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September 29, 2016
Family Dining Comes to Newark Head Start Starting in September, breakfast and lunch at Newark Public Schools (NPS) Head Start programs will be more than a meal. Four Head Start preschools will begin initiating family style dining, whereby students, teachers, and teacher aides will gather at small tables, serve themselves, enjoy a nutritious meal and talk about the food and the experience. “It will be an opportunity for learning,” said Victoria Stewart, NPS Health Coordinator, and a registered dietician, who is charged with making this Head Start requirement a reality at NPS. “With family style dining, all types of skill development can come into play.” Beyond the obvious like following directions, fine motor skills, self-help skills and social skills, Stewart noted that meals also can prompt simple lessons in science, math, spelling, language development, and, of course, nutrition. An NPS readiness goal for its Head Start program is that “children […]
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September 29, 2016
Aramark’s Building Community (ABC) is a community involvement initiative where employees lend a hand to various local centers and projects to help strengthen and enrich lives. On Tuesday, September 20, the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market was one of the stops Aramark employee volunteers made to support the market’s effort in promoting healthier living. As part of the project, volunteers built a farmer’s market stand; built, painted and planted flower beds, designed customer tote bags, and even sketched activities for kids on the blacktop. “We are so happy to see that Aramark is aligned with promoting access to healthy food and safer play areas for residents of the city of Trenton,” said Marissa Davis, project director for the New Hersey Partnership for Healthy Kids. Through the ABC grant, the YMCA was funded $5,000 to purchase essential supplies to help sustain the market’s value. Aramark started their Building Community Day back in […]
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September 29, 2016
Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market Showcased the Fun Side of Health at ‘Fit Fest’ Physical health and fun were the main menu items served during the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market’s Fit Fest on August 29. There were plenty of healthy activities and giveaways for market visitors, including free pedometers courtesy of Novo Nordisk. The Trenton YMCA gave away one week Guest Passes to patrons and even led a few Zumba sessions–a crowd favorite. “We want our residents to understand a healthy lifestyle incorporates both healthy foods and physical fitness,” says Marissa Davis, project director for the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids. Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson even stopped by the market to show his support of the market’s health initiatives. The summer interns from Capital City My Brother’s Keeper kept kids moving with jump ropes, hopscotch, and hula hoops. An inflatable, 22-foot water slide was on site to help visitors beat the heat and to keep hydrated. […]
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September 29, 2016
Valeria Galarza’s extended family embraces the culture and heritage of the Dominican Republic on her mother’s side, El Salvador on her father’s side, Puerto Rico on her husband’s side and the USA where Galarza and her husband were born and raised. Galarza is senior project manager for Cooper’s Ferry Partnership and project manager for New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Camden where she provides leadership to the Get Healthy Camden initiative. Get Healthy Camden seeks to advance policy, systems and environmental changes that create equity and sustainability for a healthier Camden. Thanks in large part to Galarza’s leadership, Camden City Council recently adopted a wellness resolution committing the City to consider health in all policies moving forward. Spanish was Galarza’s first language, and she gained command of English through ESL classes and exposure to Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. Being bi-lingual has proved to be a distinct advantage in a […]
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September 29, 2016
Have you registered for the 2016 Conference? If you and your team are looking for how to create a Culture of Health, then don’t wait to register for this full-day conference. You’ll hear takeaways from leading experts at the Center for Global Policy Solutions, New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids, Rutgers University, TCNJ, NJ Department of Health, Boston University, American Academy of Pediatrics, PolicyLink, University of Pennsylvania, New Jersey Health Initiatives and many more. FEATURED CONFERENCE SPEAKER Dr. Maya Rockeymoore President and CEO Global Policy Solutions (read bio) View Complete Agenda SHARE:
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August 24, 2016
