Tagged: chatham county
LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY ANNOUNCES MAY FAMILY SUPPORT MEETING: CELEBRATING THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WELCOMING SUMMER
(SAVANNAH, GA) The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society is thrilled to invite the public to its upcoming May Family Support Meeting on Thursday, May 16, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at 1525 Dean Forest Rd., Savannah, GA 31408, with attendees asked to use the side entrance labeled “100A” for access.
As the school year draws to a close and the warmth of summer approaches, LDSS is preparing to celebrate and welcome the opportunities that summer brings. The May meeting promises to be an engaging and informative event for families and caregivers in the community.
Attendees can anticipate an exciting lineup of guest speakers who will share valuable insights and information about summer programs and activities tailored for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. From recreational opportunities to educational programs, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of resources available to make the most out of the upcoming summer months.
The LDSS May Family Support Meeting offers a supportive environment for families to connect, share experiences, and access valuable resources. Whether attendees are seasoned members of the LDSS community or newcomers seeking support and information, all are welcome to participate in this enriching event.
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) supports people with Down syndrome and their families through local leadership, support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact. LDSS encourages the whole family to attend; children of all ages are welcome. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
CONTACT
Joe Marchese
Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society
jmarchese@ldssga.org
912-213-9999
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition Hosts April 21 Faith Walk at Lake Mayer
(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition will host a free community event to celebrate health, wellness and springtime fun on Sunday, April 21 at Lake Mayer Community Park. Those planning to attend are encouraged to RSVP at https://www.punchbowl.com/parties/39cba6fa531bc8c713f8
Called “Faith Walk” and co-sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the event will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Lake Mayer pavilions, located at 1850 E. Montgomery Cross Rd., The activities will include a variety of healthy resources and giveaways for adults and games for kids such as corn hole, jump ropes and Hula-Hoops.
“We’ll be giving away 100 grocery bags from Forsyth Farmer’s Market, courtesy of Anthem, and CORE will be on hand with free COVID vaccinations for underinsured and uninsured adults,” said Ruby Castro, Nutrition Program manager. “Representatives from GirlTrek, Black Girls Do Bike, and Black Girls Run are also expected to be on hand with exciting information about those programs and to help show off the benefits of walking and bike riding.”
Attendees will also be able to participate in a healthy walk around the Lake Mayer trail which provides a connection point to the Truman Linear Park Trail. Those who wish to receive a free COVID vaccine are encouraged to register in advance at https://curogram.com/registrations/6164217118fe6d009fed44c1
“Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal that inspires us to reconnect with each other,” said Pastor Yolanda Roberson, executive pastor at Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship and chair of the Faith and Health Coalition. “It is both refreshing and exciting for the entire community to join with those from our faith-based organizations to enjoy fellowship and healthy activities together.”
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition is a sub-committee of Healthy Savannah, formed in 2014 to support faith-based organizations in implementing policies and programs that promote health. The Coalition strives to help elevate the health and wellness of the community through funding from an initial $3.4 million, five-year CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant awarded in 2018 and a second five-year, $5.1 million REACH grant awarded in 2023, both administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.
“We’ll additionally share the latest news about the scheduled completion of the Truman Linear Park Trail as well as updates on the entire Tide to Town urban trail system project,” said Armand Turner, Healthy Savannah’s deputy director, who also serves as the Friends of Tide to Town board president. “We are making great strides now that the City has brought a project manager on board, and we are also working with City staff on an official agreement between Friends of Tide to Town and the City of Savannah that outlines how the two entities can work together to ensure the trail system is constructed and maintained with equity and health in mind.”
Friends of Tide to Town is a nonprofit organization formed in 2017 to advocate for the development and promotion of Savannah’s Urban Trail System through community engagement activities.
Construction of the final three-mile stretch of the Truman Trail from DeRenne Avenue to 52nd Street is expected to get underway later this year. Once completed, it will fully connect the Lake Mayer Park Trail Loop to the Daffin Park Trail Loop, creating nine miles of continuous off- and on-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure through the heart of Savannah. The entire Tide to Town project is expected to connect 75% of Savannah’s neighborhoods to safe walking and biking infrastructure. It will include a network of 30+ miles of bikeable and walkable trails connecting more than 60 neighborhoods and 30 schools in Savannah and Chatham County, from downtown to the marshes and waterways.
In November, Savannah City Manager Joseph A. Melder appointed Tina Bockhold to take over management of the Tide to Town project, which received an additional $10 million in funding from the City Council last fall due to an increase in the hotel/motel tax and $8 million that was approved in February for construction of Phase IIB of the Truman Linear Park Trail. Bockhold, with 10 years of experience as a traffic engineer for Chatham County and the Georgia Department of Transportation, will manage all phases of the project design and construction.
Healthy Savannah’s online Healthy Walks map, https://healthysavannah.org/our-programs/physical-activity/healthy-walks-story-map/, shows trail routes all across Savannah and Chatham County. Trail users are encouraged to share walk experiences by tagging photos and videos with #activepeoplehealthysavannah, #activepeople and #HealthyWalk.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a second grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) to Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. $5.1 million in funding is being deployed over a five-year period to be utilized in an “upstream” approach to foster sustainable health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases. The renewed funding enables work to continue which began under the initial, five-year, $3.4 million REACH grant awarded in 2018, and a supplemental grant awarded in 2021 to increase awareness and acceptance of COVID-19 and flu adult immunizations. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the Savannah/Chatham County project team’s specific goals in implementing the new five-year grant include fostering physical activity by creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change; and providing education and awareness regarding adult immunizations, especially as they relate to health disparities in chronic conditions of hypertension, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The administrators will also continue to foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them by supporting awareness and use of the HERO Help Me database. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
The Monthly Family Support Meeting by LDSS is April 18: Come Connect and Learn
(SAVANNAH, Ga) The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) announces its upcoming Family Support meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 18th, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. The meeting will be held at 1525 Dean Forest Rd., Savannah, GA 31408. Attendees are kindly asked to utilize the side entrance labeled “100A”.
This monthly gathering is open to all families and individuals in the greater Savannah/Lowcountry area who have been touched by Down syndrome. Established in 2006, LDSS serves families across eight surrounding counties, providing vital support, resources, and a sense of community.
The meetings, held every third Thursday of the month, offer a valuable platform for families to connect, share experiences, and gain insights. Each session typically features a guest speaker, providing valuable information and perspectives, followed by dedicated social time for families to interact and build relationships. Children are enthusiastically encouraged to attend, fostering a supportive environment for all members of the family.
“We’re excited to welcome both familiar faces and newcomers to our upcoming meeting,” said Joe Marchese, President of LDSS. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together as a community.”
The LDSS Family Support meetings are free to attend, and no RSVP is required. Simply join us and be part of this vibrant community.
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) supports people with Down syndrome and their families through local leadership, support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact. LDSS encourages the whole family to attend; children of all ages are welcome. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
CONTACT
Lindsey Barron
Construction Administrator
Joe Marchese
Marchese Construction, Inc
lindsey@marchese.construction
229-457-7974
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Mediation Center Presents Community Partnership Award to Resilient Coastal Georgia
Mediation Center Presents Community Partnership Award to Resilient Coastal Georgia
(SAVANNAH, GA) Resilient Coastal Georgia, an initiative of the Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition, has received the Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire’s Community Partnership Award.
The award was presented at the 2024 Anchored in the Community fundraiser on February 8 at Savannah Bottle Works in Savannah.
“We’re so thankful for all Resilient Coastal Georgia does to cultivate a trauma-informed community and build resilience in our community,” said Jill Cardenas, executive director of the Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire. “We were grateful to celebrate with them on this special evening and thank all those who help us live our mission of increasing our community’s capacity to be conflict-resilient.”
The Resilient Coastal Georgia initiative serves to improve community well-being by engaging and leading the community to work collectively with a focus on building resilience and a trauma-informed community across the coastal counties of Chatham, Effingham and Bryan Counties.
In collaboration with the Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire, Resilient Coastal Georgia has supported peacebuilding initiatives, including the inaugural Peace in the Park event in September 2022 and Savannah’s Day of Peace 2023, held in October. The 2023 event included 45 community resources and over 500 community members who engaged at the event.
