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Camden County Nutrition Advocate, Robin Waddell, MPH, Receives New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids Champion Award

December 9, 2013

Originally published in The Collingswood Patch Camden County Nutrition Advocate, Robin Waddell, MPH, Receives New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids Champion Award Award recognizes significant contributions in the area of childhood obesity preventionNew Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK), a program of the Robert  Wood Johnson Foundation, presented its first “Healthy Kids Champion” award to Robin Waddell, MPH, of Delanco during  its Building Healthy  Communities Conference on December 4, 2013 at the Pines Manor in Edison, NJ. The award acknowledges Robin Waddell, MPH, County  Extension Department Head, Senior Program Coordinator of nutrition  education program in Camden County and the Southwest Regional Supervisor for Rutgers Cooperative Extension, for her outstanding support of the  organization’s mission to design and implement childhood obesity  prevention strategies that support access to affordable healthy foods  and increases opportunities for safe physical activity; and for her  outstanding efforts in advocating the implementation of breakfast in the classroom […]

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Progress Made and Lessons Learned

December 4, 2013

During the conference, six interactive workshops presented current thinking on policy and environmental change strategies that can increase opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity. Each moderated session featured discussion among experts in the field and enabled the audience to ask questions and move discourse further. Topics, moderators and panel members were as follows: Using Advocacy to Advance Health in All Policies: Fran Gallagher, executive director of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, moderated a panel on creating a movement and advocating for health in all policies to help build healthy, vibrant communities and inspire the creation of a national network to prevent childhood obesity. Leigh Ann Von Hagen, Rutgers University senior research specialist, and Marty Kearns, PreventObesity.net program director, addressed policy making across different sectors that influence health, public safety and education. Community-Based Strategies to Build Healthier Communities: Moderator William Lovett, New Jersey YMCA State […]

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Keynote Speaker Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Shares Insights on Healthier Living Through Shape Up Somerville

December 4, 2013

When it comes to creating a healthier city, it’s all about getting the city’s children eating smarter and moving more, according to Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone of Somerville, Massachusetts’ who served as the keynote speaker for the Building Healthy Communities conference. Located two miles northwest of Boston, Somerville, MA has a population of nearly 80,000 of which 36 percent of residents speak a language other than English and 12% live at or below the poverty level. A 2003 assessment of the city indicated that 46 percent of Somerville’s first- through third graders were overweight, or at risk of becoming overweight.  As a result, the city launched, “Shape Up Somerville, a major initiative geared toward reversing these statistics through increased daily physical activity and healthy eating. “As part of this initiative, we focused on programming, physical infrastructure improvements, and policy work aimed at schools, community groups, city government, civic groups and […]

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Celebrating Our Healthy Kids Champions

December 4, 2013

NJPHK’s Building Healthy Communities Conference offered nourishment for the mind and spirit; it also had a great deal of heart, exemplified by NJPHK’s Healthy Kids Champions. These first-ever awards were given to six individuals to recognize their commitment and hard work in driving environmental and policy changes and making their respective communities healthier places to live, learn and play. Nwando Anyaoku, MD was recognized as Newark’s Healthy Kids Champion for championing “Let’s Move! In the Clinic” and “Be Your Voice” in Newark. As director of General Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey and co-director of NJPHK-Newark, Anyaoku has been a guiding light for the partnership and for the children and families of Newark, leading them towards healthy choices and lifestyles. She is a recognized expert in the field of childhood obesity and co-director of NJPHK-Newark. Dan Fatton was recognized as Trenton’s Healthy Kids Champion for his leadership in the […]

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Mayors’ Town Hall A Big Hit

December 4, 2013

A town hall featuring New Jersey Mayors Ruben Bermudez (Vineland), James Cahill (New Brunswick), Joseph Delaney (Garfield), and Wayne Smith (Irvington) and moderated by News 12 morning anchor Carissa Lawson was a popular session. The mayors discussed specific community initiatives, as well as opportunities and challenges faced by their respective communities related to school wellness, complete streets, and physical activity.  Community success stories included a Ciclovia community event held in New Brunswick to promote active living for the entire community through open and car-free streets and the installation of bike lanes in Vineland. SHARE:

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Anderson Kicks off Building Healthy Communities Conference Showcasing the Work of Targeted Communities

December 4, 2013

Over 320 teachers, health professionals, social service leaders and other healthy community advocates attended the Building Healthy Communities Conference held at Pines Manor in Edison, NJ on December 4th.  NJPHK Deputy Director, Darrin Anderson kicked off the Conference on behalf of the co-sponsors: New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids, the YMCA, ShapingNJ, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and the American Academy of Pediatrics, New Jersey Chapter. Attendees viewed a video which highlighted the great work being done in all five NJPHK targeted communities.  Anderson then provided a brief overview about the new Healthy Communities Network that was recently launched with a number of community partners.  The goal of the Network is to increase the number of New Jersey communities implementing effective community prevention initiatives, and to collectively advance public policies that create a culture of health. SHARE:

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New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Camden Receives Best Collaborative Effort Award

November 14, 2013

Originally published on Cherry Hill Patch Award recognizes outstanding collaboration in implementing childhood obesity prevention strategies New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Camden (NJPHK-Camden), a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, announced today that it received the “Best Collaborative Effort of the Year” Award by the Non Profit Development Center of Southern New Jersey. Presented at the inaugural awards and networking event honoring local nonprofit agencies and leaders for excellence in service in South Jersey, NJPHK-Camden was recognized for its outstanding community action in implementing and strengthening childhood obesity prevention strategies to support access to healthy foods and increase opportunities for safe physical activity for children in Camden City. The NJPHK-Camden is co-directed by United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ) in Camden County and the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties.  NJPHK-Camden partnerships include:  Campbell Soup Company, Cooper’s Ferry Partnership,  and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Camden […]

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Bodegas, corner stores in Trenton pledge to stock more healthy food

November 2, 2013

Originally posted in the Times of Trenton There’s a big weight problem facing the city’s children today, but local officials and organizations believe the answer might be just around the corner — literally. Bodegas and corner stores across Trenton’s North Ward officially joined the fight against childhood obesity in the city yesterday, pledging their shelf space to more healthy foods like fruits, salads and yogurts in hopes of delivering better options to the families — and especially the children — who rely on the stores for quick, easy access to food. Organized by the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids, the program, part of the Trenton Healthy Food Network, officially kicked off yesterday in front of Monchy’s Deli on North Clinton Avenue. Already selling a number of healthy products for several weeks now, the store’s owner, Ramon Gomez, can barely keep the nutritious stuff in stock, he said. “The kids […]

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Woman on a Mission: Allison Gertel-Rosenberg, M.S.

October 31, 2013

As a child, New Jersey native Allison Gertel-Rosenberg, M.S., was empowered by her parents to “chase her dreams.”  Allison ran with that and has been on a mission to not only chase her dreams, but to make an impact and leave things better than they were before. As part of that mission, Allison has spent her career addressing some of the most important and challenging issues in public health. Widely recognized as an expert on public health and population health, she currently serves as Director of National Prevention and Practice for Nemours National Office of Policy and Prevention, leading efforts to spread and scale promising practices and strategic prevention initiatives designed to curb childhood obesity on a national scale. “When I was young, I wanted to be a doctor,” Allison said.  “I knew I wanted to help people, but it wasn’t until I took a public health class at Rutgers […]

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FoodCorps Partnership Broadens the Focus on Food, Food Access and Nutrition Education

October 31, 2013

A new healthy foods initiative brings together NJPHK-Camden, Campbell Soup Company, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey and the Center for Environmental Transformation with a goal to improve the school food environment and connect existing gardens. The initiative focuses on access to gardens, knowledge about nutrition, and engaging students, parents and community volunteers in building gardens, growing vegetables and improving awareness about healthy eating in schools and homes. Six sites have been identified through Campbell Soup Company’s Healthy Communities Initiative. They include four schools (Early Childhood Development Center, ECO Charter School, DUE Seasons Charter School, and Holy Name School) and two social services agencies (Respond, Inc. and Center for Family Services). Alexis Sangalang is onboard to help make it all happen. A FoodCorps service member, Sangalang will be instrumental in getting the initiative off the ground. She is already working with children at Center for Family Services […]

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