Tagged: hero help me

April 30, 2024

Healthy Savannah Awarded $150,000 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Equity Initiative Grant to Prevent Certain Cancers

(SAVANNAH, Ga.) Cervical cancer rates in Georgia average about 8 per 100,000 women, slightly higher than the national average. But cervical cancer incidence rates in some Georgia counties are even higher, and among Black women, mortality rates are almost 1.5x as high as White women.

Georgia additionally ranks 30th in the nation for its human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage rate of 61.5%. Research suggests if the coverage rate rose to 90%, HPV-related cervical cancer could be drastically reduced, especially among communities that may have experienced institutional and structural racism, leading to mistrust in health systems.

In February 2024, CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, a Virginia organization committed to better health and well-being and addressing the barriers to equity, recognized that Healthy Savannah was well equipped to lead the way to promote vaccine equity in preventing certain HPV-related cancers in the Savannah area. The 70-year-old organization awarded the local non-profit a one-year $150,000 HPV Vaccination Equity Initiative grant to foster new and expanded community-driven solutions addressing factors that negatively impact access to HPV-related cancer prevention interventions for disproportionately affected local populations.

Since 2018, Healthy Savannah has been at the forefront of health equity initiatives as co-administrator of two five-year collaborative Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grants totaling $8.5 million. During the first grant period (2018-2023), Healthy Savannah and co-administrator YMCA of Coastal Georgia worked toward improving access to nutritious food, systemic change to create safe places for physical activity, and easy access to local resources through the website HeroHelpMe.com. The work expanded with a supplemental grant issued in 2021 for COVID-19 and flu vaccine awareness. In the second five-year REACH grant awarded in 2023, the work expanded again to include breastfeeding and adult immunizations and continues emphasizing the importance of policy, systems, and environmental change toward health equity.

Healthy Savannah is one of only three organizations across the state of Georgia to be awarded the CHC’s HPV Vaccination Equity Initiative grant. Established in 2007 by (then) Mayor Dr. Otis Johnson, the local non-profit is now adapting the methodologies it developed under the REACH grants – promoting access, awareness, and acceptance of adult vaccines – to encompass prevention interventions for certain cancers, especially in Black and Hispanic populations that may have a mistrust of vaccines and the healthcare system.

Healthy Savannah hired Patricia Merritt on April 1 to coordinate its new HPV Vaccination Equity Initiative program. She has worked in the community for the past 30 years with children and families with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Merritt served as Court Administrator with the Chatham County Juvenile Court until November 2022. She also worked as director of Behavioral Health for the Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council. Merritt earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Science from Nova Southeastern University. She is currently working on a Ph.D. in public safety, criminal justice, at Capella University.

“I was aware of the HPV vaccine before, but I didn’t focus on its ability to prevent or greatly reduce certain cancers,” said Merritt. “Now that I am learning about its many benefits, I’m excited to be one of the messengers to share this message of hope with Black and Hispanic Savannahians. Our goal, which has proven to be achievable, is to decrease Cervical cancer deaths to nearly zero.”

In 2007, Australia was one of the first countries to introduce a national HPV vaccination program, and it has since achieved high vaccination coverage across both sexes. Cervical cancer mortality is estimated to decrease to less than an age-standardized annual rate of one death per 100,000 women by 2034.
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30291040/]

“Healthy Savannah is further expanding its award-winning Community Health Advocate (CHA) program, established during the first REACH grant in 2021, to include the benefits of HPV vaccination,” said Elsie Smalls, Adult Immunization Operations manager. “We have since trained more than 80 Community Health Advocates who share masks, hand sanitizer, and science-based information with people in their neighborhoods, jobs, schools, and at sporting events.”

The CHAs are also currently promoting the CDC’s Bridge Access Program, which offers no-cost COVID-19 vaccines across Chatham County at the Coastal Health District’s Eisenhower Clinic, J. C. Lewis Primary Health Care and several CVS and Walgreens branches through the end of this year. The Bridge Access Program is available to uninsured or underinsured individuals through December 31, 2024.

Under the new HPV Vaccination Equity Initiative grant, the CHAs will help connect community members, as well as the uninsured and underinsured to free or low-cost programs offering HPV vaccines, which help protect individuals ages 9 to 45 against certain cancers including cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal and oral.

Healthy Savannah recently invited current, former and prospective CHAs to a listening session on April 18 to introduce the new HPV Vaccination Equity Initiative program, and plans to hold an initial training session on May 2.

“Our CHA methodology aligns with Healthy Savannah’s vision of utilizing an ‘upstream’ approach to foster sustainable health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods,” said Paula Kreissler, executive director. “We have developed successful methods to employ this approach in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases.”

Smalls says those chosen to become Community Health Advocates after the training will receive a $600 incentive for performing community outreach activities to share information about the benefits of the HPV vaccine and increase access and awareness.

For more information about the CHA program and to attend a future listening session, visit https://healthysavannah.org/2021/07/09/community-advocate-program/.