According to the CDC, accidental drownings are a leading cause of death for children ages one to 14. Most YMCAs offer swimming lessons for young kids to teach the importance of water safety and the sport’s health benefits. In late 2015, the Raritan Valley YMCA was able to help more than 40 kids get their feet wet through a grant from the USA Swimming Foundation. In addition to physical health benefits, learning to swim at a young age is being linked to reaching developmental milestones more quickly than average, according to a study conducted at Griffith University on Science Daily’s website. The study surveyed parents of nearly 7,000 children under five years old from Australia, New Zealand, and the US over a three-year period. Professor Robyn Jorgensen, the lead researcher on the study, found that children who participate in early-years swimming achieve a broad range of skills sooner than the average population. According to Jorgensen, “Many of these skills help young children to transition more quickly into formal learning contexts such as pre-school or school.” Motor skills, oral expressions, and mathematics were other areas that showed a gap between kids who could swim and those who couldn’t. Click […]
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August 24, 2016
Marisa Barcia, Program Director at the Garfield YMCA, has a free ride to the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK) Annual Building a Culture of Health in NJ Conference on Wednesday, November 30, 2016. Barcia entered the NJPHK Facebook contest answering to the query “How Would You Reverse Childhood Obesity?” Her response (see below) was selected as the first prize winner, providing her with the opportunity to attend the 2016 Conference that will focus on “Advancing the Population of Health Agenda.” The question was personal for Barcia who has struggled with maintaining a healthy weight throughout her life and has seen her nine-year-old daughter, Valentina, face a similar challenge. “The YMCA and other organizations are providing more opportunities for people to get well,” said Barcia, “but there has to be a spark that ignites that desire from within and that can be harder to come by.” Barcia subscribes to […]
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August 24, 2016
4 Tips to Help Children Achieve A Healthy Weight One in three children in New Jersey are considered overweight or obese, and the state ranks 27th in the overall prevalence of childhood obesity. Also, nationally, the cost of childhood obesity health care is a staggering $14 billion per year. 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. New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK) is working with partners across New Jersey to implement environmental and policy changes that support access to affordable healthy foods and increase opportunities for physical activities that help children achieve a healthy weight. “Since 2009, we’ve expanded our impact to improve the health and well-being of children in more than 45 New Jersey communities,” said Darrin Anderson, state deputy director, […]
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August 19, 2016
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 71 percent of bicyclist fatalities occur in urban areas. Camden is taking action to make biking safer for its residents. The city is becoming a part of The Circuit Trails – a growing network of over 750 planned miles of interconnected community trails, branching from the greater Philadelphia area. The goal is to provide endless opportunities for recreation and commuting. Get Healthy Camden, the YMCA of Burlington & Camden Counties, Rutgers-Camden School of Nursing, New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and Cooper’s Ferry Partnership were among the organizations represented. Several Camden residents also participated in the nearly 10-mile tour which traveled through Camden’s north side neighborhood and among various highways. Ultimately, our goal is to make the bike trails safe and accessible to all residents,” said Valeria Galarza, Senior Project Manager for Cooper’s Ferry Partnership. “We’re even looking to plan a Ciclovia for Camden in the future.” Ciclovia is a Spanish word that means “bikeway” and is a designated bike route […]
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August 3, 2016
A new school year is quickly approaching which could mean increased time in front of computers for children. According to an article that appeared on AllAboutVision.com, 94 percent of American families with the kids have a computer in their home and 26 percent of children ages 8 to 18 have a personal laptop. Children who spend hours looking at computer screens are at risk of developing computer vision syndrome or other symptoms of digital eye strain. Symptoms of computer vision syndrome range from dry eyes, sensitivity to light, neck and back pain and blurred vision. The study also showed that the effects of spending hours looking at screens is damaging, and causes the prevalence of nearsightedness to rise amongst kids and teens. The American Optometric Association (AOA) has four tips that will help keep developing eyes from long-term damage: Have your child’s vision checked. Before starting school, every child should have a comprehensive eye exam, including near-point (computer and reading) and distance testing. Limit the amount of […]
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