Recent Stories
June 21, 2016
Park Hop, which offered Vineland residents opportunities to engage in planned physical activity at various Vineland city parks, was a welcome event last summer and this spring. But finding ways to sustain Park Hop activities through community and volunteer efforts has been less successful…until now. Starting in May, Park Hop-type activities became part of Vineland Fourth Fridays. “Instead of organizing and coordinating separate events, we are combining Park Hop with Fourth Fridays and providing fun physical activities for kids,” said David Calderetti, Project Manager of New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Vineland (NJPHK-V). One activity that helps kids move more is giant Tic-Tac-Toe, where two teams of participants run and drop bean bags on open squares to make the X and win the game. The activity combines both physical activity and mental stimulation. Calderetti said that Live Healthy Vineland also is looking for more opportunities to piggyback on existing events and […]
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June 21, 2016
First Market to Provide Summer Meals for Kids With a successful launch during the summer of 2015 under its belt, the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market is bringing locally grown produce to Trenton residents every Monday, beginning June 13 through October 24 from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Local vendors offer visitors access to affordable, fresh, Jersey-grown fruits and vegetables and tropical fruits each week. The market also offers free health screening services for blood pressure, glaucoma, and body mass index (BMI), food demonstrations, exercise and free recipes for patrons to be able to make the healthy dishes at home. Residents using SNAP, WIC and SFMNP vouchers will also benefit from matching dollars for fruit and vegetables. This year’s opening day will be a fun community day complete with music, games and giveaways. Also, new this year, the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market will be a USDA Summer Meal site for children […]
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June 21, 2016
To most people, Joshua Pantoja Jr. appears to be an ordinary kid. In his spare time, he plays basketball, soccer, baseball and crazy kickball. But that’s where ordinary ends and extraordinary begins. At 10 years old, this creative, talented and funny fourth grader from Hamilton, NJ, is a gourmet cook and has been honing his culinary craft since about age 8. As early as age 5, he began spending a lot of time in the kitchen with his grandmother watching and learning how to cook different recipes. Over the years, she taught him how to measure, as well as combine various Latin seasonings and flavorings. He also found himself consumed with cooking shows but was afraid to touch the stove because of his small stature. Joshua and his mother Magaly Pantoja were among the first group of families to attend the Frost Valley YMCA Healthy Family Retreat in November 2015. Located on more than 5,500 acres in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, the retreat was co-sponsored by the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids. During the weekend, Joshua learned how to make healthy apple turnovers and kale […]
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June 21, 2016
A two-mile route beginning at Senior Street and ending at the corner of Joyce Kilmer and Juliet Street in New Brunswick, New Jersey was closed to traffic on Sunday, April 24th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm to make room for the first New Brunswick Ciclovia of 2016. The free, citywide event opened its streets to New Brunswick residents to promote healthy active living, with numerous activity stations along the route. As part of the event, residents walked, ran, biked and skateboarded in the streets. Neighbors also engaged with one another through a variety of activities, including dance, yoga, and Zumba classes. In addition, participants were exposed to many of the city’s attractions, parks, and local businesses. According to New Brunswick Tomorrow’s Monica Reyes, “This year’s event also included health screenings, obstacle courses, a live band and admission to HereNow, the Zimmerli Art Museum’s digital gallery and exhibition which celebrated […]
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June 21, 2016
A strong community is a powerful foundation for creating a culture of health. Connect the Lots is Camden’s community-driven initiative aimed at bringing the Camden community closer. With help from the Kresge Foundation, Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, the City of Camden, and local residents and stakeholders, this city-wide initiative is utilizing Camden’s under-used open spaces and vacant lots to host games, exercise classes, movie nights, artistic workshops and live music for its residents. From June to September 2016, many activities and events will be happening weekly in various lots and parks throughout the city including Pyne Poynt Park, Dudley Grange Park, and Roosevelt Plaza Park. Cooper’s Ferry Senior Project Manager Val Galarza hopes that Connect the Lots will get residents outside for the summer. “We want this event to showcase all the great places that Camden has to offer and get people moving and embracing the culture of health we’re building,” […]