ABOUT THE HEALTHY SAVANNAH HPV VACCINATION EQUITY INITIATIVE
In February 2024, the CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, awarded a one-year $150,000 grant to Healthy Savannah to promote vaccine equity to prevent cancer and support new and expanded community-driven solutions to address social and other factors that negatively impact access to cancer prevention interventions for disproportionately affected populations in the Savannah area. Specifically, the grant will support Healthy Savannah’s initiatives in developing, implementing, and bringing resources and policy attention to solutions that break down barriers of mistrust in the healthcare system, skepticism of vaccine effectiveness and lack of awareness about vaccine access and the availability of prevention interventions for certain cancers. Healthy Savannah is one of only three organizations across the state of Georgia to be awarded this grant and is adapting its award-winning Community Health Advocate (CHA) program and working with more than 200 community partners and organizations to foster sustainable health equity in this space. Healthy Savannah developed the CHA program during the first of two five-year CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grants it currently administers with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. The methodology uses 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. 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

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

April 16, 2024

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

March 21, 2024

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.”

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/

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

February 16, 2024

Free Faith and Nutrition Training for Savannah Church Groups

Meet and Greet Breakfast Scheduled for March 7

(SAVANNAH, Ga.) Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Nutrition coalition is hosting a free meet-and-greet breakfast for faith community leaders at 8 a.m. on March 7 at Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship Church, 425 W. Montgomery Cross Road in Savannah.

Organizers hope the event will encourage people to learn more about the coalition and the impact it has had on the community as well as the resources it offers, including Faith, Activity, and Nutrition training and upcoming events such as its second annual Faith Walk planned for 4 p.m. on April 21 at Lake Mayer.

“We’ll also be talking about some of Healthy Savannah’s other projects and partnerships such as the Tide to Town urban trail system, which are part of our overall mission to elevate the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change,” said Ruby Castro, Nutrition Program manager.”Plus we want to provide an overview of the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition training along with other upcoming events that the Faith and Health Coalition will be hosting.”

The free eight-week session will be offered online to Chatham area faith-based organizations to help foster increased physical activity and healthy food consumption among Black and Hispanic adults.

Also known as “FAN,” the training supports churches in:
• increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating,
• creating guidelines for physical activity and healthy eating,
• engaging community faith leaders in FAN goals and supporting their health, and
• sharing health messages with members.

The Healthy Savannah Faith and Health Coalition can connect and support interested faith-based organizations to the FAN training. Online modules were created by The University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center and include eight engaging lessons. Faith leaders who complete the training course can receive free resources to support their members in preventing chronic disease and improving health outcomes.

“This is the fifth year we have offered this training designed to help faith leaders support and educate their members in embracing a healthier lifestyle and nutritional choices,” said Yolanda Roberson, executive pastor of Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship. “FAN is a successful program that is included in the National Cancer Institute’s Research Tested Intervention Programs. It has assisted more than 200 faith-based organizations to become stronger in health and wellness.”

Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition is a network of Savannah area faith-based organizations of all faiths who come together to encourage healthy lifestyle behaviors in places of worship. The Coalition meets at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of the month at Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship Church.

Chronic diseases have significant health and economic costs in the United States; according to the CDC, those health gaps remain widespread among racial and ethnic minority groups. More than 868,000 Americans die of heart disease or stroke every year, which is one-third of all deaths. Those diseases take an economic toll, costing our healthcare system $214 billion per year and causing $138 billion in lost productivity on the job.

The Faith and Health Coalition will be offering other events tailored towards encouraging overall health including the upcoming ‘Faith Walk’ on April 21.

Enrollment is now open for the free breakfast, provided by the Southern Palate, on March 7. To sign up, click here and RSVP by March 1: https://www.punchbowl.com/parties/e89672fb8e9deb981872?fbclid=IwAR3c-Do-3avKIwKujgRFSapCUMKesIIwmeu-yl2XzehJOLdUOOAHb75s33w

For additional information, visit https://healthysavannah.org/the-faith-and-health-coalition/ or learn more on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/healthysav/posts/pfbid0wPcXwAwtrB436Q5FFMvtgVbYJzcc9eNYrBCoKRi72UCPP1XBRCmgcZPjn5tkJYbil

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

February 9, 2024

Join Friends of Tide to Town for Love Your Trail Day Feb. 17 at Bowles C. Ford Park

(Savannah, GA) The Friends of Tide to Town (TTT), a coalition leading the development of Savannah’s Urban Trail System, is inviting the public to join them for a “Love Your Trail” clean-up day on Saturday, Feb. 17.

Those interested in volunteering should meet up at 9 a.m. at Bowles C. Ford Park, at the corner of Stiles Ave. and Cloverdale Dr. in Savannah (32°03’48.6″N 81°07’04.9″W). The two-hour cleanup will take place around the lake at Bowles C. Ford Park and the footpath between the park and Laurel Grove South Cemetery. Litter grabbers and trash bags will be provided.

“Building the trail is an ambitious project but so is the effort to keep portions of the trail that are already in use clean and beautiful, along with the parks and communities where people want to walk,” said Armand Turner, deputy director of Healthy Savannah, Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health and the chair of Friends of Tide to Town. “We hope everyone will come out and help keep our trails clear of trash and full of love.”

Several previous trail cleanups have been held along completed areas of the TTT, including sections of the Truman Linear Park Trail. When finished, it will connect Daffin Park to Lake Mayer Park, creating approximately 9 miles of continuous off and on-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along with 800 acres of park and recreation space, 18 neighborhoods, and two major economic centers.

Last month, about 30 members of Boy Scout Troop 1 and Pack 1 joined up with volunteers from the Friends of Tide to Town for a trail cleanup and picked up about 50 pounds of trash along Wheaton Street, near A.B. Williams Elementary School.

