Atop a hill in East Los Angeles, Ramirez Meat Market has spent three decades as a neighborhood fixture. However, the market hasn’t been a beacon of health. Celia Ramirez, who has owned the store for the last 10 years, runs it by herself following her husband’s death in an automobile accident. Now, with some community help, Ramirez transformed her meat market from a typical junk-food-filled corner store into a place that where the community can find nutritious food options and embrace a healthier lifestyle.
EMERGENCE
Awareness: East L.A. is an urban community that is 96% Latino and has high rates of obesity-related chronic diseases. Small corner stores and meat markets are abundant in the community, but sell mostly junk food and few fresh fruits and vegetables, and/or poorly ...
Having limited resources, partnerships and community involvement played a key role in transforming old train tracks into the Belden Trail in West Brownsville, a largely Latino town in Texas. A physician-turned-city-leader worked with community leaders and discussed ways to improve the quality of life for residents living in one of the most underserved and neglected regions of the city that lacks spaces for physical activity. The team’s persistence and belief in how this trail could transform the community helped them secure a statewide rails-to-trails grant. But the story doesn’t end there. Recently, the city added ADA approved sidewalks leading to nearby bus stops, developed a master hike and bike plan, and is planning for a community garden. Through teamwork and dedication to an ...
An abandoned alley in Lake Worth, Fla., was re-developed into an attractive greenway through team work and perseverance by a researcher, school district employee, city staff, and the community. The greenway, which is located near a school in a predominantly Latino area, will increase the area’s walkability and connect two neighborhoods to a nearby high school.
EMERGENCE
Awareness: Dr. Ruth McCaffrey, a trained nurse and professor at Florida Atlantic University, was keenly aware that obesity was a growing concern in Lake Worth, Fla. About 30% of the city’s 35,000 residents live in poverty, and 40% are Latino—with a growing number of families migrating there from Guatemala. Several parts of town lack adequate spaces for physical activity, and the way the city was designed impedes ...
Have you ever wondered how you can bring a walking trail to your community? This action guide or toolkit developed by the Partnership for Prevention and the CDC explains the steps to getting a trail in one's community. Learn about identifying resources and promoting your plan to bring a walking trail to your community. By bringing a walking trail to your community, you can provide local residents with a safe and calming environment to help boost levels of physical activity and prevent ...
On October 26, 2013, New Orleans will host its first Play Streets event. Play Streets is an event that promotes walking, cycling, skating, and various forms of physical activity on a street that will be closed-off to motor vehicles. Bike Easy is now looking for at least fifty partners to organize the event. Those interested in leading some form of physical activity during the event, should fill out the east streets partner ...
Latino kids have fewer opportunities to engage in physical activity than other kids. They are also less likely to meet federal recommendations of at least 60 minutes of activity a day, due to fewer parks and other active spaces, fewer school- or community-based physical activity programs during school or after, and parenting styles. But culturally relevant school- and community-based programs, better access to active play sites, and education for parents can help young Latinos become more physically active, according to a new package of research materials from Salud America! The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children. The new Salud America! “Active Play and Latino Kids” materials include a research review of the latest ...
The World Fit Walk organization, a program sponsored by Olympic athletes, is working to get children moving in 50 schools across the United States. In a news article, Education Week reports that close to 38,000 students would be logging the amount of miles they walked over the course of a six week period. At the end of the six week period students would compare their results with other schools in the area. Those who log 120 miles or more are eligible to receive the President's Active Lifestyle Achievement Award. To learn more about the World Fit Walk organization visit their webpage and Facebook page. Read about how Daniel Herrera a student from Los Olivos School worked towards achieving his goal by participating in the World Fit Walk ...
In Austin, Texas principle investigator Harold “Bill” Kohl, a joint faculty member at the University of Texas in Austin and the University of Texas School of Public Health, is investigating how community design can boost one's fitness and encourage participation in physical activity. The Mueller Neighborhood which was designed to promote green living has wide sidewalks and many trees, which may encourage residents to walk and bike more. Results from Dr. Kohl's study will serve to create policy recommendations for developing active living communities across the nation. In this blog, researcher Bill Kohl explains the importance of creating environments that are conducive to physical activity. Dr. Kohl is currently investigating how community design can encourage physical ...
Through the Healthy Place Initiative efforts to improve green space, and provide opportunities for out-of-school play time have been successful. The Healthy Place Initiative in Chicago is a $5.8 million project funded by the CDC and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative (CPPW). Healthy Places focuses on four target areas including: food access, safe walking and biking, breastfeeding support, and school environments. There are many ways to get involved in efforts to make Chicago a healthier place to live. Resources This presentation from the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago (CLOCC), provides information on ways to improve Chicago's outdoor spaces. This interactive mapping tool will help you share your thoughts about ...