Award winners recognized at the 2024 Anchored in the Community event include:
- Domestic Mediator Award – Robert Rodatus
- General Civil Mediator Award – Carol McCarthy
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Jeanne Dent
- Innovator Award – Kelly Crosby
- Stellar Advocate for Youth: Guardian Ad Litem – Gwendolyn Fortson Waring
- Stellar Advocate for Youth – Janie Brodhead
- Attorney Appreciation Award – Jack Strother, Attorney at Law
- Attorney Appreciation Award – The Law Offices of Joseph J. Steffen Jr.
- Community Partnership Award – Resilient Coastal Georgia
- The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire Board Service Award – Adam Kirk
ABOUT RESILIENT COASTAL GEORGIA
Resilient Coastal Georgia was formed in 2022 as a subset of the statewide organization, Resilient Georgia, to support mental health system change and policies for children, youth and families in the Savannah area affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The local organization works with community partners to provide training sessions for groups and individuals who work directly with children and youth and hosts mental wellness and trust-building events and spaces for young people. https://resilientcoastalga.org/
ABOUT THE MEDITATION CENTER
The Mediation Center is a 501©3 non-profit organization, founded in 1986 to serve the Savannah community with free and low-cost mediation services. A United Way agency since 2001, the organization is dedicated to helping citizens proactively manage conflict, creating alternatives to litigation and increasing access to justice. https://mediationsavannah.com/
ABOUT COASTAL GEORGIA INDICATORS COALITION
The Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition (CGIC) is comprised of community members and advocates working together through a comprehensive coordinated approach for planning accountability. It serves as a collaboration of resource agencies addressing overall health and well-being while leveraging resource initiatives. The purpose of the Coalition is to improve community well-being by engaging and leading the community to work collectively in its development of strategic priorities that guide policy, programs and resource allocation. CGIC is the responsible organization for the development, and with partners, the implementation of the Chatham Community Blueprint. CGIC has strength and capacity related to leadership, management, systems and partnerships.
https://www.coastalgaindicators.org
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Community Invited to Celebrate Healthy Savannah’s Four Years of Healthy Walks on March 26
Community Invited to Celebrate Healthy Savannah’s Four Years of Healthy Walks on March 26
(SAVANNAH, GA) A grass-roots initiative that started as a pandemic solution for people to escape isolation has become a popular early morning routine for many Savannahians. Every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., Healthy Savannah’s Paula Kreissler and Armand Turner don their walking shoes and lead participants on Healthy Walks around Savannah and Chatham County.
Now, after having since offered more than 150 Healthy Walks over the past four years, the organization is celebrating the initiative by encouraging the community to join them at a special anniversary walk.
On Tuesday, March 26, the public is invited to meet up with members of Healthy Savannah, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Friends of Tide to Town to celebrate the 4th anniversary of Healthy Walks. Walkers will gather at 7:30 a.m. in the parking area at Scarborough Sports Complex, Skidaway at Bona Bella Ave. This will be a low-impact two-mile walk along a portion of the Tide To Town Urban Trail system known as the Truman Linear Park Trail, which is level and accessible, with wide, paved walkways and highly visible pedestrian crosswalks. The walk will last about an hour and end back at the starting point.
“At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when so many people were isolated and homebound, this activity grew from a need for folks to get out and participate in a safe social setting that also encouraged physical fitness,” said Turner, deputy director, Healthy Savannah and board president, Friends of Tide to Town. “It was also a way for people to experience our local trails and parks and see areas of our city and county from a different perspective.”
Founded in 2007 by Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson with the aim of making Savannah a healthier place to live, Healthy Savannah has since grown into a dedicated coalition of over 200 partner organizations with which the organization leads, collaborates and innovates equitable solutions for the sustained health of all Savannahians.
Together with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, Healthy Savannah currently administers a five-year $5.1 million Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant to foster sustainable health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases. A portion of the grant funding supports the development and use of the Tide to Town urban trail system.
The Friends of Tide to Town was founded in 2018 to lead the community-based engagement, implementation and stewardship of Tide to Town, through the lens of health and equity.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates a single session of moderate to vigorous physical activity such as a brisk walk can provide immediate health benefits including improved sleep, less anxiety, and lowered blood pressure. Long-term benefits can include improved heart and brain health, a healthier weight, bone strength and even a lower risk for certain cancers. [https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/health-benefits-of-physical-activity-for-adults.html]
But CDC data also indicates only 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 high school students fully meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
“While these walks do encourage physical activity, we also want weekly walkers to have fun while exploring activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations all around our community,” said Kreissler, Healthy Savannah’s executive director. “We might invite someone who knows about the history of the area to walk along and tell the story behind the trail or point out significant landmarks of the area we’re visiting. It gives you an entirely new perspective of places you might have always known but never really knew.”
Kreissler says the March 26 anniversary walk will take walkers along a section of the Truman Trail which has newly planted camellias.
Savannah City Council recently approved an over 8 million dollar contract for the second phase of the Truman Trail construction. The first three miles, completed during the pandemic, run from Lake Mayer to DeRenne Ave. The next segment will run for about three miles picking up at DeRenne Ave. near Jenkins High School to 52nd St. and Bee Rd. Construction is expected to get underway later this year. Once completed, it will fully connect the Lake Mayer Park Trail Loop to the Daffin Park Trail Loop, creating nine miles of continuous off- and on-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure through the heart of Savannah.
“In our most recent Healthy Savannah survey, which we have conducted each year since 2014, respondents said they would walk or bike to work, school and shopping if there were bike paths and sidewalks,” said Turner. “That’s precisely what we’re striving to accomplish through the Tide to Town urban trail project.”
Almost all (87%) of Healthy Savannah’s 2023 survey respondents said that sidewalks/paths in areas for walking to work, school, and businesses are fairly or extremely important. A majority (70%) further indicated that they use the city and county parks at least once a month or more and (75%) participate in physical activities a few times a month or more.
“Our observational data also shows that Black and white residents use the trail in nearly equal numbers,” said Turner. “The trail system is creating a safe, stress-free place to walk, jog, skate or bicycle for all.”
Turner says the Tide to Town project is also gaining greater momentum now that the City has brought a project manager on board. The group is additionally working with City staff on an official agreement between Friends of Tide to Town and the City of Savannah that outlines how the two entities can work together to ensure the trail system is constructed and maintained with equity and health in mind.
When completed, Tide to Town will include a network of 30+ miles of bikeable and walkable trails connecting more than 60 neighborhoods and 30 schools in Savannah and Chatham County, from downtown to the marshes and waterways.
“We encourage everyone to get out and get healthy, whether you join our Healthy Walks or explore these routes on your own, using the Healthy Walks map,” said Kreissler. “You can also watch live streams and recordings of our walks on Healthy Savannah’s Facebook page.”
Healthy Savannah’s online Healthy Walks map, https://healthysavannah.org/our-programs/physical-activity/healthy-walks-story-map/, shows trail routes all across Savannah and Chatham County. Trail users are encouraged to share walk experiences by tagging photos and videos with #HealthyWalk and #ActivePeople.
The next healthy walk is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on April 2 at Whitemarsh Preserve, 68 Johnny Mercer Blvd, Savannah, GA 31410. To learn about upcoming Healthy Walks, click on Healthy Savananh’s Healthy Activities calendar, https://healthysavannah.org/healthy-activities/, and to watch live streams of their walks every Tuesday morning, visit Healthy Savannah’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/healthysav and Healthy Savannah’s Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/officialhltysav/
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a second grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) to Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. $5.1 million in funding is being deployed over a five-year period to be utilized in an “upstream” approach to foster sustainable health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases. The renewed funding enables work to continue which began under the initial, five-year, $3.4 million REACH grant awarded in 2018, and a supplemental grant awarded in 2021 to increase awareness and acceptance of COVID-19 and flu adult immunizations. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the Savannah/Chatham County project team’s specific goals in implementing the new five-year grant include fostering physical activity by creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change; and providing education and awareness regarding adult immunizations, especially as they relate to health disparities in chronic conditions of hypertension, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The administrators will also continue to foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them by supporting awareness and use of the HERO Help Me database. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Resilient Coastal Georgia Announces 2024 Steering Committee
(SAVANNAH, GA) Resilient Coastal Georgia has announced its Steering Committee leadership for 2024. The regional group that aims to build resilience and a trauma-informed community across coastal counties will be co-chaired by Holly Whitfield, executive director, Deep Center; and Lizann Roberts, executive director, Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition.