The City of Savannah also recently brought on a full-time project manager, Tina Brockhold, who will oversee construction for the last phase of the Truman Linear Trail between DeRenne Ave. and the Police Memorial Trail, expected to get underway later this year. She will additionally manage future phases of TTT, including a section on the west side of Savannah through the developing Canal District, and on the south side of Savannah along Middleground Road. When the 30+ mile continuous loop is completed, it will include a protected network of walking and bicycling trails connecting 30 schools, three major hospitals and 62 neighborhoods.

Over the past three years, Turner and Healthy Savannah’s executive director, Paula Kreissler, have been leading “Healthy Walks” along the TTT and other trails around Savannah and Chatham County. The grassroots initiative started out as a pandemic solution for people to get out and explore Savannah area trails and walkways and has remained popular with walkers seeking a low-impact exercise routine. The duo is planning a fourth-anniversary celebration in March with special guests joining several of the walks.

The TTT is 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. Major funding sources include $4M ARPA, $1M SPLOST VII, $10M hotel/motel tax and a proposed $4M in the city of Savannah’s 2024 budget. For more details please visit Tide To Town at https://tidetotown.org/

healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

January 15, 2024

Boy Scouts Join Tide to Town Volunteers for Wheaton St. Cleanup, collected 50 pounds of trash

(SAVANNAH, Ga.) On Saturday, January 13, about 30 members of Boy Scout Troop 1 and Pack 1 joined up with volunteers from the Friends of Tide to Town for a trail cleanup along Wheaton Street. The volunteers picked up about 50 pounds of trash along Wheaton Street, near A.B. Williams Elementary School.

Dana Bynum, Den Leader, says, “Cleanup events like this with Tide to Town are a vital and visible way the scouts put their pledge to support their community into action. We have partnered with Tide to Town for another event in the past, and we look forward to continuing that momentum for years to come. Today, we collected about 20 bags of trash along Wheaton Street.”

“It’s so important to the Friends of Tide to Town organization to keep our sidewalks, biking lanes, walking paths, and community clean and beautiful. We were extremely excited to collaborate with the Boy Scouts of America and see our youth so committed to doing good work in our neighborhoods,” said Armand Turner, Deputy Director of Healthy Savannah, Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health and the Chair of Friends of Tide to Town.

By keeping the Tide to Town clean, event organizers are hoping their efforts will encourage those who commute to work and school – via foot or bike – to use the trail more often and that all who live in the area will use the trail for healthy leisure activities.

ABOUT 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, eventually integrating with long distance walking and bicycling trails like the East Coast Greenway. Parts of the trail network are already completed and in use including sections along Wheaton Street and sections of the Truman Linear Park Trail connecting Lake Mayer to Daffin Park. The Tide to Town trail system is 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. https://tidetotown.org/

ABOUT THE COASTAL GEORGIA COUNCIL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
The Coastal Georgia Council Boy Scouts of America serves families in coastal Georgia through Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, STEM Scouts, Exploring, and Sea Scouts. Since 1910, Scouting has helped mold the future leaders of the local communities by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes and, through over a century of experience, understands that helping youth puts us on a path toward a more conscientious, responsible and productive society.
https://coastalgeorgiabsa.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.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.

CONTACT:
Armand Turner
Deputy Director
Healthy Savannah
Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health
YMCA / Healthy Savannah
Chair, Friends of Tide to Town
219.801.1477
www.healthysavannah.org

Dana Bynum
BSA Troop 1 AND Pack 1
912-220-9744

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com

November 9, 2023

Healthy Savannah Announces Free Vaccines for Uninsured and Underinsured

CDC-funded Bridge Access Program provides no-cost COVID-19 vaccines as 2023-24 Tripledemic Season Ramps Up

(SAVANNAH, GA) The COVID-19 pandemic may have ended, but the “tripledemic” of flu, COVID, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) that was pervasive last fall and winter is expected to return and be just as severe this year. Last flu season, there were 26 million illnesses, 290,000 hospitalizations, and 19,000 deaths reported across the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hospitalizations from those diseases are expected to remain high again this year.

Vaccines.gov – Find COVID 19 vaccine locations near you.

“We know vaccinations will play a key role in determining how difficult this season will be,” said Dr. Elsie Smalls, operations manager. “People are getting back to their normal routines but all of us need to remember that even an average respiratory season can be deadly for vulnerable populations, especially the elderly in our low-income communities, and those with chronic conditions.”

Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia are administrators of a five-year, $5.1 million Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant awarded by the CDC in September 2023. They want adults in Chatham County to know that free COVID-19 vaccines are now available to the uninsured and underinsured through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program.

Local providers offering the no-cost vaccines include the Coastal Health District’s Eisenhower Clinic, J. C. Lewis Primary Health Care and several CVS and Walgreens branches.

“Contrary to what you may have heard, any adult who wants the COVID-19 vaccine can get one at no cost even if they do not have health insurance or if their insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs,” said Smalls.

Launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and administered by the CDC, the “Bridge Access Program For COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments Program” provides continued free coverage for the estimated 25-30 million adults who would have otherwise lost access to affordable COVID-19 vaccines now that the distribution of vaccines has transitioned to the commercial market. The $1+ billion program has established public-private partnerships to help maintain uninsured individuals’ access to COVID-19 care at their local pharmacies, through existing public health infrastructure, and at their local health centers.

Although the Bridge Access Program is temporary and scheduled to end in December 2024, a longer-term solution, the Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program, has been proposed in both the FY 2023 and 2024 Presidential Budgets, which would cover all recommended vaccinations at no cost for uninsured adults. This proposal has not yet been enacted into law.

