by Share On Social!
Watch the video to see how CHALK’S efforts are inspiring a culture of health among Latinos in upper Manhattan.
Latino kids and families of a primarily a Dominican and Mexican community in Washington Heights (northern Manhattan), are living a healthier lifestyle thanks to help from the Choosing Healthy & Active Lifestyles for Kids (CHALK) initiative. The CHALK initiative is a collaborative between the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the Columbia University Medical Center, and a taskforce of several community affiliates, that was started in 2008. In 2012, the program was adopted as a permanent program of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
As part of the program, local bodegas, pharmacies, schools, restaurants and community fitness centers, provide the community with programming, resources, and healthy food offerings to inspire healthy change. By providing culturally tailored messages in both English and Spanish, through the Viva tu Vida campaign, CHALK is able to reach Latinos, which comprise 74% of the Washington Heights/Inwood population. Viva tu Vida signage is placed at storefronts of local businesses and organizations and newsletters are distributed to the community at these locations.
In addition to Viva tu Vida, CHALK created the Just Move program to help schools implement physical activity breaks throughout the school day. Recently a youth task force made of students from nine local high schools was also formed. Students in the youth task force are given the opportunity to participate in experiences such as: an eight-week training “boot camp,” offering health education to the community, and completing a summer project.
Through the partnerships formed through the CHALK collaborative, community members have access to:
- Free fitness programs at community centers;
- Dancercise classes;
- Walking groups; and
- Street hockey activities
Read more about these changes in Prevent Obesity’s blogpost “NY’s Most Obese Neighborhood Sees Success with CHALK.”
Visit the CHALK Center webpage by clicking here.
To learn about more changes like this, join Salud America’s Growing Healthy Change network.
By The Numbers
1
Supermarket
for every Latino neighborhood, compared to 3 for every non-Latino neighborhood