Back Row (L to R): Lee Robbins (Mediation Center), Chrissy Ruehl (CGIC), Lizann Roberts (CGIC), Holly Whitfield (Deep Center), Maureen McFadden (McFadden Therapy and Consulting), Kim Jackson Allen (SCCPSS), Tony Murphy (Chatham County Parks and Rec), Beatrice Severson (Hispanic Community Volunteer, Tameka Tribble (Parent University/SCCPSS), Eric Mason (Greenbriar Children’s Center)
The announcement was made at the organization’s bi-monthly Steering Committee meeting, held on February 12 at the Gateway Behavioral Health Crisis Center in Savannah.
A subset of the statewide organization Resilient Georgia, Resilient Coastal Georgia was formed in 2022 to support mental health system change and policies for children, youth and families in the Savannah area affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The local organization is an initiative of the Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition and works with community partners to provide training sessions for groups and individuals who work directly with children and youth and hosts mental wellness and trust-building events and spaces for young people.
For example, during 2023, the organization hosted a day of fun-filled activities for the students and staff of Savannah High School of Liberal Studies and Savannah Early College High School, after providing a continuous level of support to the school in the aftermath of a school shooter hoax in November 2022. The group also organized a “Touch the Truck” event for kindergarteners at the Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey School as part of a training program to build trust in first responders from a young age. Community partner Loop it up Savannah also set up 15 Mindfulness zones at nine elementary, three middle and one high school along with two early learning centers. The group additionally distributed 1650 Resilient Coastal Georgia backpacks and resource kits to individuals and families throughout the community and completed 165 Handle with Care referrals in Chatham County.
The following Steering Committee co-chairs were also announced at the meeting: Kate Blair, executive director of Brightside Child and Family Advocacy; and Lydia McCrary, Deputy Chief of Chatham EMS will lead the Judicial and First Responder Work Group; Tameka Tribble of Parent University, and Dr. Kim Jackson-Allen of SCCPSS will co-chair the In School Work Group; and Lee Robbins, of the Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire; and Raquel Tucker, of the YMCA of the Coastal Empire, will co-chair the of Out of School Work Group.
The organization also recognized its leadership team: Molly Lieberman, executive director, Loop It Up Savannah, Core Team, Steering Committee and co-chair School Work Group; Maureen McFadden, LCSW Core Team, McFadden Therapy and Consulting Services, LLC, Core Team; Lizann Roberts, M.A. C.C., executive director Core Team, Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition, Inc., Chatham Family Connection Collaborative; Vira Salzburn, program director, Safety & Resilience Programs Core Team, Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council.
Additionally, the entirety of the Steering Committee was commended for their commitment and service to the organization: Alisa Leckie/Georgia Southern University; Alisha Markle/Chatham County Juvenile Court; Antonio “Tony” Murphy/Chatham County Park and Rec; Beatriz Severson/Community Volunteer; Becky Lehto/YMCA; Christina Temple/Overcoming by Faith Church; Christy Smith/Live Oaks Public Library; Eric Mason/Greenbriar Children’s Center; Freya Huffman/DEI Administrator for Chatham County; Gena Taylor/Greenbriar Children’s Center; Jaqueline Awe, Savannah State University; Jessica Matthewson/Gateway Community Service Board; Jill Cheeks/ Mediation Center; John Bush/Office Neighborhood Safety; Julie Cavanaugh/Savannah Police Department; Kate Blair/Brightside Advocacy; Kimberly Jackson-Allen/SCCPSS; Lee Robbins/The Mediation Center; Lisa Brewer/Ga Family Connection – Region 12; Lisa; Colbert/Chatham County Superior Court; Lydia McCrary/Chatham EMS; Maureen McFadden/McFadden Therapy and Consulting, LLC; Maya Jinks/Chatham County Juvenile Court; Molly Lieberman/Loop It Up; Phylicia Anderson/Gateway Community Service Board; Raquel Tucker/YMCA; Tameka Tribble/Parent University; Tara Jones/Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition; Vira Salzburn/Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council; Yolanda Rivera-Caudill/Pediatrician.
ABOUT RESILIENT COASTAL GEORGIA
Resilient Coastal Georgia, a subset of the statewide organization Resilient Georgia, was formed in 2022 to administer a four-year, $750,000 grant from the Pittulloch Foundation to support mental health system change and policies for children, youth and families in the Savannah area affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A 25-member steering committee includes those representing local schools, faith-based groups, the courts, first responders, mental health, government, nonprofits and youth-serving organizations. Learn more at https://resilientcoastalga.org or contact Lizann Roberts at director.cgic@gmail.com
ABOUT RESILIENT GEORGIA
Resilient Georgia is a statewide coalition of more than 80 partners and 600 stakeholders committed to building a stronger, more resilient Georgia. Through a network of public and private partners, Resilient Georgia is creating a pipeline of trauma-informed behavioral health services and resources that support children and families who have experienced adversity. This integrated system includes prevention, early intervention, research, advocacy and policy, and care implementation and coordination. Learn more at resilientga.org or contact Emily Anne Vall at Evall@ResilientGA.org
ABOUT COASTAL GEORGIA INDICATORS COALITION
The Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition (CGIC) is comprised of community members and advocates working together through a comprehensive coordinated approach for planning accountability. It serves as a collaboration of resource agencies addressing overall health and well-being while leveraging resource initiatives. The purpose of the Coalition is to improve community well-being by engaging and leading the community to work collectively in its development of strategic priorities that guide policy, programs and resource allocation. CGIC is the responsible organization for the development, and with partners, the implementation of the Chatham Community Blueprint. CGIC has strength and capacity related to leadership, management, systems and partnerships.
https://www.coastalgaindicators.org
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society partnering with Sunshine Pottery to hold a monthly family support meeting August 17
(SAVANNAH, GA) Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society is partnering with Sunshine Pottery to hold the monthly family support meeting Thursday, August 17 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The event will be held in the Banquet Room located at 1525 Dean Forest Rd., Savannah, GA 31408. Please enter through the side entrance labeled “100A.”
Sunshine Pottery is donating a variety of pottery pieces to be painted during Thursday’s meeting. LDSS plans to auction the one-of-a-kind artwork at the 2024 Night of Champions. A “Certificate of Authenticity” will be created and presented with the pottery to the winning bidder for each piece sold. The certificate will include a photo of the child who painted the piece and their story.
Virtual attendees will be able to ask questions and have them answered in real-time by LDSS leaders and the guest speaker.
LDSS President Joe Marchese encourages all members to reach out to a fellow LDSS family they haven’t seen in a while and invite them to this month’s meeting.
“We’ve got lots of things to talk about and introduce to our families this month,” said Marchese. “LDSS will be involved in some awesome events and activities in the coming months and we want your support and participation so make sure to mark your calendars so you won’t miss out!”
If you’d like to have your child paint a piece of pottery, please email Lindsey at lbarron@ldssga.org.
Limited spaces are available.
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) supports people with Down syndrome and their families through local leadership, support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact. LDSS encourages the whole family to attend; children of all ages are welcome. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/.
CONTACT
Joe Marchese
Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society
jmarchese@ldssga.org
912-213-9999
MEDIA CONTACT
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
Marjorie Young
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com\
Healthy Savannah and Other Local Agencies offering Guidance for Parents and Businesses during National Breastfeeding Month in August
(SAVANNAH, Ga.) In observance of National Breastfeeding Month in August and Black Breastfeeding Week Aug 25-31, Healthy Savannah and other local advocates are working to underscore the need for better corporate and community support of Black breastfeeding mothers, especially those in the workplace.
Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, as administrators of the Centers for Disease Control’s Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant; along with the Chatham County Health Department, Georgia Southern University Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health and Glow Lactation, are offering several events throughout the month. All are free and open to the public:
Glow Lactation will host a peer advocates session at the Armstrong Center in classroom 105 on Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus at 6PM on Tuesday, Aug. 29. This workshop will provide information for community members to advocate and promote breastfeeding throughout the community.