The CDC is further recommending vaccinations for influenza and RSV this season, especially for the elderly and other vulnerable populations. RSV is highly contagious and considered a dangerous virus, especially for those over 60 years old and babies under 6 months. While most vaccines are free to those with health care insurance plans, and the CDC’s Bridge Access Program offers free COVID-19 vaccines, there still may be options for no-cost or low-cost flu and RSV vaccinations for those who don’t have insurance.

“Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacy about low or no-cost COVID, flu,and RSV vaccines,” said Nichele Hoskins, communication manager. “For a list of local civic and faith-based COVID vaccine clinics through CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), visit https://www.coreresponse.org/georgia/covid-19/. You can also check with your local health clinic, employer, or school. Some civic and faith-based organizations may offer free vaccines at health fairs and community events, too. Visit cdc.gov/vaccines/bridge for more information.”

The local REACH grant team will share additional information about the CDC’s Bridge Access Program at an online listening and information session scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9 and during an upcoming training session for Community Health Advocates (CHAs) at 6 p.m. on Nov. 30. Both events are free and funded under the REACH grant to help improve health, prevent chronic diseases and reduce health disparities among Black and Hispanic populations in Savannah and Chatham County’s low-wealth neighborhoods. To learn more or register for either event, please email CHAadmin@healthysavannah.org.

The grant administrators are working in four strategic areas over the next five years including adult immunization, breastfeeding, nutrition, and physical activity. The adult immunization portion of the REACH grant is intended to increase access and acceptance of adult vaccines to reduce vulnerability, especially for people with chronic health conditions.

“We are hoping to get the word out as a gentle reminder now, in the weeks leading up to National Influenza Vaccination Week in December, for everyone to get vaccinated before the holidays,” said Hoskins. “Make sure you’re protected in advance of any travel plans, family or faith gatherings, and the upcoming winter months. And don’t forget, you can again receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to your home.”

The Bridge Access program is available through December 31, 2024. Visit https://www.vaccines.gov/ to find a provider in your zip code that offers COVID-19 vaccines at no cost through the initiative.

To receive four free COVID-19 rapid tests, visit https://www.covid.gov/tests. Please note the FDA has extended some expiration dates. To see the full list of extended expiration dates, visit https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list. The U.S. government will also continue to make COVID-⁠19 tests available to uninsured individuals and underserved communities through existing outreach programs at HRSA health centers (https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/). Savannah’s HRSA health centers include the Pennsylvania Avenue Resource Center (PARC), J.C. Lewis Primary Health Care Center, Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care, Inc., CVC Mobile Health, Old Savannah City Mission Homeless Shelter & Service Agency and the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter & Services Agency.

For more information about REACH grant-funded adult vax initiatives in Savannah and Chatham County, visit https://healthysavannah.org/adult-immunization/

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

October 20, 2023

Healthy Savannah Announces Free Adult Vaccine Resources and Outreach with Renewed CDC Funding

Public listening and training sessions are scheduled for November 9 and 30

(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia are inviting community members interested in joining a conversation to advance health equity to consider becoming Community Health Advocates (CHAs).

An online listening and information session is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9, and an online training session is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 30.

The upcoming sessions are the first to be offered under the new five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant issued in Sept. 2023 to the local administrators by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A total of $5,108,495 in REACH funding over the next five years is intended to help improve health, prevent chronic diseases and reduce health disparities among Black and Hispanic populations in Savannah and Chatham County’s low-wealth neighborhoods. The local team will work in four strategic areas: adult immunization, breastfeeding, nutrition, and physical activity.

While the upcoming training sessions are the first under the new grant, they are actually the sixth to be offered since the CHA program was first launched in 2022 – funded by CDC supplemental grants in 2020 and 2021 – to increase awareness, access and acceptance of flu and COVID-19 vaccines in the priority communities. Since the program’s inception, more than 50 CHAs have been trained and many are still actively working in the community.

The adult immunization portion of the new grant issued in 2023 broadens the scope of the CHA program to encompass awareness and increase access and acceptance of adult vaccines in general, in particular those that may reduce vulnerability in those with chronic health conditions.

“As we shift the focus, we understand the importance of continuing to talk with and listen to those we serve about a wider range of their health challenges,” said Dr. Elsie Smalls, operations manager. “But we are also focused, as the 2023 COVID-19 and flu season ramps up, on efforts and resources to protect folks from those diseases. One of the best resources we have right now is the availability of free vaccines.”

Smalls says information about the CDC’s Bridge Access Program will be provided during the upcoming information and training sessions. The program provides no-cost COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs.

“No-cost COVID-19 vaccines through this program will be available only until December 31, 2024, so if you aren’t insured or are underinsured, it’s important that you schedule your free vaccine while you can,” said Nichele Hoskins, communication manager. “Just visit vaccines.gov and type in your ZIP code to find a provider near you that offers COVID-19 vaccines at no cost through the Bridge Access Program.”

Local providers under the Bridge Access program include the Coastal Health District’s Eisenhower Clinic, J. C. Lewis Primary Health Care, and several Walgreens branches.

There is no cost to attend the listening session or the CHA training session, but space is limited for the training, which also offers a $500 stipend to participants who complete community outreach activities afterward. Both new participants and those who have previously completed the CHA training are invited to apply.

