Grocery Store Expands Hispanic Foods, Especially Produce



The Black Rock neighborhood in Buffalo, NY is changing. Hispanics, African Americans, and a handful of immigrants from across the globe are settling in the area, not to mention college students from nearby SUNY Buffalo State. The neighborhood is becoming trendier, and businesses are adjusting. A regional grocery store chain, Tops Market, noticed the shift and decided to make some changes to better serve their customers. First they needed to decide what to change. To pinpoint what shoppers needed and weren't finding in the store, Tops executives met with representatives from the community, including refugee centers and student associations. The renovation incorporated all of that input, including feedback from the store’s own employees, who also live in the ...

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Spanish Campaign: Tackling COPD among Latinos



The rising U.S. Latino population makes it important to educate Latinos about the nation's third-leading cause of death—chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). That's why the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), in collaboration with Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., launched Tome Un Respiro, the first Spanish-language campaign to raise awareness among Latinos about COPD prevalence, treatment, and disease management. Nearly one of two cases of COPD goes undiagnosed, according to CHEST. “Early detection of COPD is critical in helping to combat this life-threatening disease,” said Mark J. Rosen, MD, Master FCCP, medical director for CHEST. “We see a major gap in awareness and education about COPD in the Hispanic community and want to ensure that everyone has the ...

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Young Skateboarders Speak Up For Active Spaces in San Diego, CA



A group of young skateboarders from San Diego, CA, recently met up with park planners to give them an idea of what they would like to see in their new skate park. With skateboarding highly popular among teens and not enough safe places to skate, members of the Mid-City CAN Youth Council took it upon themselves to find a way to get a skate park for the community. "After three and a half years working on this campaign I'm really proud of our efforts to bring a skate park to the community," Angeli Hernandez, a Mid-City CAN Youth Council Member said, in a Mid-City blog. "I'm even prouder that the whole community can benefit from this." As a result of the Youth Council's efforts and support from organizations like the Mid-City Community Advocacy Network, Mid-City Skatepark ...

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New Farmers’ Market Data Collection Project



Communities with successful farmers' markets can speak to how markets inspire healthier eating and promote a new-found appreciation for local farming. With so many farmers' markets across the country, it can be difficult to say exactly how a farmers' market works and what a successful one entails. A non-profit group is pulling together data on markets around the U.S., and plans to use this data to help markets begin, grow, learn, and better serve their community. The Farmers Market Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to strengthening farmers markets across the United States so that they can serve as community assets while providing real income opportunities for farmers. Farmers Market Metrics will be a set of tools and resources that will allow market managers to easily and ...

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Census: More Than 1 in 4 Hispanics Still Have No Health Insurance (Especially Immigrants)



More than 1 in 4 Hispanics still have no health insurance coverage, by far the lowest rates of health insurance coverage in the United States, according to new data from the Census Bureau, Voxxi News reports. Only 1 in 10 non-Hispanic whites lack coverage. Hispanic immigrants overall also are more than twice as likely as U.S.-born Hispanics to lack health insurance coverage, according to the Census data: Hispanic undocumented immigrants: 49% uninsured Hispanic immigrants with citizenship: 21% uninsured U.S.-born Hispanics: 17% uninsured Hispanic immigrants also have higher uninsured rates by age compared to U.S.-born Hispanics. Among those ages 18-64, 24% of U.S.-born and 43% of foreign-born lacked insurances, as well as 2% and 8% of those ages 65 and older, ...

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San Antonio School District Opens It’s Third SPARK Park at Boone Elementary



Kids at Boone elementary in San Antonio, TX celebrated the grand opening of a new community SPARK park on Friday October 3, 2014. What are SPARK parks? These are school playgrounds that are available to the public during after school hours. Parks such as these, are a great asset to the Latino community and can be especially useful for promoting physical activity in neighborhoods that lack green space or safe places to play. The SPARK park at Boone marks the third SPARK park at the Northside Independent School District  (NISD). "The reaction that we've gotten is so positive from parents, from grandparents, from folks who just live around the school and have been able to use the facility," NISD Superintendent Brian Woods said in a TWC news story. Learn more about SPARK ...

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USDA Announces New Healthy Food Subsidies



Inspired by successful programs like Wholesome Wave and Michigan's Double Up Food Bucks, the federal government is recognizing that subsidizing fresh fruits and veggies for low income families is one way to encourage those families to buy and eat healthier foods. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is making up to $31.5 million in funding available to help participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more easily afford healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. The Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) program, a new Farm Bill program, brings together stakeholders from distinct parts of the food system and fosters understanding of how they might improve the nutrition and health ...

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10 Years (and Counting!): Latinas v. Breast Cancer



Julie La Fuente Louviere of San Antonio has fought—and survived—three bouts of breast cancer. She doesn’t let cancer keep her down. The wife and mother of two has lost weight, ran a half-marathon, celebrated 25 years of marriage, turned 50, become a grandmother, and watched her oldest graduate from law school. "Survivorship means I am able to wake up every morning and be a wife to my husband, a mom to my girls, now a glam'ma to my grandson and loving aunt and sister," Louviere said. "It means I can be an active part of the present and never take life's moments for granted." Louviere is among the 16 local Latina survivors who will celebrate a decade of cancer survival, triumph, and resiliency as part of the 10th anniversary of Nuestras Historias. Nuestras Historias, a 2004 ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 10/14: “Latinas and Breast Cancer: Surviving & Thriving”



Breast cancer is the No. 1 cancer killer of Latinas in the U.S. Let’s focus on Latinas and tweet about the latest progress in breast cancer research, the importance of breast cancer risk, screening and the survivorship experience at the next #SaludTues Tweetchat. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Latinas and Breast Cancer: Surviving and Thriving” DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014 TIME: Noon CST (1:00 PM ET) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOSTS: @SusanGKomen, @KPVivaBien, @KPShare We’ll open the floor to your stories and experiences as we explore: Why is breast cancer such a big issue for Latinas? What roles do culture, screening habits, and lifestyle factors play for Latinas? What are some of the best ways to improve Latinas’ ...

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