The Department of Health Coastal Health District will host virtual WIC advocate training sessions on the third Friday of each month at 10am. The next session will be August 18th at 10am . To register and for more information, visit https://coastalhealthdistrict.org/programs-services/health-promotion-disease-prevention/wic-ambassadors/
Glow Lactation will offer an online Mommy Moments Breastfeeding Support Group at 6 p.m.on Monday, Aug. 21 via ZOOM. This monthly support group was created to encourage, empower, and give Black moms a voice to tell their breastfeeding journey. Register at www.glowlactation.com or text MOMMYMOMENTS to 912-758-3438.
The Coastal Health District invites breastfeeding moms, their families and friends, and breastfeeding advocates to join in a World Breastfeeding Week celebration on August 5 from 9-11 a.m. in Savannah. This family-friendly event will be held in Forsyth Park and will include a walk for breastfeeding awareness, information on the benefits of breastfeeding, raffle prizes, and free swag bags while supplies last.
“We are tapping into the 2023 National Breastfeeding Month theme, This is Our Why, to help shine a light on why it is so important to center our conversation on the babies and families who need our advocacy,” said Nandi A. Marshall, DrPH, MPH, CHES, CLC, CDE. “Supporting nursing parents as they return to work is the right thing to do. It benefits the family and community, including their place of employment.”
Marshall is an associate professor and associate dean for Academic Affairs at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University.
She is leading local efforts funded by the REACH grant to encourage Savannah businesses to adopt breastfeeding-friendly policies and environments and to help them comply with a new law.
The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act (S. 1658/H.R. 3110), was signed into national law on December 29, 2022. The legislation added several important changes to the Break Time for Nursing Mothers law passed in 2010. The original law required employers to provide reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for breastfeeding employees to pump during the work day but did not cover one out of every four birthing parents of childbearing age.
The updated law extends the right to break time and space to pump at work to millions more workers, including teachers and nurses. It also makes it possible for workers to file a lawsuit to seek monetary remedies if their employer fails to comply and clarifies that pumping time must be paid if an employee is not completely relieved from duty. The law also increases this accommodation from one year to two years. Learn more at https://www.usbreastfeeding.org/pump-act.html
Marshall and the local advocates are also focused on increasing awareness of the inequities that discourage breastfeeding by Black mothers in Chatham County and identifying opportunities to remove those obstacles, especially in the workplace.
She said the benefits to businesses often include increased retention rates, improved morale, and lower healthcare and insurance costs. Meanwhile, the cost to employers may be little or nothing to convert an empty office or meeting room into a pleasant lactation space.
Organizations that pledge to create policies and provide spaces will be recognized by Healthy Savannah.
“Supporting parents in their nursing journey is the right thing to do, but we also know breastfed and chestfed babies often have fewer stomach and digestive issues and a lower risk for many diseases such as asthma, SIDS and diabetes,” said Shawntay Gadson, MHA, IBCLC. “Giving breastfeeding employees a safe and comfortable lactation space and adequate break time can be vitally important to the wellbeing of workers as well as their children.”
Gadson is a lactation consultant and owner of Glow Lactation Services. She also works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Memorial and with various programs supported by REACH grant funding. She has first-hand experience in the health value of breastfeeding.
A 2019 CDC report on Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration indicated that Black infants had a significantly lower rate of any breastfeeding at age 3 months (58.0%) than did white infants (72.7%); and that at age 6 months, the rates were 44.7% among Black infants and 62.0% among white infants.
For more information on National Breastfeeding Month in August and Black Breastfeeding Week August 25-31, visit USBC at https://www.usbreastfeeding.org/
Visit https://healthysavannah.org/breastfeeding-resources/ for information on adopting a workplace policy to support breastfeeding employees. For lactation resources and breastfeeding support in Chatham County, visit herohelpme.com.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society to hold monthly family support meeting July 20
Dance Savannah Elite presents new program offering a competitive dance team for differently abled kids.
(SAVANNAH, GA) The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) will be holding its July family support meeting. New and former members are invited to attend. Mr. Darrell Jordan from Dance Savannah Elite will talk about a new program offering a competitive dance team for differently abled kids. He will talk about how the LDSS members can get involved.
This month’s meeting will be Thursday, July 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Banquet Room located at 1525 Dean Forest Road, Savannah, GA 31408. Please enter through the side entrance labeled “100A.” Those who are unable to attend in person can log on to the Live stream via the LDSS Facebook page at 6:30 p.m. on the 20th. Virtual attendees will be able to ask questions and have them answered in real time by LDSS leaders and the guest speaker.
LDSS President Joe Marchese encourages all members to reach out to a fellow LDSS family they haven’t seen in a while and invite them to this month’s meeting.
“We’ve got lots of things to talk about and introduce to our families this month,” said Marchese. “LDSS will be involved in some awesome events and activities in the coming months and we want your support and participation so make sure to mark your calendars so you won’t miss out!”
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) supports people with Down syndrome and their families through local leadership, support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact. LDSS encourages the whole family to attend; children of all ages are welcome. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/.
CONTACT
Joe Marchese
Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society
jmarchese@ldssga.org
912-213-9999
MEDIA CONTACT
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
Marjorie Young
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Tide to Town Trail System Gets $10 Million from City of Savannah
(SAVANNAH, GA) The City of Savannah has awarded $10 million to the Tide to Town urban trail network, drawing on the anticipated income generated by the increase in Savannah’s hotel/motel taxes. The ambitious trail project – which upon completion will link 75% of Savannah’s neighborhoods to safe walking and biking infrastructure – also will benefit from the $37 million allocated to restore the Historic Waterworks Building in west Savannah, since that project includes trails and sidewalks for the westside neighborhoods and links them into Tide to Town.
According to Armand Turner, Healthy Savannah’s physical activity program manager and Tide to Town board president, the $10 million represents the largest commitment to non-motorized mobility in the city’s history. The funds will finance the planning and engineering of upcoming segments of the Truman Linear Park Trail and the Middleground Road corridor located on Savannah’s south side.
Parts of the Tide to Town trail network are already completed and in use. The Truman Linear Park Trail is a major segment of the larger trail network supported by a network of local partners that include the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Healthy Savannah as administrators of the Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. REACH Grant staff have conducted community outreach across various neighborhoods in Savannah, gathering feedback on the current need for increased pedestrian safety.
“We are delighted in this latest advance in the landmark Tide to Town trail project,” said Turner. “The trail will make safe, healthy and stress-free pedestrian and bicycle access a real transportation option for most of Savannah’s neighborhoods. The trail will serve not only minority and underserved communities, but the community at large as well.”
The trail also has long-term socio-economic development implications, Turner pointed out. The trail will provide priority access for low-income and minority neighborhoods, connecting homes to schools, employment centers, and services, and also providing walking, jogging, skating and biking infrastructure.
The first phase of Tide to Town, the Truman Linear Park Trail, is complete. It links Lake Mayer Park to East DeRenne Avenue. The next phase will connect from DeRenne Avenue up to the Police Memorial Park Trail and Daffin Park. Once all phases are completed, the Truman Trail will connect over 800 acres of park and recreation space, 18 neighborhoods, and two major economic centers, providing needed connectivity for area residents and eco-tourism options for visitors.
The local delegation to the General Assembly gave Savannah the authority to raise its local hotel/motel tax rate from its current 6% to 8%, effective in September. The additional monies are allocated in a formula that includes public development of tourism infrastructure, which makes the trail eligible for the funding. The Savannah City Council in May approved the awarding of the funds to the trail.
For more details please visit the official website of Tide To Town https://tidetotown.org/.
More information is also available at https://www.savannahga.gov/2952/Tide-to-Town .
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition Hosts Faith Walk at Lake Mayer July 16
(SAVANNAH, GA) The Healthy Savannah Faith and Health Coalition will host a free community event to celebrate health, wellness and summer fun on Sunday, July 16 at Lake Mayer Community Park.
Called “Faith Walk” and co-sponsored by Forsyth Farmers’ Market’s Farm Truck 912, the event will be held from 5:30 until 8:00 p.m. at the Lake Mayer pavilions, located at 1850 E. Montgomery Cross Rd., and will include a variety of healthy activities.