“We will have space to train 15 people to be a part of this next cohort of CHAs serving the community,” said Smalls. “The program will promote access, awareness and acceptance of COVID-19, flu and other adult vaccine-preventable diseases.”

Smalls says those participating in either the listening session or the CHA training program can also look forward to sharpening leadership and networking skills and learning about advocacy.

“If you can relate to the health inequities that Black and Hispanic Savannahians experience, you are invited to learn, listen, and speak at the listening session,” said Smalls.

“You don’t need to be a medical or health expert to apply for CHA training,” added Hoskins. “If you have an interest in making your community or church a healthier place, you’ll be well qualified to put this training to good use.”

To register for the Nov. 9 Listening Session or apply for the Nov. 30 Community Health Advocate training program, or to learn more, please email CHAadmin@healthysavannah.org.

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

September 26, 2023

Islands YMCA – How to Donate for a Healthy Community

Putting Food Equity Advocacy in Action

(SAVANNAH, GA) The YMCA of Coastal Georgia, in partnership with Healthy Savannah, is piloting a new program to encourage food pantry donations that help put food equity advocacy into action.

The program called SWAP (Supporting Wellness at Pantries) is being introduced at the Islands YMCA to advocate stocking the pantry with healthy items, provide clients with health resources, and implement healthy nudges.

“This is important because more than half of the families who visit food banks have a household member with high-blood pressure, and more with type II diabetes,” said Laura Schmarkey, association outreach director, YMCA of Coastal Georgia. “Chronic illnesses can also be prevented, managed, and reversed through the foods that we eat.”

Using a “Stoplight Nutrition Ranking System,” the program is designed to help clients make healthy food choices and prevent or manage chronic disease. It also creates an easy way to categorize the food that is offered at food pantries to help clients identify healthier choices and influence the types of food donated to the pantry.

“We are committed to breaking barriers to healthy eating with our partners at the YMCA and everyone who seeks to ensure food equity in Savannah,” said Paula Kreissler, Healthy Savannah executive director. “We know that food insecurity leads to poor health, and poor health increases the risk of food insecurity. By providing access to healthy food sources, food pantries can help clients maintain healthy habits, eat nutritious meals and manage chronic illnesses.”

Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia also recently were awarded a second five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant from the CDC, with $5.1 million in funding to being deployed over a five-year period across the Savannah area’s low-wealth neighborhoods in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases.

The Islands YMCA Food Pantry is located at 66 Johnny Mercer Blvd, Savannah, GA, 31410, and is open every third Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. For more information and to donate, call (912) 897-1194 or visit the Facebook page at islfdesk@ymcaofcoastalga.org.

A video from the developers of the SWAP program is available at: https://youtu.be/rsRWH2RAvCs

For more information about the Islands YMCA SWAP pilot program, contact Laura Schmarkey at Laura.Schmarkey@ymcaofcoastalga.org. or 912-433-0055.

healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

September 21, 2023

Healthy Savannah and YMCA Build on Health Equity Successes in Savannah Area with $5.1M in Continued CDC Funding

(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia have been awarded $1,021,899 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the first year of a new five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant. A total of $5,108,495 in REACH funding over the next five years is intended to help improve health, prevent chronic diseases, and reduce health disparities among Black and Hispanic populations in Savannah and Chatham County’s low-wealth neighborhoods.

Healthy Savannah Stakeholders, September 2023

“CDC is excited to announce this new REACH funding to 41 communities across 27 states and the District of Columbia,” said Terry O’Toole, PhD, MDiv, program development and evaluation branch chief in CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. “With this funding, organizations will plan and carry out local, culturally-appropriate programs to address a wide range of health issues among racial and ethnic minority groups where health gaps remain. REACH intends to improve health where people live, learn, work, and play.”

The local organizations are to receive $719,008/year during the five year period to continue health equity initiatives in areas of nutrition and physical activity. The remaining $302,891/year will be used to broaden adult immunization awareness and to support efforts to reduce health disparities relating to chronic conditions.

“We are grateful to the CDC for recognizing our ongoing efforts to improve health equity and for giving us the opportunity to extend that important work over the next five years,” said Paula Kreissler, Healthy Savanah’s executive director and REACH program manager. “There were over 200 applications for this funding, and of the 41 grants awarded, we were among only 28 prior recipients.”

The organizations are currently winding up an initial REACH grant of $3.4 million bestowed in 2018 to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in Savannah’s and Chatham County’s low-wealth neighborhoods. Over the five-year grant period ending September 30, the agencies have engaged with more than 200 local organizations to help close the equity gap in areas of nutrition, physical activity, and clinical linkages.

“We now know the momentum will continue,” said Joel Smoker, YMCA of Coastal Georgia’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our local team and partners are eager to push forward with policy and systems change support to improve health, prevent chronic diseases; and reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic populations with the highest risk in Savannah and Chatham County.”

The new core grant ($719,008/year for five years) will continue funding objectives of health equity in nutrition and physical activity with the addition of breastfeeding awareness and support as a new area of focus. The administrators will also continue to support clinical linkages that help connect the community with those resources by supporting awareness and facilitating the use of HERO Help Me and similar databases.

