Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation
Building a Healthy Community - Childhood Obesity Prevention Opa-LockaProject Grantees
Click here for the funding announcement press release
Organization: City of Opa-Locka
Summary:
The City of Opa-Locka Florida will use the funds received to expand its health and wellness programs by targeting 40 local youths to engage in evidence based activities directed towards healthier lifestyles. The program incorporates curricula from the “Let’s Move Campaign” and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through partnership with Florida International University, the program engages the youth participants, ages 12 to 18, to engage in physical activities such as, 2 mile runs/walk, bicycle rides, and swimming. As an incentive for continuity, the program also engages the participants in periodic field trips in educational activities that enlighten the young people about different health promotion activities.
Organization: Family Christian Association of America, Inc.
Program: FCAA “Healthy Kids Opa-Locka”
Summary:
Family Christian Association of America, Inc. will use its second year funds to continue its FCAA “Healthy Kids Opa-Locka” program. The program actively engages Opa-Locka students, aged 3 to12 in Health and Wellness instruction in an effort to develop lifelong healthy living capability. The program takes place in preschool and after-school care sites that serve the children of Opa-Locka. The Sports Play and Active Recreation (SPARK) Curriculum2and the President’s Fitness Challenge are utilized to promote physical activities among the program participants. As a Head Start provider, FCAA also provides parent education on healthy living strategies, and serves as a resource for the health and wellness services that are available to families in the community.
Organization: The Farmworker Association of Florida Inc. (FWAF)
Program: The Latino Small Farmers Initiative
Summary:
The Farmworker Association of Florida Inc. will use the funds received to enact the “The Latino Small Farmers Initiative” that will encourage famers in the Homestead area to provide fresh produce to the residents of Opa-Locka, through a partnership with the Farmers’ Market located within the city. The primary goal of FWAF is to increase the availability of fresh foods/produce, and educate both farmers and consumers about the benefits of locally-grown foods on individual health, local economy. In engaging this partnership a business plan between the Latino farmers and the Opa-Locka market vendors will be developed to ensure that the plan is mutually beneficially.
Organization: Health Council of South Florida
Summary:
The Health Council of South Florida continues to maintain the online Community Page for Childhood Obesity Prevention in Opa-Locka. The project aims to provide customized database that informs community members and stakeholders on comparable trends and issues that relate specifically to the Opa-Locka community of South Florida. This web-based program would serve to increase access to health and fitness programs, and quality of life data about Opa-Locka. The site will also continue to serve as a platform for community engagement, dialogue and information dissemination among community partners, and stakeholders.
Organization: Hispanic Coalition
Program: Healthy Food/Health Fair/Opa-Locka Mini Iron Chef Competition.
Summary:
The Hispanic Coalition will engage students and their families to incorporate healthy eating habits into their day to day lifestyle. The program is community wide and the initial outreach will be to students attending Opa-Locka public elementary schools. The Hispanic Coalition will engage students, their parents, and teachers in various activities, such as, Healthy Food Bag Packaging activity that is incorporated into the school curriculum. This program targets 1000 students (and their parents) from the local schools Nathan B. Young Elementary, Dr. Robert Ingram Elementary, and Rainbow Park Elementary. These activities will culminate in a community wide event, the annual Hispanic Health Fair event that is attended by 75% of Hispanic Opa-Locka residents. The fair will feature a food preparation competition named ‘Opa-Locka Mini Iron Chef Competition’ and other opportunities to provide information, education, and outreach.
Program: Awareness and Advocacy for Our Children
Summary:
The Dade County Chapter of the LINKS Incorporated “Awareness and Advocacy for Our Children” provides parents and childcare providers interactive educational activities about the importance of healthy lifestyles and reducing screen time. The program will engage collaborative partners in a variety of sectors in the planning and sponsorship of a student summit, town hall meeting for public education, and increased public awareness about childhood obesity. The highlights of the program to promote wellness and the advancement of public policy that support prevention. The effort of this strategy is complementary to the overall initiative, and is designed to reach over 5,000.
