Community Action Organization: N.U.R.T.U.R.E. Academy at the Pratt-Willert Community Center
The LiveWell F.I.R.E campaign
emphasized physical fitness as FUN! Students K-8th, who attended the
center's after-school care program, participated in HipHop, Taebo,
Zumba, Yoga and other aerobic exercises led by local fitness gurus
from Ultimate Body Transformation Studios. Local artists from Young Audiences of WNY guided the children’s creative
explorations as the children wrote and performed their own play. The
performances emphasized the importance of eating healthy as a family
and getting away from their video games to play outside.
Preventionfocus, Inc. at South Buffalo Charter School
Preventionfocus, Inc. partnered with South Buffalo Charter School to create a video health magazine that emphasized healthy behaviors. The school already had a video magazine and this year, through a partnership with LiveWell, the school began including “The Health Factor,” a special segment dedicated to promoting healthy habits. The health messages in “The Health Factor” were created by students for students. For each “Health Factor” video segment, a health topic was chosen, researched and made into a video. Then, the videos were broadcast to the whole school. This innovative approach encourages students to convince their peers to engage in healthier behaviors.
Ss. Columba-Brigid Church Teen Center
Teens met Friday and Saturday nights at the Ss. Columba-Brigid Church Teen Center for recreation in a place that is safe and fun. Each week, the teens spent up to 90 minutes learning about how healthy food benefits their bodies. The teens also learned to cook some simple meals like omelets, jambalaya, grilled chicken, salads and other vegetable dishes. They practiced a variety of culinary exercises so they can cook for themselves or their siblings. Guest speakers were invited to talk about their careers in health care, the food industry and fitness so teens could ask questions and learn more about occupational opportunities. As a final demonstration of all their skills, the teens prepared a three-course lasagna dinner for family and friends that was low-calorie, nutritious and tasty.
The Garden of Stewardship
The Garden of Stewardship provides fresh food for Central City Café (CCC), a soup kitchen in downtown Buffalo operated by Durham Memorial AMEZ Church. Plots are also available for local residents to adopt and grow food, flowers, herbs and other plants. The garden is built on a large grassy section of Sheehan Health Network, a medical facility adjacent to the soup kitchen, certified by Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo, and sponsored by LiveWell. Diann Holt, an ordained chaplain at Central City Café, a local preacher for the AMEZ Church and Project Coordinator of Operation H.E.A.L (Healthy Eating and Living), wanted to incorporate more fresh produce into the meals at CCC.
Bennett Park Montessori Buffalo Public School #32
With support from LiveWell, the Montessori Outdoor Learning Experience (MOLE), with help from parents, teachers and staff, rebuilt a “living classroom” garden with three raised beds. The beds are high enough for the elementary school students to stand and garden (and not get their school clothes dirty) and narrow enough so their little arms can reach the center of the rows. MOLE previously won awards for their gardens and related programs, but the beds to be removed for school expansion and construction. Students and teachers began using the new garden for 2011 summer and fall programs and collect seeds for replanting in the spring. |
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