A new supplemental grant ($302,891/year for five years) will replace and redefine the initiatives of a 2021 supplemental grant ($401,000/ year) that helped raise awareness, acceptance and availability of COVID and flu adult immunizations. The new grant will fund efforts to educate and promote the importance of a wider range of adult immunizations in general among racial and ethnic minority populations and support reducing health disparities in chronic conditions of hypertension, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Both grants ensure the continuation of the health equity efforts in the Savannah area for the next five years. Some of the programs funded by the original grant which will receive support under the new grant include:

Farm Truck 912 – The mobile farmers’ market that brings local seasonal fruits and vegetables to Savannah neighborhoods, Farm Truck 912 operates throughout the weekday and is committed to ensuring the affordability and accessibility of healthy foods. All of the fruits, vegetables, and agricultural products are sourced directly from Forsyth Farmers’ Market’s Saturday market vendors.
Fresh Express – a monthly food distribution event at three Savannah locations, administered by the YMCA in partnership with Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, that distributes an average 750 pounds of fresh produce and bread to neighbors in need, at no cost to them. Since launching in 2016, the program has put an estimated 60,000 pounds of fresh food back into the community to those who need it.
Savannah Chatham Food Policy Council Relaunch – Healthy Savannah advocates and partners are working to re-establish the Food Policy Council as more of a local and regional food system that provides improved access to a variety of affordable, nourishing foods. According to a 2021 study, “Food Deserts in Chatham County, Georgia”, approximately 45% or 129,698 of the almost 290,000 people living in Chatham County live more than a mile from the closest grocery store. In Chatham County, it is estimated nearly 22% of children and nearly 18% of all residents are food insecure.
Tide to Town Urban Trail network/Truman Linear Park Trail -Parts of the network are already completed and in use. Upon completion, this ambitious project will link 75% of Savannah’s neighborhoods and 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.
Weekly Healthy Walks (140+ since 2020) These Tuesday morning walks encourage health at various area parks. Armand Turner, Physical Activity program manager, leads the walks each week along with Kriessler, often sharing the backstories of historic trails and showcasing updates on the Tide to Town protected network of walking and bicycling trails. According to data from the CDC, only 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 high school students fully meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
Healthy Savannah’s Community Health Advocate Program – Community members are trained and receive resources to participate in an education and outreach on COVID-19/Flu vaccine awareness and acceptance, and overall health education.
Park Equity – Working with Charles T. Brown’s Equitable Cities, Healthy Savannah has developed an action plan to present to City officials outlining strategies in several of Savannah’s priority neighborhood parks. The collective goal is to reconnect communities suffering from disinvestment by improving the environments and infrastructure within those public spaces.
Faith Activity and Nutrition (FAN) Training – Administered by Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Healthy Coalition and led by the University of South Carolina, this 8-week online, self-paced course is tailored towards churches to begin discussing the importance of health and provide guidance to create a successful Health Ministry.
Breastfeeding Continuity of Care, Awareness, and Support – Workshops/training in the Black and Brown community and amongst business owners that give babies a healthy start in life and create healthier workplaces; Continued support for the Advocacy for the Pump for Nursing Mothers Act, passed in December 2022, a national law that requires businesses with 50+ employees to provide a designated space for mothers to pump; Continued support for breastfeeding resources on herohelpme.com.

“We are so pleased that the CDC has enabled us to continue this awesome work,” said Kreissler. “Our efforts to deploy funding in an “upstream” approach has led to systems level successes in fostering sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods.”

In recognition of its achievements, Healthy Savannah was awarded the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge, which recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.

The organization has long led the way in investing in the importance of seeking community feedback on healthy food and active living knowledge and behavior. It has conducted community surveys since 2014, which have been partially funded by the REACH grant since 2018 and are expected to continue under the new grant program.

In 2022, survey respondents indicated access to sidewalks, bike lanes and other recreation facilities had become more important. Nearly half said they would walk or bike to work, school or shopping if there were safe paths or sidewalks. The majority had purchased healthy foods from Forsyth Farmers’ Market or Farm Truck 912 or indicated a desire to do so. Generally, there was an increase in healthy food purchases and the use of SNAP benefits.

“We are going in the right direction and the renewed CDC grants will ensure we can continue supporting the programs that foster better health equity,” said Kreissler.”We still have a long way to go, but together with our partners and stakeholders, we are leading the way for significant, measurable, impactful programs that will change the health landscape of our community.”

A complete list of CDC’s REACH recipients and additional information can be found on the REACH website.
(https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/state-local-programs/reach/reach-2023-2028.html}

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 facilitating the 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

June 30, 2023

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.

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

April 3, 2023

CENTER PARC TO HOST ANNUAL FUNDRAISER FOR HORIZONS SAVANNAH

Youth-focused charity’s Giving Day 2023 will be held May 10

(SAVANNAH, GA) Center Parc Credit Union will be hosting a free Business Lunch and Learn Event in support of Horizons Giving Day on May 10th at noon at the Flagship Branch located at 5698-A Ogeechee Road. Box lunches will be provided. Community members can learn more about Horizons and the upcoming Horizons Giving Day.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHnCIe5A7jWEEM-Wd0wolvc_W_3Pzce3OwG8v5CBb3JXaGWQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Horizons Savannah collaborates with families and the community in its efforts to support Savannah-area youth. The yearly fundraiser is designed to help “close the gap” for under-resourced students over summer break. Funds raised during Giving Day 2023 will support a summer program, featuring engaging academics, social-emotional learning and swim lessons for every child, as well as continued engagement with Horizons Savannah students throughout the year.

A division of Atlanta Postal Credit Union, Center Parc Credit Union’s mission includes “helping our members achieve financial success by providing exceptional products.”