Organization: Miami Dade Area Health Education Center, Inc. (AHEC)
Program: PHASES (Preventive Health And Safety Education for Students)
Summary:
Miami Dade Area Health Education Center, Inc. (AHEC) will use the funding received to focus on schools and after-School programs, as well as Community – and Faith-based Organizations in Opa-locka. This is implemented by utilizing the PHASES Program, a program that incorporates various tools to provide culturally competent education to promote healthy living. Program implementation strategies include a curriculum that features educational props, activity sheets and food journals, and a variety of health care presentations by health care professionals to reinforce the importance of healthy lifestyle. The curriculum targets students from grades 2 to 12, that is in alliance with Sunshine State Standards.
Organization: Nathan B. Young Elementary School
Program: Gardens of the Heart
Summary:
Nathan B. Young Elementary School proposes to establish a school based garden that will serve as both an avenue for fresh food production, as well as a forum for community education and enlightenment on locally grown produce. The school will work with local partners and youth to engage the community to be active participants in the effort to make healthier food choices. In the long term, the school hopes to be able to supplement its school meals with produce from the garden.
Organization: Opa-Locka North Dade Front Porch Council, Inc.
Program: Healthy Students, Healthy Family, Healthy Community
Summary:
The Healthy Initiative project continues to target students from seven selected schools, including their families, schools and communities, in preventing obesity, by increasing knowledge and importance of daily physical activity and healthy eating habits. The Call to Action that will be addressed is Schools and After-schools program, where food demonstrations will be provided at schools and after-schools programs, as well as planting organic gardens in schools, and engaging parents and school wellness committees in promoting healthy food choices. The Healthy Initiative program will also involve local media and television in healthy initiative, where one a month a wellness coach will do presentations on wellness to motivate listeners and viewers to increase their overall wellbeing.The expected outcome for the Healthy Initiative project is for enrolled students to be more aware of healthy food and their accessibility, as well as increasing physical activity.
Organization: Urban Oasis Project
Program: Give Gardens
Summary:
Urban Oasis Project seeks funding to assist residents of Opa-Locka to have improved access to fresh produce, by building residential and community gardens. The project targets Hispanic families that will be recruited through local faith or community based organizations, schools, and at local events. The project will train participants about the ways and means of installing, growing and maintaining their own garden. The initiative will also include “How to Garden” demonstrations at strategic community locations and events, that will also serve as continuous avenues for community health education and outreach. The Give Gardens will assist participants to form a Local Garden Club to foster group support and sustainability for fresh and locally grown food production, preparation and consumption. It also seeks to empower the4participating families to recruit and train other families in Opa-Locka to also build and cultivate their own food gardens.
Organization: Youth L.E.A.D. (A fund of the Miami Foundation)
Program: Activist Academy and Apprenticeships
Summary:
Youth L.E.A.D. (YL) is a “food justice” organization that empowers youth to create healthy, environmentally sustainable, and equitable schools and communities in Miami-Dade County. In the previous year, YL partnered with North Park High School and Nathan B. Young Elementary School for an afterschool program to conduct an afterschool Activist Academy and provide youth apprenticeships. This year, it extended the partnership to Opa-locka Community Development Corporation for hosting. The Activist Academy consists of 12 sessions in which youth are trained in food justice, health disparities and social justice. The youth apprenticeships generally depend on the need and preference of the stakeholders. Youth apprentice projects include: developing a community-supported agriculture, whereby the residents pay for a weekly share of produce from local farms, starting a school club or conducting community outreach to residents to promote easier healthy food access in Opa-Locka. As a result of the apprenticeship, and Activist Academy, the expected behavioral outcome will include, increased attendance to the farmers’ market, increased demand for local, fresh produce among residents, and positive attitude towards healthy foods among Youth L.E.A.D. participants.