for the official grand opening of the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market on Monday, June 15. The Greenwood Ave Farmers Market will be operated from the parking lot located at 427 Greenwood Avenue in Trenton and is scheduled to be open every Monday from 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm through October 26. The family-friendly market will showcase Jersey fresh and tropical fruits and vegetables, as well as meat, eggs, bread and bakery items. Vendors include: Isles (Urban Farmers), Norz Hill Farm, Food Bazzarre, Franca’s Bakery and Trenton Meat Farms. Physical activities, nutrition education, health screenings and live music are also planned as part of the weekly events. The market will accept SNAP and WIC vouchers. Opening day highlights include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, as well as taste tests and local entertainment. “We are excited to bring the farmers market to Trenton residents and help make the healthy choice […]
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May 2, 2015
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services tells us that youth need 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day where they live, learn, and play. In addition to health benefits, regular activity gets the brain charging. Research shows that when children are physically active, they achieve higher grades, record better attendance and their behavior improves. Since 2009, NJPHK has been focused on helping children and communities achieve a healthy weight through prevention strategies that support access to affordable healthy foods and increase opportunities for safe physical activity. The goal is to make the healthy choice the easy choice for everybody. SHARE:
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May 2, 2015
NJPHK-Vineland (NJPHK-V) and its partners are celebrating a Safe Routes to School grant with far-reaching potential. The $275,000 grant will be used to improve the infrastructure around Gloria M. Sabater Elementary School making the environment safer for walkers and bikers. Located in the city of Vineland, Sabater has the most walkers of the nine Vineland schools. The school has been a proponent of walk and bike to school days. Now, Vineland city engineers will add curbing, sidewalks and other improvements to the environment surrounding the school, which will ease the way for students. Vineland was one of 24 New Jersey municipalities that received a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant totaling, $275,000 from the state of New Jersey. “We are thrilled to be selected as one of the recipients of the Safe Route to School Grant,” said Lisa Scheetz, project manager of NJPHK-V, “Being awarded this grant is another great […]
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May 2, 2015
As one of the first Live Healthy Vineland initiatives, the Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA will be offering the YMCA diabetes prevention program. Classes for Vineland city employees kicked off at Vineland City Hall in April, followed by programs for the community at Bottino’s Shoprite Supermarket. The YMCA Diabetes Prevention program gives participants the skills and support they need to make lasting healthy lifestyle changes. “We are so thankful Bottino’s stepped up to sponsor this program for Vineland residents,” said Lisa Scheetz, project manager for New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Vineland. “Thanks to Bottino’s and the Y, participants will enjoy a safe space where they can feel comfortable sharing and learning in private. It’s all about achieving a healthy weight, boosting energy levels, reducing the risk for diabetes and improving health for life.” In addition, thank you to the Philadelphia Reinvestment Fund for providing a $10,000 grant to offer the YDPP […]
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May 2, 2015
A $450,000 grant from the Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) which is funded by the Center for Disease Control, is enabling New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Vineland (NJPHK-V) to take a giant leap towards community wellness. The $450,000 is an initial grant toward a three-year award of $1.35 million and will allow NJPHK-V to expand its efforts to help reduce chronic diseases such as obesity and address environmental factors contributing to health disparities that currently affect nearly 75 percent of all Vineland residents. As part of the “Collective Impact for Health Equity in Vineland City” initiative, NJPHK-V partnered with the Vineland City Health Department, Family Health Initiative, Stockton College and the Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA to win the grant. NJPHK-V will continue to work with these partners and others within Vineland to advance health equity. Within three years, the goal is to have healthier food choices in more corner […]
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May 2, 2015
To celebrate New Jersey Walk and Bike to School Month in April — and to keep momentum going through the school year — some Trenton schools are learning about Safe Routes to School and applying that knowledge when they walk and bike to school. Safe Routes to School is an important part of the District Wellness Policy, which encourages students to walk and bike to school where it is safe to do so and commits to working with authorities to identify and improve the areas where it is not safe. Monument Elementary was an early participant in the Safe Routes to School program. This year, several more schools have joined the movement. Jerry Foster, Transportation Safety Educator for Greater Mercer TMA, led assemblies at Christopher Columbus Elementary, Grant Elementary, Paul Robeson Elementary, Joyce Kilmer Middle School and Woodrow Wilson Elementary. At Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, the assembly was […]
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