Center Parc Marketing Growth Specialist Regina Pointer said, “I believe Horizons is all about teaching young students how to make good decisions, which can lead to success. So we are both making a positive difference in the Savannah community that will have a far reaching effect in the short and long term. Center Parc’s collaboration with Horizon also will extend to offering the youth in their summer program financial workshops. At the end of the day we are both ‘people helping people.’”

The 2022 summer program saw the group’s first Experiential Learning Week where students took part in a week of experience-based learning at off-campus locations. Topics of interest included culinary arts, the environment and history. This Lunch and Learn is an opportunity to get to know Horizons and how the organization supports the growing need for youth engagement and addresses educational equity in the Savannah area.

The local event is an offshoot of Horizons National’s Giving Day 2023.

ABOUT CENTER PARC CREDIT UNION
Center Parc Credit Union is a division of APCU, the oldest credit union in Georgia. In September 2020 two new Center Parc Credit Union locations opened in the Savannah area: at the Pooler Walmart, 160 Pooler Parkway, and the Savannah Walmart, 6000 Ogeechee Road. The new free-standing flagship branch is located at 5698-A Ogeechee Road at the Berwick Marketplace. The member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative is dedicated to helping hardworking people save money and prosper. Each member’s funds are insured for up to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). For more information, call 800-849-8434, email info@centerparc.org or visit online at www.centerparc.org

ABOUT HORIZONS SAVANNAH
Horizons Savannah’s mission is to partner with youth, families and the community to enrich the lives of students with the joy of learning, the skills for success and the inspiration to realize their dreams. The 6-week summer program features high quality academics, social and emotional learning, and swim lessons. Horizons serves 300 income-qualified students from public schools through summer and year-round programs at the host campuses of Savannah Country Day School, St. Andrew’s School, Bethesda Academy and Savannah Christian Preparatory School. For more information visit www.horizonssavannah.org, call 912-961-8854 or see Horizons on social media @horizonssav

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
(912) 844-9990

March 14, 2023

Center Parc Credit Union works with Junior Achievement to connect Savannah High students’ education to careers

(SAVANNAH, GA) Center Parc Credit Union has partnered with 3DE Junior Achievement to teach Savannah High School sophomores about problem-solving in the context of a financial institution – and to help them present during the Chase Challenge Presentation held on Oct. 19.

LEFT TO RIGHT:
Savannah High students: Christiana Roberts, ShaNiya McNair, Destiny Frazier, Keshauna Gusby and Regina Pointer, Savannah marketing growth specialist at Center Parc Credit Union

3DE Junior Achievement partners with national and local businesses to introduce the case method approaches to public high schools, enabling students to connect their education with real life scenarios. Over a five-week span, students work in teams to craft a solution to an actual problem faced by a partner company such as Center Parc.

“We presented the students with a case challenge on cultural agility,” said Regina Pointer, Savannah marketing growth specialist for Center Parc. “We asked them a question that we work on every day: how can we attract younger members to the credit union? It’s a chance for them to learn from us – and for us to learn from them!”

During the first part of the learning process, Center Parc financial experts acted as coaches for the participating students, bringing their relevant problem-solving techniques to the student teams. On Oct. 19, those same experts served as judges during the competition.

Teams researched their cases and developed their unique solution to the question into a formal presentation. Judges from Center Parc evaluated and provided feedback on each presentation and ultimately selected the winning team.

The winning team members were Keshauna Gusby, Christiana Roberts, Destiny Frazier and ShaNiya McNair.

“We are excited to see what our students figured out with the help of Center Parc Credit Union,” said Shybria Moore, 3DE Junior Achievement director. “Partnerships like this allow our students insights into real-life problem-solving skills and give them the confidence they need to enter the workforce We couldn’t be fore thankful for the credit union’s time and energy!”

ABOUT CENTER PARC CREDIT UNION
Center Parc Credit Union is a division of APCU, the oldest credit union in the state of Georgia. In September 2020 two new Center Parc Credit Union locations opened in the Savannah area: at the Pooler Walmart, 160 Pooler Parkway, and the Savannah Walmart, 6000 Ogeechee Road. The new financial flagship office is now open in Berkwick Market Place. An ongoing community gardens program was launched in August 2020. The member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative is dedicated to helping hardworking people save money and prosper. Each member’s funds are insured for up to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). For more information, call 800-849-8434, email info@centerparc.org or visit online at www.centerparc.org

CONTACT
Regina Pointer, Savannah Marketing Growth Specialist
Center Parc Credit Union
5698-A Ogeechee Road
Savannah, GA 31405
rpointer@centerparc.org

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young, President
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

March 14, 2023

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/

healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

March 9, 2023

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.

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

February 24, 2023

Healthy Savannah’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health grant-funded programs are addressing food insecurity issues.

(SAVANNAH, GA) Young children need fruits and vegetables daily to support healthy growth and brain development but a new study has found 1 in 2 Georgia children don’t eat a vegetable daily and 1 in 3 don’t eat a fruit daily.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released the results of a 2021 study, “Fruit, Vegetable, and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Young Children, by State.” [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7207a1.htm?s_cid=mm7207a1_w] The data indicates the importance of and need for interventions at both the national and state levels that improve young children’s nutrition to support their optimal growth and brain development.

The CDC study cites the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans which recommends that children eat fruits and vegetables each day, and limit sugar sweetened beverages. However, it also found that many young children between ages 1 and 5 years are not eating fruits and vegetables each day and are regularly drinking sugary beverages.

