Members of the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities workgroup gave Mayor Bill de Blasio over 2,000 postcards signed by Bronx residents as part of the #Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx! demanding the administration make the health of the Bronx a priority. 

Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities

Workgroup Meets with the Mayor; Bronx

Borough President; City Council Health

Committee Chair; Holds #Not62 Rally

November 25th, members of the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup met with Mayor de Blasio to discuss making the health of the Bronx a priority for his administration given the Bronx persistent ranking as the unhealthiest county of the 62 counties in New York State. For the past five years the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup has focused on creating awareness amongst Bronx residents and elected officials about the poor health ranking by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Report. The Bronx stands in stark contrast to the other four New York City boroughs’ current ranking: 5 (Manhattan), 8 (Queens), 17 (Brooklyn) and 28 (Richmond/Staten Island). Not only are their rankings so much better than the Bronx, their 2019 ranking improves on their 2018.

The November 25th meeting occurred after members of the Workgroup, attending a April 2018 Mayoral Town Hall hosted by Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson, requested a meeting to which the Mayor agreed. 

Those attending the November meeting included, Mayor de Blasio, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Raul Perea-Henze, Health and Human Services Chief of Staff Peter Hatch, and Commissioner of New York City's Community Affairs Unit Marco Carrión. Health Disparities Workgroup members Charmaine Ruddock, Toni Carter and Tom Thomas spoke with the Mayor and staff for almost an hour. At the conclusion of the meeting the Mayor was presented with 2000+ signed postcards from Bronx residents demanding his attention to the poor rankings.

Bronx Health REACH made requests for the Mayor to: Create a task force to identify and address the factors that continually keep the Bronx ranked as the unhealthiest county; have all New York City agencies make the Bronx a programmatic and funding priority; and appoint a liaison from the Mayor's office to work with #Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx.

"Over the past year, the Workgroup prepared for this meeting by looking beyond Bronx Health REACH’s usual health promotion focus and more on some of the social and economic determinants of health, which carries the most weight in the RWJF report. It is these areas that the Mayor and his administration should address to make significant improvements to the ranking," said Charmaine. "We believe that by creating a “Marshall” type plan, his administration can uproot the persistent factors that keep the Bronx at 62."

"The Mayor was engaged, asked for clarification on several issues raised, and requested his aides to follow up on them, so overall, I felt we had a very productive meeting," said Toni.

"This first meeting with the Mayor was an encouraging start," said Charmaine. "The real measure of the meeting’s success will be in the follow-up,” Charmaine added. "Since our meeting I have received two emails from two different departments of the Mayor's administration, so this is a good sign that he is taking action to address the Bronx being 62."

Over 50 people attended a #Not62 Rally on the steps of New York City Hall to demand that New York State elected officials make the health of the Bronx a top priority at all levels and in all sectors of government.

On Tuesday, December 3rd, over 50 people gathered for a Bronx Health REACH Coalition rally to draw attention to  #Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx!. The rally was held on the steps of New York City Hall. Community leaders from several Bronx based community groups and Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson joined the rally to ask the Mayor, the Bronx Borough President, City Council members and New York State elected officials to make the health of the Bronx a top priority.

A staff member from State Senator Alessandra Biaggi's office read a statement on behalf of the Senator who was unable to attend. Other speakers included Maxine Golub from the Institute for Family Health, Amril Hamer from Transportation Alternatives, Sharon Pope from Bike New York and Health Disparities Workgroup members Toni Carter and Barbara Estrin.

Bronxnet was at the Rally - click to view.

The Riverdale Press also covered the rally.
 

Members of the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities workgroup presented Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., with 2,000 postcards signed by Bronx residents.

On Monday, December 9th, members of the Health Disparities Workgroup met with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. As we did at the meeting with Mayor de Blasio, we discussed the last place health ranking of the Bronx in the Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings & Roadmap Report. In addition, we directed the Borough President’s attention to the high point of the report showing health behaviors, as the only one of the 4 report categories not ranked 62. In fact, it is ranked an encouraging 39 out of 62. Workgroup members pointed out that this reflects the efforts of Bronx residents to make healthier choices and to take advantage of the opportunities to do so. 