“As a faith leader, I think it is refreshing and exciting to have the entire community join us for this walk for faith-based organizations and their congregations where we get to enjoy healthy food and fun,” said Pastor Yolanda Roberson, executive pastor at Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship and Faith and Health Coalition co-chair.
Farm Truck 912 is scheduled to be there, hosting a healthy cooking demonstration featuring fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables right off the truck. Plus, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Georgia will sponsor 100 fresh produce bags to be provided to families that attend the event.
Attendees will also be able to participate in fun activities such as a healthy walk around the beautiful Lake Mayer trail which provides a connection point to the Truman Linear Park Trail. There will be games for kids, such as corn hole, jump ropes and Hula-Hoops. Participants will have the chance to win three $50 gift card vouchers for the Forsyth Farmers’ Market.
Representatives from GirlTrek and Black Girls Do Bike will also be on hand with exciting information about those programs and event organizers will provide an update on the Tide to Town Urban Trail system.
“We’ve worked hard to make this event positive and fun for the whole community,” said Rhonda Barlow, Faith and Health co-chair and School Nutrition coordinator for Savannah Public Schools. “We want everyone who can, to come eat good food and walk with us.”
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition is a sub-committee of Healthy Savannah and was formed in 2014 to support faith-based organizations to implement policies and programs that promote health. The Coalition strives to help elevate the health and wellness of the community through funding from the five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Stacy Jennings to Lead YMCA of Coastal Georgia Community Impact Campaign
(SAVANNAH, GA) Stacy Jennings, a prominent marketing figure in the Savannah market and a long-time supporter of the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, will serve as the campaign chair for the Y’s 2023 Community Impact Campaign, a drive that aims to raise $662,000 to fund a wide swath of YMCA programs.
“As a long-time member of the YMCA, I know first-hand how it serves everyone in the community and is particularly impactful for children,” Jennings said.
Jennings’ role as the campaign chair is to drive volunteer efforts to generate contributions that fund vital YMCA programs and to serve as the face of the 2023 campaign, which runs through the end of December 2023.
Supporters can donate to the campaign at www.ymcaofcoastalga.com/donate or by calling Suzanne Duggan, annual fund director, at her office at the Habersham Street YMCA at 912-358-2651.
Jennings is the director of communications for the Savannah Chatham County Public School System. Previously, she led the marketing department at the Savannah Morning News after starting as an advertising account executive in 1986. Over the course of a 30-year career there, she worked in a variety of roles at the newspaper, including sales management, advertising production services, special projects, and event marketing. She later joined the Georgia Press Association to direct its sales and marketing efforts until 2019, when she joined the communications department at the public schools.
In addition to a longstanding volunteer relationship with YMCA of Coastal Georgia, she also has served on the boards for United Way of the Coastal Empire, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire, the Rape Crisis Center, and the vestry of St. John’s Church. She has been recognized by the American Advertising Federation, the Newspaper Association of America (now part of the International News Media Association), the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Small Business Assistance Corporation. She has performed various board duties for professional organizations including chairing conferences, competitions, training and professional development, and organizational development/change. The Tulane University graduate is also an accomplished speaker on topics such as branding, marketing and media, and strategies for change.
The Community Impact Campaign will run through the end of the year. Donations are tax deductible.
The funds will go toward children’s Coastal Safety Around Water courses; swim sessions; the Y-Readers Program, which helps students catch up to grade level in their reading skills; A Place to Dream, which provides beds for needy children; summer day camps; after-school programs; youth sports; teen leadership and workforce development; membership scholarships; the Live Strong Program and rehabilitation programs.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA
The YMCA of Coastal Georgia is the largest provider of childcare in the Coastal Georgia region, operating 11 units in Bulloch, Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Glynn Counties. The YMCA serves men and women, girls and boys of all ages and from all walks of life regardless of the ability to pay. All of this and more is accomplished while putting forth the Y mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. http://YMCAofCoastalGA.org
CONTACT
The YMCA of Coastal Georgia
6400 Habersham St, Ste A,
Savannah, GA 31405
Phone: (912) 354-5480
http://YMCAofCoastalGA.org
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 14TH ANNUAL CAMP BUDDY IN EFFINGHAM COUNTY, JUNE 26-30
(EFFINGHAM COUNTY) The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) will be hosting its 14th annual Camp Buddy summer camp for Effingham County on June 25-29 at the Blandford Elementary School and local places in Rincon for community-based learning opportunities.
Camp Buddy is for children of all ages with Down syndrome and is designed to help students retain previous accomplishments and prepare for the upcoming school year with a specially designed curriculum by special education teachers and therapists.
Elementary school children will attend the morning session where they will stay at the facility and engage in one-on-one occupational, physical and speech therapy. Campers will also enjoy games, arts and crafts with educational components.
Middle school children will also receive therapies as they work on several projects including preparing bags for Backpack Buddies, teacher appreciation bags, and experiencing opportunities that will help them advance in challenging academic areas.
High schoolers will attend the later afternoon session and will engage in various activities such as volunteering at local food and clothing pantries and going on a shopping trip to the grocery store where they will work on budgeting and healthy meal planning. During the camp session, they will have an opportunity to learn occupational and life skills in the kitchen as well as preparing several meals. An overnight stay will assist with learning valuable skills that will promote living independently. Extra fun physical activities in the community will be enjoyed by this group also.
“Our 14th annual Camp Buddy is here! It provides a great opportunity for awesome, differently-abled individuals who have Down syndrome or a similar chromosomal abnormality to receive needed physical, occupational and speech therapies as well as enhance and retain gains made throughout the school year by working individually with each camper to retain what was learned and address specific academic challenges to ready them for the upcoming school year” said Camp Buddy director, Molly Marchese.
Throughout the camp session, occupational, physical, and speech therapy are cleverly disguised as games and activities, and all campers participate in activities that promote health and wellness as well as the importance of giving back to the community.
To register for the Effingham County Camp Buddy, contact Molly Marchese at mollymarchese6107@gmail.com or 912-213-9127.
>>> Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) will also be hosting Camp Buddy summer camp for Chatham County on July 10-14 at St. Andrews School, located at 601 Penn Waller Rd, on Wilmington Island. Contact Pam Hussey, pbjhussey@gmail.com to register. <<<
Camp Buddy is sponsored by the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society and is made possible through the generosity of the community, friends and families of LDSS and events such as the Buddy Walk and Night of Champions. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY:
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) is a support group to benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families through local leadership in support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every 3rd Thursday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact with one another. LDSS encourages people to bring their children. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
CONTACT
Molly Marchese
mollymarchese6107@gmail.com
912-213-9127
LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 14TH ANNUAL CAMP BUDDY IN CHATHAM COUNTY, JULY 10-14, 2023.
(CHATHAM COUNTY) The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) will be hosting its 14th annual Camp Buddy summer camp for Chatham County on July 10-14 at St. Andrews School, located at 601 Penn Waller Rd, on Wilmington Island.
Camp Buddy is for children of all ages with Down syndrome and is designed to help students prepare for the upcoming school year with a specially designed curriculum.
Activities that take place during Camp Buddy include but are not limited to, cooking, art, crafts, life skill lessons, physical and occupational therapy, money and time management-related activities. These activities are created and designed to grow the student’s knowledge base and hands-on experience with real-life scenarios. Money and time management will help the students with real-life purchasing processes and understand the importance of a daily routine. Cooking activities present real-life situations that focus on safety and following instructions and steps to create the dish and achieve the goal. Arts and crafts will help develop hand strength and muscle development with physical therapy activities such as scooter board riding that helps develop core strength that in turn helps with small muscle development.
For over 14 years, the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society has been helping students with Down syndrome enjoy summer fun at Camp Buddy with a customized curriculum designed by special education, occupational, physical, and speech therapists that helps the students retain the information they learned during the previous school year and preparing for the upcoming school year.
Throughout the camp session, occupational, physical, and speech therapy are cleverly disguised as games, and campers participate in activities that promote health and wellness as well as the importance of giving back to the community.
