Healthfirst And Bronx PS 55 Host Back-To-School Event And Health Fair For Community Residents
Students Cook Healthy Recipes with Harvest from the PS 55 and American Heart Association Teaching Garden
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NEW YORK, NY, September 19, 2012 – Healthfirst and Bronx PS 55 will host a special Back-To-School Event and Health Fair on Saturday, September 22nd from 11:00am – 5:00pm on school grounds. Co-sponsored by Montefiore Medical Center and Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, the free event is open to all Bronx residents to come and enjoy health activities designed for the entire family to enjoy.
Free screenings for blood pressure, body mass index and glucose will be available, in addition to important information on proper nutrition practices. Free giveaways and backpacks stuffed with school stationery (i.e. notebooks, pencils cases, rulers) donated by Healthfirst will also be distributed.
PS 55 students will also hold a special cooking demonstration using produce harvested from the American Heart Association Teaching Garden based at PS 55. The garden was planted with seeds earlier this year with the goal of incorporating garden-based learning with nutrition education to promote the consumption of more fruits and vegetables by children. Lisa Suriano, founder and creator of Veggiecation (a nutrition education concept that introduces young students to the world of vegetables), will lead the demonstration scheduled from 12 noon – 2:00pm.
“Ensuring that children and families in the Bronx receive access to vital health information necessary for conducting a healthy lifestyle is Healthfirst’s top priority,” said George Hulse, Healthfirst Vice President of External Affairs. “We are committed to supporting our Bronx partners with events that focus on keeping our members and constituents healthy.”
For more information, please visit the Healthfirst Healthy Living website at www.hfhealthyliving.org.
About Healthfirst
Established in 1993, Healthfirst is a not-for-profit managed care organization that offers low or no-cost health insurance to eligible individuals and families living in the New York metropolitan area and New Jersey. It provides a variety of government-sponsored health insurance programs, including New York State's Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus, and Medicaid, as well as Medicare Advantage. The Healthfirst family of companies includes Healthfirst in New York, Healthfirst NJ in New Jersey, and Senior Health Partners (SHP), a managed long term care plan serving Medicaid-eligible clients in New York City. For more information, visit the company's websites at www.healthfirst.org and www.healthfirstnj.org.