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June 21, 2016
Your voice can be a powerful tool in pushing for social changes around the world. That’s according to Monifa Bandele, senior campaign director for food justice and children’s nutrition at MomsRising. Bandele gave advice about getting your voice heard above the noise in today’s super-connected world to 40+ local residents, nurses, and child obesity advocates during the “How to Use Your Superpowers and Get Your Voice Heard!” Workshop on June 1st at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, NJ. The event was sponsored by the New Jersey Healthy Communities Network as part of its Communities of Practice series. During the meeting, Bandele explained how MomsRising takes on the most critical issues facing women, mothers, and families by educating the public and mobilizing massive grassroots actions to: Bring the voices and real world experiences of women and mothers straight to our local, state, and national leaders; Amplify women’s voices and […]
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May 22, 2016
Wellness has been on the forefront in Vineland public schools since the Board adopted a wellness policy in 2014. Now the District has created a District Wellness Team to support the individual schools and to filter information within the district about wellness best practices and opportunities for funding. Chelsea Welch, field representative for the Vineland Department of Health, is working with the Team. She got involved when she saw that funding opportunities from Sustainable Jersey and other sources were not getting the necessary traction because the District lacked a central “clearing house” to review opportunities and get the word out to the various schools. “The District team brings 17 diverse representatives together to consider the opportunities for grant funding, generate ideas for grants and help to focus and push funding applications forward,” Welch explained. “The goal is to consolidate efforts and focus on grants and programs that are best for […]
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May 22, 2016
Last year, Greenwood Ave.’s first urban market gave nearly 4,000 Trenton residents access to locally grown fruits and vegetables to ignite healthier living. Not a typical farmers market, the goal of the market was to help make the healthy choice the easy choice by offering on-site free health screenings, live cooking demonstrations, lessons in nutrition and weekly physical fitness activities. Greenwood Ave.’s second market season opens every Monday beginning June 13, 2016 through October 24, from 2 – 6 PM. Each week, the market will feature Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables. Matching dollars will be provided for residents using SNAP, WIC and FMNP vouchers. Health screenings, nutrition education, cooking demonstrations and live music will also be included in the weekly activities. For the first time, the farmers market will also provide free dinner for children ages 18 and under as a part of the USDA Summer Food Service meal site […]
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May 22, 2016
A fun afternoon was had by everyone who came out to celebrate the Trenton YMCA’s Healthy Kid’s Day on April 30. Trenton’s Healthy Kids Day event was one of 23 separate events across New Jersey. Held from 10 am – 2 pm, the event provided local residents with music, games, prizes, and plenty of health-conscious vendors who shared their knowledge with the community. Trenton’s Healthy Kids Day encouraged kids to go outside and play. A passport listing all participating organizations was given to every child who came to the event. After kids filled their respective passports with stamps from each table, they received a free t-shirt. At the NJPHK-Trenton table, kids received plant seedlings with Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market stickers, promoting its June 13 opening day. Along with the passport, games and a live DJ, the event also included tours of the facilities, a rock climbing wall, circus aerialists and […]
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May 22, 2016
“Basic human needs have to be fulfilled” … “Education is most important to bring to the community” … “Children need proper outlets for physical activity.” These were among the comments shared by individuals who came together on May 3rd for an All Partners Meeting to explore solutions to getting one step closer to building a Culture of Health in Camden. Valeria Galarza, senior project manager for Cooper’s Ferry Partnership facilitated the two-hour meeting attended by more than 80 people and included suggestions and ideas from speakers, residents, and partners, all concerned about the South Jersey city’s future and its citizens. Galarza kicked off the meeting with the unveiling of the new Get Healthy Camden initiative, which focuses on food access, physical activity and school wellness. Cooper’s Ferry Partnership’s Vice President of Neighborhood Initiatives Meishka Mitchell provided background information on the Camden Collaborative Initiative, the umbrella organization that Get Healthy Camden […]
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