It also points to the relative success of the Bronx Health REACH Coalition and many other organizations that are providing health education, working with local groups including schools, churches, bodegas, small restaurants, farmers markets, farm share programs, food pantries, WIC programs, park groups, etc. promoting healthy behaviors. It is within this context, that we then pointed to the fact that the other three categories where the Bronx ranked 62, especially that of the social and economic determinants of health, improvement is not within the purview of residents’ actions, but of policy makers.

The Health Disparities Workgroup representatives also asked the Bronx Borough President about the two year-vacancy of the Director of Health and Human Services position in his administration.  The previous two Directors served on the #Not62 Steering Committee and helped to shape the multi-sectoral efforts of #Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx! We pointed out that filling this role is very important to the success of the campaign.

In the discussion, we drew the Borough President’s attention to Governor Cuomo’s Vital Brooklyn Initiative to address the poor health outcomes in Central Brooklyn and the need to engage the Governor in similarly focused efforts in the Bronx. Finally, we spoke of the need to do a broad based, widespread outreach campaign, with the Borough President hosting #Not62 Town halls; creating a #Not62 website for all Bronx residents to be made aware of the Bronx's 62 out of 62 ranking.

"We appreciate the Borough President spending almost two hours meeting and speaking with us," said Charmaine. "He made it clear to us that he realizes that improving the health of the Bronx is very important. We look forward to partnering with him and his office to improve the health ranking of the Bronx."

Left to right: Barbara Estrin from the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup, NYC Council Member and Chair of the Council Committee on Health Mark Levine, and Bronx Health REACH's Charmaine Ruddock.

On December 18th, Charmaine Ruddock and Barbara Estrin from the Bronx Health REACH Health Disparities Workgroup met with Council Member and Chair of the Council Committee on Health, Mark Levine. We spoke with Council Member Levine about the  #Not62: A Campaign for a Healthy Bronx! He offered suggestions on how best to go about securing future City Council funding to support the Campaign.

Charmaine Ruddock testified in support of the New York Health Act.
 

Bronx Health REACH Testifies in

Support of New York Health Act

On October 23rd, Bronx Health REACH's Charmaine Ruddock provided testimony in support of the New York Health Act at the public hearing held in the Bronx. Charmaine was one of sixty individuals providing testimony in support of the New York Health Act. Charmaine took questions from State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblymember Kevin M. Byrne. 

The joint New York State Senate and Assembly public hearing held at the Bronx Library Center was part of a series of hearings that provided input from New York State residents and organizations. If passed, the New York Health Act would provide comprehensive single-payer health coverage for all New York State residents, removing out of network fees, deductibles and copays that are charged to patients from traditional health insurance coverage.  

See: https://www.nysenate.gov/calendar/public-hearings/november-25-2019/joint-public-hearing-new-york-health-act.

You can view Charmaine testifying here.

Left to right: Maxine Golub from the Institute for Family Health; New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi; Kelly Moltzen and Moria Byrne-Zaaloff from Bronx Health REACH; Jacqueline Chiofalo from the Institute for Family Health.

Bronx Health REACH Meets with

Senator Alessandra Biaggi

On December 12th, Bronx Health REACH's Kelly Moltzen and Moria Byrne-Zaaloff from our Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program, along with Maxine Golub and Jacqueline Chiofalo from the Institute for Family Health met and spoke with State Senator Alessandra Biaggi. Kelly and Moria discussed the WELL Campaign (Wellness, Equity & Learning Legislation) which asks for a New York State model school wellness policy, and funding to go to the New York State Education Department for school districts to develop and implement wellness policies based on the model state wellness policy.

As a supporter of the WELL Campaign, she was surprised to learn that even though other states have school wellness statutes in place, New York does not. Senator Biaggi is also a sponsor of the New York State Health Act [A.5248, S.3577], and was pleased to know that Institute for Family Health and Bronx Health REACH staff testified at hearings in the Bronx and in Kingston, NY, in support of the Act.

Students from CMSP 327 held the official release of 'Snack Attack, How Can Students Make Healthy Snack Choices in School?' at Bronxnet Studios. 