Camp Buddy is sponsored by the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society and is made possible through the generosity of the community, friends and families of LDSS and events such as the Buddy Walk and Night of Champions. Camp Buddy for Effingham County was held in June. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY:
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) is a support group to benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families through local leadership in support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every 3rd Thursday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact with one another. LDSS encourages people to bring their children. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
CONTACT
Pam Hussey
pbjhussey@gmail.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
www.carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah Celebrates 16 Years and Bestows 2023 Health Innovation Award to Loop it Up Savannah at Biennial Meeting
(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah observed its 16th anniversary on May 2 at the Charles H. Morris Center in Savannah. The non-profit organization is known locally and nationally for championing a culture of health in Savannah and Chatham County by fostering programs and promoting environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice.
During the breakfast event, held every other year with a collaborative network of local partners, Healthy Savannah announced the winner of the 2023 Health Innovation Award to Loop it Up Savannah and celebrated the milestones that have made and are making Savannah a healthier place to live and work.
“From advocating for Savannah’s Smoke-Free Ordinance to administering a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), our mission is to lead the way for significant, measurable, impactful programs that change the health landscape of our community,” said Paula Kreissler, executive director.
Eight years after Savannah’s ordinance was passed, the Georgia Department of Public Health documented a dramatic decrease in Savannah and Chatham County hospital admissions from 2010 to 2018 for obstructive heart disease, including heart attacks. It further noted that hospital admissions in nearby counties increased, while the state’s numbers stayed the same. The study also showed an uptick in visits to Savannah bars and restaurants, indicating the ordinance did not hurt business revenues.
Healthy Savannah, along with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, has administered REACH grant funds since 2018 to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in Savannah’s and Chatham County’s low-wealth neighborhoods. Some of the partnerships receiving grant funding and closing the equity gap in areas of nutrition, physical activity, clinical/community connections and COVID/flu awareness and acceptance include the Corner Store program, Farm Truck 912, Fresh Express, The Tide to Town Urban Trail network/Truman Linear Park Trail, HERO Help Me database and Healthy Savannah’s Community Health Advocate program. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
In celebration of the achievements made by Healthy Savannah’s network of more than 200 partnerships, Christina S. Cook, MPH, CHES; presented the 2023 Health Innovation Award to Loop It Up Savannah for its Mindfulness Zone program. The program offers children a toolkit of strategies for addressing emotionally challenging circumstances that arise in school among peers, at home with family members, and among community members.
Nominees for the Health Innovation Award which were also recognized for their contributions to Healthy Savannah included Blessings in a Bookbag / Bike Walk Savannah Bike Drive; Chatham Area Transit’s Wellness Center; Mountain Film Festival Youth Program; and Stars School Initiatives Summer Camp for Boys.
Healthy Savannah’s Armand Turner presented the inaugural Dennis Hutton Spirit award in support of a community or school garden to Feiler Park Community Garden along with a $1,000 check. Hutton, who passed away in 2022, was well known for contributing his time and talent over the past decade to Healthy Savannah, Savannah Urban Garden Alliance, Mixed Greens and the Forsyth Farmers Market.
Montrece McNeill Ransom, JD, MPH, director of the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training was the keynote speaker for the event.
“I’m super excited to be here in Savannah to talk with Healthy Savannah and all the folks that care about making Savannah healthier and more equitable and to talk with them about the phenomena of belonging,” said Ransom. “Belonging is the number one motivator that unleashes human potential.”
Ransom was appointed as a Presidential Management Fellow and worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for almost 20 years. For the last 10 years of her service, she led CDC’s public health law-related training and workforce development efforts. (More at https://nnphi.org/about-nnphi/nnphi-team/montrece-ransom/)
The biennial event also afforded the opportunity for the outgoing chair, Lillian Grant-Baptiste, to hand over the gavel to the incoming chairperson, Blake Caldwell, MD.
“Healthy Savannah’s leadership has been instrumental in forging an extraordinary culture in our community,” said Caldwell. “The unique cooperation and creative collaboration with more than 200 organizations has resulted in numerous accomplishments from the Smoke-Free Air Ordinance to the Truman Linear Park Trail. I am excited to expand and enhance these collaborations to continually make Savannah a healthier place to live, work, and play.”
Caldwell is a physician and scientist who had most recently served as vice-chair of Healthy Savannah. She retired in 2010 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is a pediatrician, but her early career included 8 years in the Navy doing bacterial research with a two-year tour teaching tropical public health and deployment medicine to Navy physicians in Panama. She joined the CDC in 1989 and her long career there included epidemiological research in HIV, health services research in health care quality and medical errors, and finally health policy for infectious diseases. She has also served on several non-profit boards and helped found the Healthy Savannah Grant Planning Working Group. In 2011-2012 she chaired a task force for the Metropolitan Planning Commission to revise the city and county animal control ordinances to encourage urban agriculture.
The non-profit also announced its new slate of executive board members: Blake Caldwell, MD, chair; Tom Bullock, PhD, vice chair; Nick Defley, MS, vice chair; Cheri Dean, secretary; and Pastor Yolanda Roberson, member at large.
Roberson, who is the executive pastor of Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship, has also been appointed as co-chair of Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition to serve alongside Rhonda Barlow, MPH, RDN, LD, CLC.
The organization additionally welcomed new board members Krystal Sharp and Tiffany Young; and recognized Grant-Baptiste for her leadership as the outgoing chair of the organization, along with retiring board members Melanie Willoughby, RN, BSN, CCR; Cristina Gibson, MPH.
Gibson was recently appointed as the new chair of the Healthy Savannah Steering Committee, previously chaired by Young. She has served in public health for 20 years and is currently the Chronic Disease Prevention director for the Coastal Health District. As a member of the Healthy Savannah coalition, she has been at the forefront of efforts leading to the adoption of local smoke-free ordinances and a 100% smoke-free campus policy at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus.
A healthy breakfast was provided by the Southern Palate and Ashford Tea Company supplied refreshments, including “Health Equi-Tea™,” first introduced in 2022 to celebrate Healthy Savannah’s 15th anniversary.
The public-private coalition launched by former Savannah Mayor Dr. Otis Johnson in 2007 has cultivated partnerships with more than 200 businesses, nonprofits, faith- and community-based organizations, schools, and healthcare and government agencies to develop policies and improve environments to assist people in making healthier choices the easy choice and to create and support a healthier, safer, and more accessible environment for all people to live, learn, work, pray, and play.
“I am thoroughly impressed with the breadth of the work that’s going on,” said Johnson. “I feel like a granddaddy seeing the work of his grandchildren. Thank you for giving me the time to congratulate you.”
COVER ARTIST – INKYBRITTANY:
Brittany Curry has served for many years as a cover artist for Healthy Savannah’s biennial meeting programs and for numerous other projects of the organization. Curry provides illustrations that clearly reflect Healthy Savannah’s vision and culture of health in our community. An early image she created for the non-profit was submitted as part of a successful grant package that led to a huge impact in Savannah/Chatham County and enabled her to launch her business and signature name, InkyBrittany. As a graphic recorder and facilitator, she documents meetings and events through live note-taking using a combination of text and large-scale visual imagery. In 2017, Curry joined the International Forum of Visual Practitioners and was also named to Georgia Trend’s annual 40 Under 40 list of rising entrepreneurs and innovators statewide. She currently serves as the chair of the board of directors for Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy and is a trained moderator in public deliberation who has worked with the Kettering Foundation and The National Issues Forums. She is currently working with Healthy Savannah on another high-intensity event, with exciting details to be forthcoming.
PAST INNOVATION AWARDS RECIPIENTS:
2021: Nandi Marshall, PhD: Savannah H.O.P.E Project (Breastfeeding)
2019: Everybody Eats Fresh Free Fridays
2017: Savannah Bicycle Campaign – New Standard Cycles Program
2015: Forsyth Farmers’ Market
ABOUT HEALTHY SAVANNAH
Healthy Savannah, a 501©3 public charity is a public/private coalition of over 200 businesses, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, schools, neighborhood organizations, and healthcare and government agencies, It began as an initiative of City of Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson, formed in 2007. Healthy Savannah leads and supports a culture of health in the Savannah area by creating an environment that makes a healthy choice the easy choice; building a collaborative network that identifies and shares resources; collecting and disseminating information, promoting best practices and implementing innovative programs, and advocating for effective policies. Since its inception, this innovative, cross-sector collaboration has vastly benefited the community as evidenced by numerous multi-agency projects, grants and policy initiatives that have emerged from the initiative to create and sustain a Healthy Savannah. For more information, visit www.healthysavannah.org
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
First Responders and Community Leaders Help Build Trust in Kindergarten Students
(SAVANNAH, GA) Kindergarteners at the Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey School participated in a “Touch the Truck” kick-off event on March 28 as part of a training program to build trust in first responders from a young age.
