Recent Stories
September 21, 2014
There’s a healthy alternative to ice cream and ice pops on the way. New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Vineland (NJPHK-Vineland) is working with the Rutgers University Food Innovation Centerto produce and distribute green wave smoothie pops which blend fruits and greens to provide a refreshing and healthy summer popsicle. The pops will use produce from local farmers. “Our goal is to sell healthy food at concession stands during the summer months,” says Lisa Scheetz, NJPHK-Vineland project manager. “We will distribute the pops to the Y for its summer camps and to concession stands at local ball parks, as well as to our corner stores and Vineland public schools.” SHARE:
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September 21, 2014
The road to wellness in Vineland public schools has had some detours and standstills, but a critical milestone has been achieved: effective September 2014, Vineland Public Schools commenced the new school year with an improved Wellness Policy that commits to providing students with healthy foods; supporting nutrition education; and making daily physical activity a priority. Several components of the policy are particularly important for addressing obesity among children in Vineland, according to Sara Paciocco, health education field representative for the city of Vineland Department of Health. The District has committed to championing nutrition education and to communicating with parents about healthy food and physical activity. The policy also endorses establishing staff wellness councils that can guide staff in how to encourage a healthy lifestyle. A Safe Routes to School clause in the policy commits the board to assessing and “if necessary and to the extent possible” making improvements to facilitate […]
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September 21, 2014
Focused on youth, healthy living and community development, the Living Hope Empowerment Center (LHEC) is a faith-based community development corporation empowering residents of Trenton towards self-sufficiency and economic independence. Led by executive director Francis Blanco, LHEC has been instrumental in several partnership initiatives, spearheading healthy corner stores and advocating for broader policy and planning approaches to promote healthy communities. Blanco has been the co-chair of the Access to Healthy Foods work group for the past two years and is now the chair of the Trenton Healthy Food Network. ”Francis Blanco is an avid supporter of NJPHK-Trenton and incorporates our goals into the mission of Living Hope Empowerment Center, an organization that is doing some amazing things in the areas of health and wellness,” said Marissa Davis, New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Trenton (NJPHK-Trenton) project manager. Blanco joined LHEC in 2010 when the organization, founded by Living Hope Church pastors, went […]
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September 21, 2014
Seven New Brunswick houses of worship and the pastoral care office of RWJ University Hospital are in the planning phase of drafting wellness policies that will orient their approach to food preparation and physical activity for church events and programs and outreach activities. The churches previously participated in Faith, Body & Soul, an initiative with multiple phases of wellness education and fitness challenges. That three-year project ended in February and now each church wants to build a sustainable infrastructure that will ensure continued emphasis on wellness regardless of changes in leadership or programs. Jaymie Santiago, project manager of New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-New Brunswick, is working with the churches to develop the wellness policies. “A wellness policy is the key step in creating the infrastructure that will enable health and wellness to thrive and continue. Each house of worship has informal policies in place that we need to gather, […]
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September 21, 2014
Thanks to a Department of Health mini grant to NJPHK-Camden, Urban Promise students built a community garden, piloted a Farm-to-School program and recently shared their harvest with their good friend and supporter, Diane Sawyer, former anchor of ABC World News. SHARE:
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September 21, 2014
NJPHK-Camden is working with UrbanPromise Ministries and Camden Community Charter School to tailor and adopt wellness policies that will influence nutrition, food choices and physical activity. Both schools also plan to pilot a farm-to-school community garden that will allow children to grow fruits and vegetables for the school cafeterias. Provided with a mini-grant from NJ Healthy Communities to help underwrite the effort, the schools hope to sign off on the wellness policies in time for the 2014-2015 school year. SHARE:
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September 21, 2014
Nearly 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 families and communities to make healthy changes together. NJPHK and its partner organizations are focused on reversing the childhood obesity epidemic. We have developed strategies to change public policies and improve local environments to make all communities healthier—especially those in New Jersey that have the highest rates of obesity. Our priorities include: Making the healthy choice the easy choice Working with policy leaders and community members to enagact changes that create healthier communities Developing a sustainable food and physical activity system that provides local counties, municipalities […]
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September 1, 2014
Camden’s UrbanPromise Wellness Center garden is a true oasis. The 17 raised beds, forming the shape of a labyrinth, provide a restful retreat, a bounty of fresh vegetables, and a source of wonder for the Urban Promise school children who plant seeds in the garden and watch them grow. “The overall goal of the UrbanPromise Wellness Center is to reduce the impact of toxic stress on everyone in the UrbanPromise community,” explained Rebecca Bryan, the Wellness Center Director. “We’re always trying to help kids get through adverse times in a healthier way. A labyrinth is a sacred space, a quiet, reflective space but at same time ours is a source for good nutrition and heathy eating.” An early rudimentary garden took root in 2013. A mini-grant from New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Camden (NJPHK-C) helped to expand the garden program this year. Bryan said that many families and children are […]
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July 16, 2014
This summer, children in East Camden will be able to play and engage in structured activities at four Camden parks, thanks to the addition of Stockton Park to the summertime programs run by the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties from June 30 through August 29. “We are thrilled to extend this popular program to another neighborhood park,” says Valeria Galarza, New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Camden (NJPHK-Camden) project manager. “The partnership has always advocated for the use of city parks, and working closely with the city of Camden, the YMCA was able to lead this program to continue its growth within the community.” NJPHK-Camden is also working with other organizations to present structured activities in city parks. Activities offered may include arts and crafts; clinics to teach and enhance skills in soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball and field hockey; and CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health), a YMCA program designed […]
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July 16, 2014
The beginnings of what would become an obesity “tsunami” in the U.S. tracks back to 1982 according to Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, MD, FAAP, director of General Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, and co-chair of New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Newark (NJPHK-Newark). By 2010, 44 percent of children ages 3 to 19 in Newark, NJ had a body mass index (BMI) of 44.2 percent, putting them at risk for obesity and in grave danger of developing serious illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes and pulmonary disease, normally associated with older adults. Dr. Anyaoku has dedicated her career to helping families address childhood obesity through healthy lifestyle choices. In 2013, she was an early champion of “Let’s Move in the Clinic and Community!”, a healthy lifestyle toolkit designed to help health care providers talk with patients and families about setting small, achievable nutrition and physical activity goals. The New Jersey […]
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