CMSP 327 Students Create

Healthy Eating Guide

On October 24th, CMSP 327, a partner school in Bronx Health REACH's Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program held their official release of 'Snack Attack, How Can Students Make Healthy Snack Choices in School?' The 16-page booklet was created by CMSP 327 students with guidance from the Center for Urban Pedagogy and Bronx Health REACH. The students presented on their experiences creating the booklet during an event held at the BronxNet studio. 

In 2018, Bronx Health REACH created a program for teachers to learn about countermarketing and how to implement a curriculum on the topic modeled on the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute’s Youth Food Educators program. In Spring 2019, Bronx school partners had the opportunity to participate in a countermarketing competition based on the campaigns they created using the curriculum. As the winner of the competition, CMSP 327 students attended a course led by the Center for Urban Pedagogy and Bronx Health REACH. The final project that resulted from the students’ work was the booklet. 

At the event, students shared their thoughts on creating the booklet. "They learned precisely what we hoped they would learn about the foods sold in schools and their communities. Unhealthy food marketing is targeting Black & Latino youth in low-income communities," said Kelly Moltzen, Program Manager for  Creating Healthy Schools and Communities at Bronx Health REACH. "They understand the challenges their community faces and seem motivated to keep spreading the word and advocating for change." 

Click here to read Snack Attack, How Can Students Make Healthy Snack Choices in School?'

Fresch's Sean Butler completes a survey at the Yo Bronx! Eat Fresh Bronx Bodega tasting event at Green Earth Food Deli Grocery. 

Yo Bronx! Eat Fresh Events

held at Two Bodegas

In November, Bronx Health REACH held two Yo Bronx! Eat Fresh Bronx Bodega tasting events. The events took place at G Deli, (551 East 178th Street) and Green Earth Food Deli Grocery (382 East 205th Street). The Fresch team, partners in this effort which is partly funded by the American Heart Association (AHA) Community Impact Grant awarded to Bronx Health REACH in the Fall, offered healthy food samples to bodega customers. Many customers answered surveys on the taste tests at both events. 36 surveys were collected from both events. Results from the surveys will determine which food items will be sold at our partner bodegas. At the Yo Bronx! Eat fresh event at G Deli, customers reported that they found the samples very delicious. "This is my third sample of the three bean salad," said Jonathan. 

Migdalia Morel, Mila Neyra and Elisabeth Didonato at the final Bronx Health REACH/Corbin Hill Farm Share at the Stevenson Family Health Center. 

Farm Share Program Wraps Up Successful

Season at Two IFH Health Centers

The Bronx Health REACH/Corbin Hill Farm Share Program wrapped up a successful season with over 500 bags of fresh and affordable fruits and vegetables distributed to Mt. Hope, Morris Heights, and Soundview residents. While the Farm Share site at the Institute for Family Health’s (IFH) Stevenson Family Health Center continued for a second year, IFH’s Walton Family Health Center debuted as a new, second location for the Farm Share program.

The summer Farm Share season ran from July to November 2019. Participants picked up their bags, consisting of five to seven vegetables and one fruit, at the Walton Family Health Center on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, and Stevenson participants picked up their bags on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. From its inception, the Farm Share program was designed to give neighborhood residents access to affordable, locally grown fresh produce. Recipes were provided so customers would have creative ways to prepare their vegetables at home. Cooking demonstrations, led by community chefs and supported by the Corbin Hill Food Project, were held at the locations allowing customers to taste test recipes using the vegetables. 

One Stevenson customer appreciated the staff and the affordability of the produce.  "I am so glad I noticed the banner at the Stevenson Health Center and asked for more information to become a part of this Farm Share," she said. "I was exposed to a few new fruit and vegetable varieties over the summer and fall at a great price. I appreciate the kindness of the staff and the affordability of the great produce I received during this time."

The Winter Farm Share Season begins January 14th at the Walton Family Health Center and January 21st at the Stevenson Family Health Center. If you would like to participate, you can order online or email Mila Neyra, Community Health Project Manager, or call (212) 633-0800 ext. 1224.