The students met with first responders and community leaders from the Savannah Police and Fire departments, along with Chatham County EMS and the District Attorney’s office, to learn about how those agencies help people and what the young scholars can do when they feel anxious or scared if they see a first responder in their neighborhood.
The program was created by a coalition formed in 2020, now known as Resilient Coastal Georgia, developed by the Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition (CGIC) in conjunction with Resilient Georgia and funded through a $600,000 grant from the Pittulloch Foundation to support mental health system change and policies for children, youth and families in the Savannah area. With CGIC as its lead agency, Resilient Coastal Georgia has since harnessed the power of 25 local stakeholders to develop and ensure systemic change.
“In our community and across the country, children are experiencing stress and anxiety at younger ages than ever before,” said Lizann Roberts, director of the CGIC. “The purpose of this training is to build trust in our first responders from a young age, and reinforce the ‘Six Pillars of Character Counts’ that the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System teaches to all students. It gives young scholars age-appropriate tools to help reduce their anxiety and stress.”
Approximately 17 million children in the U.S. have or have had a mental illness, but most are not treated. According to the Children’s Mental Health Report by the Child Mind Institute, 80% of children with anxiety are not receiving treatment, along with 40% of children with diagnosable ADHD/ADD and 60% of children with diagnosable depression. It is thought that as many as one in six U.S. children between the ages of 6 and 17 has a treatable mental health disorder such as depression, anxiety or attention-deficit/ hyperactivity.
The Six Pillars of Character are trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. According to the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, the Pillars were identified by youth experts in the 1990s as “core ethical values that transcend cultural, religious and socioeconomic differences.”
Each of the presenters at the kick-off event completed Resilient Coastal Georgia’s 3-hour Community Resiliency Model Training and was assigned one of the Six Pillars of Character Counts:
*Trustworthiness & Respect – Savannah Police
*Caring – Chatham County EMS
*Citizenship – A judge
*Fairness – A lawyer from the District Attorney’s office
*Responsibility – Savannah Fire
“We are striving to create a social movement in our community that builds resiliency by being trauma-informed and trauma-responsive,” said Roberts. “The first step to achieving this goal is to encourage those in the community to take advantage of this free training.”
The Community Resiliency Model Training program focuses on the impact of adverse childhood experiences and how they impact the brain. It also provides tools for youth to build resilience in spite of the trauma that may exist in their lives. The free 3-hour course is offered to anyone in the community. For more information, email coordinator.cgic@gmail.com.
ABOUT RESILIENT COASTAL GEORGIA
Resilient Coastal Georgia, a subset of the statewide organization Resilient Georgia, was formed in 2022 to administer a four-year, $600,000 grant from the Pittulloch Foundation to support mental health system change and policies for children, youth and families in the Savannah area affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A 25-member steering committee includes those representing local schools, faith-based groups, the courts, first responders, mental health, government, nonprofits and youth-serving organizations. Learn more at https://resilientcoastalga.org or contact Lizann Roberts at director.cgic@gmail.com
ABOUT RESILIENT GEORGIA
Resilient Georgia is a statewide coalition of more than 80 partners and 600 stakeholders committed to building a stronger, more resilient Georgia. Through a network of public and private partners, Resilient Georgia is creating a pipeline of trauma-informed behavioral health services and resources that support children and families who have experienced adversity. This integrated system includes prevention, early intervention, research, advocacy and policy, and care implementation and coordination. Learn more at resilientga.org or contact Emily Anne Vall at Evall@ResilientGA.org
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah’s Armand Turner Elected as Friends of Tide to Town Board President
(SAVANNAH, GA) Friends of Tide To Town, Inc. (TTT) has announced the election of its 2023 board of directors. Chairman Armand Turner will be joined on the executive board by Paula Kreissler, vice chair; Marsha Buford, treasurer; and Kirra Fields, secretary. Board members include Laura Ballock, John Bennett, Caila Brown, Brent Buice, Terry Enoch, John Giordano, Denise Grabowski, Mike Maynor, Jeanine Backman Roach and George Seaborough.
The Friends of Tide to Town was founded in 2018 to lead the community-based engagement, implementation and stewardship of Savannah’s Urban Trail System, through the lens of health and equity.
When completed, the project will include a network of 30+ miles of bikeable and walkable trails connecting more than 60 neighborhoods and 30 schools in Savannah and Chatham County, from downtown to the marshes and waterways.
At the heart of the system is the Truman Linear Park Trail, connecting Lake Mayer to Daffin Park. A three-mile portion has been open since 2020, with the remainder of construction expected to get underway by this summer. The entire project is about six miles long and will link 827 acres of existing parkland in Savannah and Chatham County. Including the Daffin Park trail loop and the Lake Mayer trail loop, the total connected pathway will be approximately 9 miles.
A native of Gary, Ind., Turner is the Physical Activity Program manager for Healthy Savannah and its Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health grant program, co-administered with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. He is a graduate of Indiana University with a BS in recreation and has served on the Friends of TTT board since 2019.
“I am excited to continue to build and foster activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations that are easily accessible to all people in Savannah and Chatham County,” said Turner. “We are focused on serving Savannah neighborhoods most in need of safety improvements and connecting homes to schools, employment centers, and services.”
In 2018, a portion of the $3.4 million awarded to Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal GA through the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant was dedicated to the Friends of Tide to Town’s efforts to increase activity friendly routes to everyday destinations, specifically for low wealth African Americans.
As a member of Tide To Town’s REACH Team, Turner, along with fellow board members Denise Grabowski and Laura Ballock, has helped identify and prioritize 10 neighborhoods within the City of Savannah in which efforts to improve connectivity could be concentrated.
ABOUT FRIENDS OF TIDE TO TOWN
Tide To Town, Savannah’s Urban Trail System, will be a protected network of walking and bicycling trails connecting all of Savannah’s neighborhoods, from the heart of the city to its marshes and waterways and serving every aldermanic district. The system has the potential to expand to unincorporated Chatham County, Tybee Island, Garden City, Thunderbolt, Bloomingdale, and Port Wentworth, integrating with long distance walking and bicycling trails. The Tide To Town vision is directly aligned with the City of Savannah’s Strategic Plan, which states that “By 2023… 75 percent of neighborhoods [will be] connected to walking and biking infrastructure (i.e.: trails).” https://tidetotown.org/
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Paula Kreissler to speak at Monthly Lowcountry Down Syndrome Meeting March 16
(SAVANNAH, GA) Paula Kreissler, executive director of Healthy Savannah and the program manager for the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; will speak at the monthly meeting of the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) on ways to get out, get active and get healthy.
LDSS’ Family Support meeting will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16 in the banquet room at Joe Marchese Construction located at 1525 Dean Forest Rd., Savannah, GA 31408. Please enter through the side entrance labeled “100A”.
Kreissler volunteered with Healthy Savannah from its launch in 2007, before accepting her current position. She graduated from Concordia University, is a licensed CPA, earned an MBA in Sustainable Business from Marylhurst University in 2012 and is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Southeast Georgia. The first 25 years of her career were spent primarily in Operations Management at FedEx.
In 2008, Kreissler received the Top Ten Working Women’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award from A Working Women In Need (AWWIN). The business she founded in 2005, Wound Care Clinic -ESU, won the 2008 Small Business of the Year Award from the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2015, Kreissler was recognized by the United Way Women’s Legacy Council with a “Women Who Rule” award.
Accompanying Kreissler at the meeting will be Armand Turner, Physical Activity Program Manager with the (REACH) grant. Turner is a Gary, Indiana, native and a graduate of Indiana University with a BS in Recreation. Turner interned at the Denver Parks and Recreation Department in 2014. A year later he worked at Texas Parks Recreation Department in Southlake and Grapevine, Texas. Most recently, Turner was the Recreation Coordinator at Albany State University in 2016.“Healthy Savannah and its 200+ public and private partners are making an impact by collaborating around policy, systems, and environmental change through the lens of health equity,” said Kreissler. “The organization has collectively been at the table to educate policy influencers and policymakers on how they can help make the healthy choice the easy choice.”
