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July 2, 2013
In 2009, when the New Jersey YMCA was looking for a state deputy director for its new childhood obesity prevention program office, they wanted an individual with experience in non-profit executive management, statewide advocacy and public policy, and someone who understood the complexities of chronic diseases. Darrin Anderson certainly fit the bill. As deputy director of New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK), Anderson brings an impressive background in non-profit executive leadership, coupled with extensive experience and education in exercise physiology, chronic disease management and public policy. He is responsible for all aspects of NJPHK’s program development and operations, including grant management, partnership development, technical assistance activities, communications and sustainability planning. He also is the associate executive director of the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, where he is a liaison for the 41 corporate YMCAs, and serves as an adjunct faculty member at Springfield College School of Human Services, which […]
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June 30, 2013
Is childhood obesity prevention the real issue, or is it about creating equitable healthy communities through social responsibility? That was the topic of a roundtable discussion led by Darrin Anderson, Ph.D., deputy director of NJPHK, who represented the Partnership at the 7th Biennial Childhood Obesity Conference held in mid-June in Long Beach, Calif. The gathering is the nation’s premier conference on issues related to childhood obesity. Anderson says childhood obesity prevention through environment/policy change has transitioned into a discussion about social equity/advocacy, and while it’s not an easy discussion, it’s an important one to have. “People have a tendency to talk about ethnicity and race rather than looking at the issue from an equality and environmental perspective. For instance, if you’re looking to bring fresh produce to a community, you have to look at the environment in which people live. If the environment doesn’t offer that, what can we do […]
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June 30, 2013
NJPHK Deputy Director Darrin Anderson was one of 15 panelists participating in a Designing Healthy Communities Town Hall on April 30 in New York City. The event was broadcast on three PBS tri-state stations in May. The town hall brought together experts from various fields to discuss characteristics of unhealthy communities and how they can be changed. It was part of a PBS series that explores issues of community design and health costs, based on the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, cancer and depression. Dr. Richard Jackson, who hosts and narrates the series, has been researching this concept for many years. He believes that today’s generation of children runs the risk of having shorter life spans than their parents, resulting from unhealthy lifestyles. He also believes this outlook can be reversed by well-designed communities. During the session, Anderson spoke to the issues of obesity and health related to […]
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June 6, 2013
Originally published in RedBankGreen.com By SARAH KLEPNER Chef Zeet Peabody shows Red Bank Primary School students around the Monmouth Street garden of the JBJ Soul Kitchen. (Photo by Sarah Klepner) Brandy Balthazar’s third-grade class of English Language Learners at the Red Bank Primary School went on a health-conscious field trip earlier this week. Wearing pedometers, they visited the stores Rincon and Juanito’s on Shrewsbury Avenue to learn about wholesome food choices, and then headed over to the JBJ Soul Kitchen on Monmouth Street, where chef Zeet Peabody happily showed them around the garden. The Tuesday morning outing was part of Shaping Red Bank, a public health initiative started two and half years ago that addresses dietary causes of childhood obesity and diabetes through a coalition of local organizations, said Sandra Van Sant, Monmouth Regional Health Commission health officer. “The bodegas have been very gracious and cooperative with the Healthy Pick […]
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June 1, 2013
Volunteers from four Trenton churches have agreed to conduct walking audits of the areas surrounding three Trenton elementary schools: Hedgepeth-Williams, Monument and Wilson. Participating churches are Shiloh Baptist, Union Baptist, Westminster Presbyterian and Living Hope. Congregants began conducting the walking audits in early June. The walkability assessment will help NJPHK-Trenton prioritize infrastructure improvements and create safe routes for school travel plans. A Healthy Community Development Grant from New Jersey Department of Health’s ShapingNJ is underwriting the initiative. Marissa Davis, NJPHK-Trenton project manager, is excited by the enthusiasm of the churches and their members. “We hope to build on these initial efforts,” Davis says. “Following the walkability audits, each church will be asked to consider adopting a wellness policy and promote healthy living among congregants. We want to keep the momentum going.” SHARE:
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May 31, 2013
Published in the New Brunswick Patch on May 31, 2013 The Raritan Valley YMCA, the sponsoring agency in the NJPHK–New Brunswick effort to reduce childhood obesity through environmental and policy change, received a $3,000 grant from fitness equipment manufacturer Precor, to benefit the YMCA’s Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards for children. SHARE:
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May 29, 2013
Originally published in NJSpotlight State officials have begun a small experiment they hope will reap big rewards as they seek ways to improve residents’ dietary and exercise habits. And they’re using an unusual channel to accomplish this: faith-based organizations. The grant program Faithful Families Eating Smart and Moving More is providing funding to several faith-based nonprofits, enabling them to offer nutrition classes and exercise programs. The Hoboken-based Jubilee Center, a nonprofit associated with All Saints Episcopal Parish, has launched a nutrition and cooking class that will last through August and aims to help 100 families improve their eating habits. Center Executive Director Armstead Johnson said the class would offer parents alternative ideas for meals, with a focus on fresher, less processed foods. “What we’re talking about are healthy, economical alternatives to what you normally do,” said Armstead, adding that the organization also is encouraging families to schedule regular exercise, like […]
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May 23, 2013
Celebrating Success in Our Communities – New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kid’s (NJPHK) third Learning Event – offered something for everyone: from instruction on using Twitter to engage constituents; live musical entertainment about a family making healthy choices to prevent diabetes, to field trips to three NJPHK-New Brunswick partnership sites to see the impact of policy and environmental changes. The May 23 event also provided participants the opportunity to network with NJPHK and ShapingNJ partners and to share information and lessons learned. NJPHK Deputy Director Darrin Anderson kicked off the event and welcomed nearly 50 participants to New Brunswick’s George Street Playhouse. Anderson also addressed the progress being made in New Brunswick and throughout the state to prevent childhood obesity and make New Jersey schools and communities healthier. One highlight of the day was a live performance of “Austin the Unstoppable!,” a musical produced by the George Street Playhouse Educational […]
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May 7, 2013
Published in Rutgers Business School News Courtney Price, NJPHK-Newark project manager, participated in a Rutgers Business School (RBS)-hosted event on May 7, to discuss the recently published book, “Advances in Communication Research to Reduce Childhood Obesity.” She also discussed some of the implications of the obesity issue and highlighted the efforts currently underway in Newark to help children eat better and be more active. SHARE:
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May 2, 2013
Honeydew Lime Cooler (4 servings) 2 cups cubed honeydew melon 2 cups water Juice of 1 lime 1 cup honey Fresh mint sprigs if you like 1 lime, sliced Puree the honeydew, 1/2 cup honey, water and juice from the lime in a blender. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, pushing pulp down with a spoon to release more liquid. Divide the liquid among 4 glasses (or pour in large container) and top each one off with chilled seltzer. Garnish each glass with mint and lime. Pulled BBQ Chicken (8 servings) 1 8-ounce can reduced-sodium tomato sauce 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat 1 small […]
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