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July 29, 2016
The Trenton community learned the importance of staying hydrated during the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market Water Fest Event on July 25th. As part of the special event, many families took home free cases of canned water thanks to a generous donation from CannedWater4Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean drinking water to children internationally. Partnership for a Healthier America’s (PHA) Drink Up donated BPA-free water bottles to encourage community residents to drink more water. Most people don’t drink enough water on a regular basis,” said Marissa Davis, Project Director, New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids – Trenton. “When it’s hot, our bodies lose water faster than normal, so it’s important to encourage Trenton families to make a conscious effort to drink water—especially when they are more active in the summer.” As the heat index soared to 100 degrees on the day of the Water Fest, children and adults stayed cool by enjoying the giant and inflatable 22 ft. water slide. Educational water-themed activities like the ‘Sewer in a Suitcase’ allowed market visitors to get […]
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July 28, 2016
On Monday, July 25, USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon and the New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher visited Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market to participate in a special event commemorating the market as the first in the state to host a summer dinner program. Nearly one in two children in Trenton are overweight or obese. And according to a recent study released by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, residents in Trenton are more likely to have a shorter lifespan than neighboring communities. The study notes that a complex web of factors impacts the disparities that exist, including poverty, environmental factors and access to education, jobs, affordable housing, nutritious food, places for physical activity, health care, and social services. The Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market is just one way that Trenton is helping to close the health gap and increase longevity. Two years ago, the market location was a vacant parking lot. Today, […]
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July 20, 2016
Fun, entertainment, and health services were all part of the Camden-hosted “Let’s Move: Olympic Day” at Pyne Poynt Park on June 25. The event was free and open to the residents and offered plenty of space for children to run, play games, swim, and dance in one of the city’s beautiful parks. Health vendors lined walking paths and provided free health screenings and health services information to more than 200 visitors. “Creating a culture of health has been a big push for Get Healthy Camden and events like Olympic Day and Connect the Lots show residents how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle,” said Valeria Galarza, Senior Project Manager, Cooper’s Ferry Partnership and Project Director for New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Camden. The Camden Olympic Day event was a great tie-in to the August 2016 Summer Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This year, there are 30 New Jersey natives competing in a variety of Olympic Games and Trials. Worldwide events like the Summer Olympics also can be a motivator in kick starting a healthy journey in our local communities. […]
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July 20, 2016
Mothers are instrumental in shaping their kids’ diets; so it’s important that they understand how the food and behavioral choices they make can impact their child’s health from prenatal through childhood. A summer parenting workshop at the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity is bringing that knowledge to expectant mothers. The round-table discussion gets moms-to-be together twice a week to discuss pre-natal and post-delivery health and nutrition. Meanwhile, YMCA campers ages seven through 12, are also learning about nutrition and trying their hand at food preparation every Thursday. Christina Pin, a Montclair State University graduate student who is interning with the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Newark (NJPHK-N) this summer, is facilitating the two nutrition programs. Pin is pursuing a Master of Public Health and is bringing her knowledge into the workshops to help educate kids and expectant moms. “Health Promotion Intervention Aimed at Increasing Nutrition Education,” is the formal title […]
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July 20, 2016
Nearly 350 people attended the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market on Monday, June 27 and previewed art displayed as part of a pop-up gallery entitled “Gear Up with Nature” as part of a special Art Fest event. The gallery contained creations made by students at Artworks in Trenton, a downtown visual art center. The students created silhouettes of desert scenes on rice paper using bicycle parts and paper as stencils in a workshop. Residents also participated in various art-centered activities, and SAGE Coalition donated sketchbooks to make the event possible. Sidewalk chalk, acrylic paints, colored pencils and drawing paper were available for children to create their very own masterpieces on site. Market visitors also had the opportunity to have their portraits drawn by a 17-year-old local Artworks artist Bayron Calderon. “The event encouraged people to be creative because art is an aspect of living a healthy life,” said Lori Johansson, Greenwood Ave. […]
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July 20, 2016
Build it and they will come. That sort of visioning worked for baseball in Iowa in the film “Field of Dreams.” Could it produce a community garden behind a hardware store in Vineland? That’s what John Ruga wondered as he surveyed the empty field behind his store and envisioned Vineland residents planting, growing and harvesting fresh produce. Ruga, owner and operator of UR Hardware & General Store, knew that fresh vegetables were often hard to come by in the City of Vineland, and those that were available were expensive. He wanted to expand the garden section of his store, offer garden plots to residents and then watch those gardens grow. He shared his vision with Kim Tomlin a healthy living activist and community garden organizer, and it took off from there. Within a week Tomlin and Ruga put together a plan for establishing a community garden. They reached out to […]
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July 20, 2016
Live Healthy Vineland recognizes that funding one infrastructure project focused on the construction of new, or the enhancement of old pedestrian and bicycling facilities, will not be enough to change behavior and shift culture. That’s why New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Vineland (NJPHK-V), Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA, Vineland City’s Health and Engineering departments, and Vineland Public Schools—together applied for a second Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Grant. The goal is to continue the process of creating safe travel corridors for children to walk and bike to and from school. The grant focuses on the safety of children within a two-mile radius of a K- 8 elementary school, but the infrastructure projects facilitate travel for all residents in the community. “Vineland’s priority is increasing the safety of all those who bike or walk or would like to do so,” said David Calderetti, NJPHK-V project manager. The first phase of infrastructure improvements […]
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July 20, 2016
Originally posted on NJ Spotlight By Lilo Stainton July 19, 2016 A new analysis reveals that the difference between living in Trenton and nearby Princeton Junction isn’t just quality of life, it’s 14 years When it comes to living a long and healthy life, it turns out that few miles or a few digits in a ZIP code can mean a decade or more. Or 14 years, when it comes to the life-expectancy difference between those who reside in Princeton Junction and those who call Trenton home, according to a new analysis released today. The news — the work of researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation— came as no surprise to local healthcare officials and nonprofit leaders in Trenton. They’ve been working for years to help city residents live longer, healthier lives, by having access to doctors and mental health providers; homes free of lead and other health […]
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July 20, 2016
Originally posted on NJ.com By Cristina Rojas | For NJ.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on July 19, 2016 TRENTON — In Trenton’s South Ward, the average resident lives until 73. But in West Windsor, about 12 miles away, residents could expect to live up to 14 years longer, according to a new study released Tuesday. Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released life expectancy calculations for Mercer County as part of a larger series whose aim is to raise public awareness and spur action. “You can see pretty stark differences in life expectancy even in places that are relatively close to one another,” said Matthew Trujillo, a research associate with RWJF. The study notes that a complex web of factors impact the disparities that exist, including poverty, environmental factors and access to education, jobs, affordable housing, nutritious food, places for physical activity, health care and social services. “I think what […]
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July 20, 2016
Originally posted on NJ.com By Thomas Regan | For NJ.com Follow on Twitter on July 01, 2016 TRENTON — Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk will fund an initiative to improve the health of Trenton’s children and families, officials said. The program, called the Community Health Collaborative, will be coordinated by the Trenton Health Team and will look to educate parents and promote physical activity and healthy food choices for grade school children. “My administration has been working diligently with community partners to incorporate health considerations in all of our policies and planning efforts,” said Mayor Eric Jackson. “We look forward to a powerful collaboration aimed at building the long-term health of our community.” The Novo Nordisk funding will support programs designed to empower parents and caregivers, provide healthy food choices in schools, improve access to healthy, affordable foods, and increase physical activity. These programs will take the form of dramatic presentations, school gardening, cooking demonstrations, taste tests, […]
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