Recent Stories
July 31, 2017
[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”13″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_slideshow” gallery_width=”840″ gallery_height=”521″ cycle_effect=”fade” cycle_interval=”7″ show_thumbnail_link=”0″ thumbnail_link_text=”[Show picture list]” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″] photos by Vintage Dope Photography Residents of the Trenton community learned the importance of water conservation and hydration during the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market’s Water Fest on Monday, July 31. During the event, children participated in educational activities at water-themed stations around the market and even play on a 22-ft. water slide. “We want the community to understand the importance of getting enough to drink whether they are playing sports, traveling, or just sitting in the sun,” said Chelsea Jackson, Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market manager. Activities include various water-themed STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) exhibits, a sand art creation booth, and games that include fishing for prizes. Residents will also learn facts about the Delaware River, and the dangers of water pollution. SHARE:
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July 31, 2017
Vineland has one of the highest rates of chronic health diseases in the state. While preschools have served as a great avenue for health intervention in the community, delivering health promotion information directly to preschool parents has proved challenging. So, the Live Healthy Vineland team decided to take an unconventional approach and leverage pre school family workers as a conduit to families. “The preschool family workers already had direct access to the parents and caregivers on a regular basis and were better able to support their needs,” said Alysia Mastrangelo, PT, Ph.D., and Professor at Stockton University. “We just needed to equip them with the appropriate health education resources.” The Strong Mothers for Strong Families (Madres Fuertes para Familias Fuertes) project officially kicked off its new effort during the summer of 2016 with focus groups that included preschool family workers, teachers, school nurses and other staff members. The innovative program provided training for frontline preschool staff on topics such as nutrition, physical activity, tobacco cessation and chronic disease prevention for children, parents, and caregivers. “We knew to be successful we had to expand our support to include more services related to basic needs and chronic disease prevention,” said Betsy Erbaugh, Ph.D., lead researcher for Strong Moms for Strong Families and Assistant Professor at Stockton. Through the preschool family workers, hundreds […]
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July 6, 2017
During the 2016-2017 school year, 14 Trenton elementary schools participated in The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, a federally assisted program providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to students during the school day, outside of their regular meal. “Providing fresh fruits and vegetables is one way to improve children’s overall diet and create healthier eating habits, which will benefit their present and future health,” said Denise Holguin, Director of Meal Program Growth for Aramark, the food service provider for Trenton schools. The program helps schools create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices; expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience; and increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption. The program exposed school children to different types of produce like starfruit, mango and organic colorful carrots, in addition to more familiar apples, oranges and tomatoes. Some teachers developed lessons around the produce, for example, asking children to measure the […]
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July 5, 2017
Saturday, June 3rd launched the start of Vineland’s Spring Park Hop 2017. The event, sponsored by Vineland Health Department and the Vineland YMCA “Live Healthy Vineland,” kicked-off a month of physical activities for all ages held throughout Vineland through June 29. Activities included big ball kickball, yoga, body conditioning, dance cardio and more. Park Hop is a great opportunity for residents to come out and enjoy time together with their families while learning new ways to exercise together. SHARE:
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July 5, 2017
[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”10″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_imagebrowser” ajax_pagination=”1″ template=”default” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″] The Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market officially opened on Monday, June 12 for its third season as the safe and inviting community gathering place for residents to have access to healthy, affordable food options, health screenings, and summer fun. The high heat index didn’t stop almost 250 residents and commuters from enjoying the market’s opening day which included health screenings, games, healthy tasting demonstrations, music by Miss Sue Miss Sue, and more. New vendors Juicin’ with Judy, Capital City Farm, and Local 130 Seafood also were a big hit among customers. A new video highlighting the benefits of the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market and how it has contributed to creating a culture of health since its inception in 2015 was recently released. The video features customer, vendor and staff testimonials about the market’s positive influence on the Trenton community. The […]
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July 5, 2017
Summer is finally here, and it’s the perfect time of year to get outside and explore new places with friends and family. July is National Park and Recreation Month, and New Jersey’s national and state park system has a summer calendar that is packed with activities and events for all ages. National Park and Recreation Month is an initiative of the National Recreation and Park Association to encourage people to visit, appreciate, and experience local, state, and national parks. New Jersey is home to over 60 beautiful parks and forests. These parks are open to the public for most of the year. Each park has a plethora of family-friendly activities like: Nature Trails (Cape May Point State Park and Ringwood State Park) Historic Reenactments and Landmarks (Morristown National Historical Park, Washington Crossing State Park, and Monmouth Battlefield State Park) Lighthouses (Absecon Lighthouse House Historic Site) Astronomy Observatories (Voorhees State Park). […]
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July 5, 2017
Birthday cakes are being traded in for a healthier option for the Raritan Valley YMCA. On Thursday, June 8, parents of two-year-old Sonika brought in a cake made entirely of fruit to celebrate her birthday. Since adopting the Healthy U program, an updated policy about birthday treats was issued for the Raritan Valley YMCA’s on-site childcare center and includes the following statement: “Birthdays are an important milestone in a young child’s life, and we like to celebrate them. As a promoter of the Healthy U program, we would like our parents to choose healthy options to celebrate birthdays, for example instead of cupcakes, bring in special fruits your child likes to share.” The Healthy U initiative promotes healthy changes by providing nutrition education and implementing behavioral changes in preschoolers. “We’re very optimistic that healthy changes like this will help shape the culture of health here at the YMCA,” said executive […]
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July 5, 2017
Award recognizes leadership and commitment in creating changes that surround families with opportunities to make healthy choices The New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK) was recently presented with one of the first Department of Health Population Hero Award in the category of Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration. Presented on June 7th during the Department of Health’s annual Population Health Summit at Rider University attended by more than 350 public health professionals, the award acknowledges NJPHK’s leadership and collaboration in improving health through leadership and innovation. “Shifting the healthcare system’s focus to wellness and collaborating with communities to build healthier environments that promote wellness are cornerstones of the Department’s work,” said Health Commissioner Cathleen D. Bennett. “Inspiring initiatives to improve Population Health are ongoing in every region of our state, and it’s important that we shine a spotlight on this incredible work not only to honor our awardees but to encourage others.” “NJPHK […]
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July 5, 2017
Passion for people is a phrase that best describes Gary and Bonnie Graham. As the former executive director of the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, Gary led the effort of partnering with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to bring New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids to life in 2009. Since Gary’s retirement in 2012, the Grahams have hosted the annual Graham Social Responsibility Conference of the New Jersey State Alliance. The seed funds for the initial conference came from Kathy Dunn, a former YMCA executive. Over the past four years, the conference has grown to nearly 350 YMCA employees and community partners attending every year. The goal is for individuals to understand social responsibility and their role as a community advocate, as well as collaborate with partners and have actionable plans for community impact. “It’s really about getting beyond the implicit bias we all have and showing people that you care,” said Gary Graham in a recent telephone interview. Gary has […]
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June 9, 2017
Healthy employees make for a happier work environment, and Elwyn of New Jersey understands just how important that balance can be for their employees. Since 2015, Live Healthy Vineland has worked with local organizations such as Elwyn New Jersey to implement healthy workplace strategies. Elwyn is a human service organization serving disabled and disadvantaged individuals. The organization has created a successful program where its employees and individuals are living and working in a culture of health. As part of its healthy workplace initiative, Elwyn’s management and employees observe National Walk to Work Day, host health fairs where employees can learn about community-based health and wellness resources and have established a wellness council to support and encourage healthy living among employees. Christina Belony, a lead technician for the Dorothy Group Home, has been an employee at Elwyn for 17 years. Belony is a major health advocate both at work and home, […]
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