Recent Stories
September 10, 2015
General Mills is the first corporate employer in Vineland to join the Healthy Worksite Program as part of the Live Healthy Vineland initiative. “General Mills is a great win for the community, and its location across from South Vineland Park gives us a chance to reintroduce to park to General Mills’ 400 employees and use the grounds and its amenities,” said David Calderetti, project manager for New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Vineland (NJPHK-V). The first step is to form a Wellness Committee and then survey the needs and desires of employees and leadership. “Healthy Worksite is not a one-size fits all initiative,” explained Calderetti. “We use proven CDC methods to understand what makes sense for a given employer and the employees.” And there’s more: Employers from the public sector are also engaged. The Vineland Public School District has agreed to be a Healthy Worksite for its 2,300 employees. In addition, […]
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September 10, 2015
Eat your fruits and veggies this month and join the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s pledge to fight obesity by participating in their September initiative. The Fruits and Veggies—More Matters® campaign is a health initiative focused on helping Americans increase fruit and vegetable consumption for better health. The program, led by the Produce for Better Health Foundation has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention to help spread the word about the health benefits of adding more fruits and veggies to your diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest 5 – 7 portions of fruit and vegetables should be consumed on a daily basis. Doing so may help reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers. Research shows that over 90% of all Americans do not eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables. To meet these recommendations, most need to […]
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September 10, 2015
This summer kids from Burlington and Camden Counties had the opportunity to cool off, have fun and learn valuable swim skills through the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties’ Free Swim Safe water safety program. Focusing on confidence building, the program taught children, ages six to 12, basic swimming skills as well as safety practices while in and out of the water. The program was started to address a major need in the counties – to provide affordable, local swim lessons and swim safety to those who would otherwise not have access due to a lack of resources and instruction. The YMCA has been a leader in providing swim lessons to youth for over 100 years so the program was a perfect fit for the organization and its staff to come together and make a difference with the children of the communities they serve. “We are so happy to be […]
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September 10, 2015
In Trenton, NJPHK is led by Isles Inc. and the YMCA of Trenton. This month we spotlight our partner by taking a look at its growth and support of Trenton’s community gardens. As part of its mission to revitalize communities, train and educate and promote healthy living, Isles, a community development and environmental organization, has supported community gardens with technical training, seeds and seedlings, tools, and site assessments for more than 33 years. The Isles Garden Support Network (IGSN) currently supports over 60 school and community gardens, helping individuals, families, students and teachers actively take part in the ‘grow your own’ movement. “I’ve been with Isles for seven years,” said Jim Simon, Urban Agriculture Manager. “When I started, we supported about 30 gardens; it is amazing that in the time since, we’ve more than doubled the number of gardens.” The four members of the Isles agriculture team, along with many […]
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September 10, 2015
One in three children in the United States is overweight or obese. Childhood obesity puts kids at risk for health problems that were once seen only in adults, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The good news is that childhood obesity can be prevented. In honor of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids encourages your family to make healthy changes together. Here are a few tips: Get active outside: Walk around the neighborhood, go on a bike ride, or play basketball at the park. Limit screen time: Keep screen time (time spent on the computer, watching TV, or playing video games) to 2 hours or less a day. Make healthy meals: Buy and serve more vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain foods. Taking small steps as a family can help your child stay at a healthy weight. With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, […]
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September 9, 2015
The place to be in Vineland this summer was at Giampietro Park for sunrise yoga on Monday mornings. The yoga series was the most popular Park Hop event, drawing the biggest crowds—at 7:30 A.M. “We’re assessing all of the events in the series,” David Calderetti, project manager for NJPHK-V, said. “We’re relaunching Park Hop in October and we’re taking a look at the events that drew the largest crowds to see what will be of most interest to residents in the fall.” Park Hop, sponsored by Live Healthy Vineland, took shape through the collaboration of Vineland Health Department, the Cumberland Cape County YMCA and NJPHK-V. It gave residents a chance to enjoy the parks and participate in loosely organized activities from walking to Frisbee to yoga. October’s schedule of parks and activities is being firmed up, but it’s a safe bet that yoga will make the list. Residents began to […]
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September 9, 2015
Fifty Vineland children will have more confidence facing the water thanks to free swimming lessons sponsored by the Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA. David Calderetti, project manager for NJPHK-V underscored the importance of learning to swim with a few sobering facts: Drowning is the number 2 cause of accidental deaths among children ages one to 14. Two children die every day as a result of drowning. Eight percent of kids who drown do so under adult supervision; usually safety is just 10 feet away. Calderetti stresses that learning to swim is especially important for city children who don’t grow up with backyard pools or swim club memberships. “Kids who are not exposed to water may not fear it. They’re apt to just jump in. Once they hit the water they panic because they don’t know what to do.” Recognizing the importance of teaching swimming and water safety, the Cumberland Cape Atlantic […]
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September 9, 2015
Newark’s Mildred Helms Park is a jewel in the city, but in past years, some of its luster has been diminished by street crime and general neglect. The 3.3-acre park sits in the center of a residential area, providing a wooded, shady oasis; visitors enjoy a gazebo, playground equipment and walking trails. Recognizing the need for a safe and healthy playground, the Trust for Public Land launched a revitalization effort for Mildred Helms Park about 10 years ago. Today, The Mildred Helms Resurrection Committee, comprising residents, organizers and volunteers, continues to restore the park to its former glory. While it’s not quite there yet, their effort has made significant progress, including new landscaping and street lights. Courtney Price, project manager for New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Newark (NJPHK-N) read about the revitalization and thought this could be an ideal location to house a family friendly “Fitness Zone,” for all ages […]
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September 7, 2015
The start of the school year means early mornings, busy schedules and a calendar full of activities and assignments. With so much going on, it is important to ensure that kids have proper nourishment to help keep their minds and bodies focused and energized throughout the year. Packing healthy lunches is a simple, effective way to help kids start the school year off on the right foot. New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK) recognizes how important it is for parents to provide their children with healthy foods and the significant impact a healthy diet can have in the classroom and beyond. “Sending kids to school with a healthy packed lunch can help them succeed in and out of the classroom. When children have a well-balanced diet they can focus on their studies instead of their stomachs,” said Darrin Anderson, Deputy Director of NJPHK. “We, at NJPHK, continue to work […]
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July 9, 2015
On Sunday, June 14, 2015 the residents of New Brunswick came together once again for the second Ciclovia event of the year. This free event, sponsored by New Brunswick Tomorrow, the City of New Brunswick, Johnson & Johnson and Rutgers University, closed the city streets from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. so that residents and visitors could participate in over a dozen activities spanning over a three mile route. The purpose of Ciclovia is to promote a community of health and wellbeing through a multitude of physical activities and health awareness initiatives. Healthy activities included group fitness classes, a pop-up skate park, an inflatable water slide, a splash zone to cool down, live music, health screenings and more. Attendees were encouraged to visit and participate in each activity – making their way by walking, running, biking or skating along the course. Ciclovias originated in Bogotá, Colombia and have since emerged […]
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