Since the creation of Healthy Savannah in 2007, numerous studies have shown a positive upturn in health outcomes and healthy lifestyles as a result of new policies being implemented like Smoke-Free Air, School Wellness Policy, School Design Guidelines, Complete Streets Ordinance, Community Garden Policy and the Farm Truck Ordinance.
In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the organizational REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity [https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/state-local-programs/reach/reach-lark-award/index.html]. The award recognizes the organization’s efforts to reduce health disparities among African American and Hispanic/Latino American residents with low incomes in Chatham County. Those initiatives include Active People, Healthy Savannah; Farm Truck 912; Healthy Checkout Initiative and #HEALTHY WALKS.
LDSS will be partnering with Healthy Savannah on Tuesday, March 21 to celebrate the three-year anniversary of #HEALTHY WALKS and to commemorate World Down Syndrome Day with a 2-mile walk on the Truman Linear Trail. Participants will meet up at 7:30 a.m. in the parking area at Scarborough Sports Complex, Skidaway at Bona Bella Ave.
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) is a support group to benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families through local leadership in support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every 3rd Thursday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact with one another. LDSS encourages people to bring their children. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Healthy Savannah AND YMCA Celebrate Three Years of Healthy Walks on March 21
The public is invited to walk in commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day.
(SAVANNAH, GA) For the past three years, Healthy Savannah’s Paula Kreissler and Armand Turner have donned their walking shoes every Tuesday morning and led participants on Healthy Walks around Savannah and Chatham County. Now, the duo is preparing to celebrate the three-year anniversary of the grass-roots initiative that started out as a pandemic solution for people to get out and explore Savannah area trails and walkways.
On Tuesday, March 21, the public is invited to meet up with members of Healthy Savannah, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) at 7:30 a.m. in the parking area at Scarborough Sports Complex, Skidaway at Bona Bella Ave. for a two-mile trek of the Truman Linear Park Trail. The trail is level and accessible, with wide, paved walkways and highly visible pedestrian crosswalks. The walk will last about an hour and end back at the starting point.
“This started as a simple way for folks to get out of the house at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Turner, Physical Activity Program manager. “We thought it would be a good way for people to escape isolation and experience local trails with new friends. Since those early days, we have discovered the many benefits of taking these walks.”
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 high school students fully meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
CDC data also suggests a single bout of moderate to vigorous physical activity such as a brisk walk can provide immediate health benefits including improved sleep, less anxiety, and lowered blood pressure. Long-term benefits can include improved heart and brain health, a healthier weight, bone strength and even a lower risk for certain cancers. [https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/health-benefits-of-physical-activity-for-adults.html]
“Throughout the pandemic, these weekly hikes have allowed us to explore activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations all around our community,” said Kreissler, executive director. “We’ll often also take a moment to talk about the story behind the trail or the significance of the area we’re visiting.”
Those planning to join the Healthy Walk on March 21 are also invited to wear two different, colorful socks to commemorate World Down Syndrome Day and raise awareness for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down syndrome.
“You can’t love what you don’t know,” said Joe Marchese, president, LDSS. “Once you get to know someone with Down syndrome, you realize that we’re more alike than we are different. And it’s the differences that make us all the same. Wearing the two different socks reminds me to pray for the people that I love with Down syndrome and to celebrate those differences every day.”
There are already a number of options for ADA-accessible trails throughout Savannah and Chatham County, including the Truman Linear Park Trail, of which about three miles is completed from DeRenne Avenue to Lake Mayer Community Park.
“Savannahians are telling us that access to sidewalks, bike lanes and other recreation facilities is important to them,” said Turner, referencing the 2022 results from a Healthy Savannah survey. “Nearly half of the respondents said they would walk or bike to work, school or shopping if there were safe paths or sidewalks.”
When fully constructed, the Truman Trail will be approximately 6 miles long and will link 827 acres of existing parkland in Chatham County by connecting Lake Mayer to the 77-acre Daffin Park. Including the Daffin Park trail loop and the Lake Mayer trail loop, the total connected pathway will be approximately 9 miles.
As administrators of the five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia are committed to fostering sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. They do this by working to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promoting physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; encouraging stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them; and developing opportunities for greater awareness and acceptance of COVID and flu vaccines. Healthy Savannah and the “Y” are also participating in the national initiative, Active People, Healthy Nation, to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.
“We encourage you to get out and get healthy, whether you join our Healthy Walks or explore these routes on your own, using the Healthy Walks map,” said Turner. “You can also watch live streams and recordings of our walks on Healthy Savannah’s Facebook page.”
Healthy Savannah’s online Healthy Walks map (https://healthysavannah.org/healthy-walks-2021/) shows trail routes all across Savannah and Chatham County. Trail users are encouraged to share walk experiences by tagging photos and videos with #HealthyWalk and #ActivePeople.
For more information on upcoming Healthy Walks, and to watch live streams of their walks every Tuesday morning, visit the Healthy Savannah Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/healthysav and Healthy Savannah’s Instagram page at officialhltysav.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
Local Advocates Applaud New Legislation Expanding Rights For Lactating Parents To Pump At Work
(SAVANNAH, GA) Representatives of Healthy Savannah, YMCA of Coastal Georgia, Chatham County Health Department, and the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University are applauding new legislation that expands rights for lactating parents to pump at work.
The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act (S. 1658/H.R. 3110), was recently signed into law on December 29, 2022. The new legislation makes several important changes to the Break Time for Nursing Mothers law passed in 2010.
“The original law required employers to provide reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for breastfeeding employees to pump during the work day,” said Nandi A. Marshall, DrPH, MPH, CHES, CLC. “While this was an important step, one out of every four birthing parents of childbearing age was not covered by the Break Time law.”
Marshall is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University.
She is leading local efforts to encourage Savannah businesses to adopt breastfeeding-friendly policies and environments through an initiative supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant, administered by the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Healthy Savannah.
The new law extends the right to break time and space to pump at work to millions more workers, including teachers and nurses. It also makes it possible for workers to file a lawsuit to seek monetary remedies if their employer fails to comply and clarifies that pumping time must be paid if an employee is not completely relieved from duty. The law also increases this accommodation from one year to two years.
“I am beyond excited to hear about the passing of the PUMP Act,” Marshall said. “The increased support for lactating parents in the workplace is crucial as we work to support folks on their breastfeeding journey. The PUMP Act is an important step toward health and breast/chestfeeding equity as it removes barriers to access to break time for pumping employees.”
The legislation went into effect immediately when it was signed in December. However, the enforcement provision includes a 120-day delay, making the effective date for that provision April 28, 2023. In addition, there is a 3-year delay in the implementation of the protections for railway workers. Due to significant industry opposition, the law does not apply to flight attendants and pilots.
There are currently a few public breast/chestfeeding spaces in the Savannah area including at the Oglethorpe Mall and a room at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. Marshall and her team, through the REACH grant funded program, are seeking to increase those spaces by assisting local businesses to adopt or strengthen company-wide breastfeeding and lactation space policies.
“While we want all local organizations to be aware of and heed this new legislation, we also want them to know we’re here to assist them in their efforts to provide breast/chestfeeding-friendly spaces, especially for their employees,” said Marshall. “Supporting parents in their nursing journey is not only the right thing to do, but also increases morale, a sense of belonging, and workplace productivity. Science overwhelmingly shows that parents who feed their babies human milk are significantly less likely to miss work in their infant’s first year of life and tend to have higher retention rates, improved morale, and lower healthcare and insurance costs as their children are sick less.”
For more information about the Pump Act, visit https://www.usbreastfeeding.org/pump-act.html or https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3110. Visit https://healthysavannah.org/healthy-savannah-and-ymca-announce-funding-and-support-for-breastfeeding-friendly-workplaces/?preview_id=12620 for more information about adopting a workplace policy to support lactating employees. For additional information on lactation resources and breastfeeding support in Chatham County, visit herohelpme.com.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
MY SAVANNAH™ 