“Two-thirds of Chatham County children 2-5 years of age consume more than the recommended amount of sugar daily and 73% of food advertisements use familiar characters to target children,” said Paula Kreissler, executive director of Healthy Savannah. Kreissler has been at the forefront of a “healthy checkout” initiative to encourage local grocery stores to place healthy items at the registers instead of sugary snacks.

“Moreover, 17.6% of all Savannahians are food insecure and 21.8% of our children are food insecure,” Kreissler said. “Food insecurity is more than lack of access, it’s about being able to find fresh fruits and vegetables near where you live. Improving access to healthy foods is one of Healthy Savannah’s top initiatives through the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant.”

The five-year, $3.4 million REACH grant is administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. The grant was awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018 with funding deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods.

In a 2022 Healthy Savannah survey, Forsyth Farmers’ Market (FFM) and FFM’s Farm Truck 912 continue to be a leading resource of fresh food in Savannah /Chatham County. A majority of respondents (66%) had heard about or used the market and (53%) currently purchase healthy foods at FFM, up 20% from 2019. A quarter (26%) had purchased food from Farm Truck 912 and three quarters (75%) desired to do so.

Healthy Savannah has also conducted community surveys since 2014, asking residents in priority neighborhoods about their access to healthy food options among other lifestyle topics.

Respondents in 2020 said they wanted more fresh produce at neighborhood stores. In the 2022 survey, participants indicated a general increase in healthy food purchases and the use of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.

The 2022 survey also showed that Forsyth Farmers’ Market (FFM) continues to be a leading resource of fresh food in Savannah /Chatham County. A majority of respondents (66%) had heard about or used the market and (53%) currently purchase healthy foods at FFM, up 20% from 2019. A quarter (26%) had purchased food from FFM’s Farm Truck 912 and three quarters (75%) desired to do so.

The YMCA of Coastal Georgia’s Fresh Express program distributed 9142 pounds of fresh produce to 2028 households in Savannah during 2022. The monthly event is now serving three permanent sites at Curtis V Cooper and Moses Jackson community centers every third Friday and Waters Ave & 40th St every first Friday.

“We’re encouraged that people are becoming more familiar with resources like the Forsyth Farmers’ Market and Farm Truck 912, the latter being supported by the REACH grant,” said Kreissler. “The grant has also fueled the expansion of Healthy Savannah’s Corner Store Initiative and the Y’s Fresh Express program.”

An initiative of the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, in partnership with Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, the Fresh Express program was launched in 2016 to serve neighborhoods with low access to fresh food.

“In 2022, Fresh Express distributed 9142 pounds of fresh produce to 2028 households in Savannah,” said Ruby Castro, Nutrition Program manager for the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health grant. “The monthly event is now serving three permanent sites at Curtis V Cooper and Moses Jackson community centers every third Friday and Waters Ave & 40th St every first Friday.”

12 local stores are also now participating in the Corner Store Initiative which launched in 2019 to make healthy food choices the easy choice in small retail stores that are often the only source of food in some of Savannah’s low-wealth neighborhoods.

“The CDC study [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7207a1.htm?s_cid=mm7207a1_w] is intended to renew a national focus on nutrition, hunger, and health and the call to improve food and nutrition security,” said Kreissler. “It provides information that decision makers and practitioners need to help ensure children have an opportunity for their healthiest start. We’re already seeing how programs and policies that promote access to healthy food are making a positive difference right here in Savannah.”

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

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January 28, 2023

Center Parc Credit Union co-sponsors Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity Conference helps to help new homeowners secure financial futures

(SAVANNAH, GA) Center Parc Credit Union hosted the inaugural Habitat for Humanity Forever Family Conference at its Flagship Branch at Berwick Market in Savannah this past Saturday, Jan. 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The event, which Center Parc co-sponsored with CareSource, helped homeowners secure long-term financial success.

“Our mission here at Habitat is to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, community, and hope,” said Zerik Samples, CEO of Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity. “That is what we accomplished at this conference. We connected our homeowners with the necessary resources and training from community professionals to help prepare them for their futures as homeowners and potential investors.”

Samples also thanked Center Parc Credit Union for hosting the event and having some of its employees serve as instructors.

This year’s event comprised workshops on relevant topics, such as

– “Why Budgeting is Important, 21 Simple Tips that Make Budgeting Easy,” presented by Regina Pointer Marketing Growth Specialist, Center Parc Credit Union

– “Basic Home Maintenance,” presented by Samuel Pointer, Pastor, Bethel Apostolic Church Savannah

– “Life Planning,” presented by Moya Campbell, vice president, Lighthouse Financial Group

– “Understanding Generational Wealth,” presented by LaWanda Johnson Allen, real estate broker, The Allen Real Estate Group

“We are proud to have hosted a program whose themes fit so well with our mission,” said Center Parc’s Regina Pointer. “This program was designed to be a benefit to the attendees and the larger community as well.

“For most people, owning a home is how they fulfill their American dream. Being financially savvy helps people plan for the future. It gives them a measure of security. Stability in homeownership creates stability in communities.”

Center Parc donated the conference room for the event and co-sponsored with CareSource.

ABOUT COASTAL EMPIRE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
As an affordable homeownership ministry, Habitat for Humanity is committed to partnering with low-income, working families. Habitat helps deserving families realize their dream of owning quality, affordable, energy-efficient homes in safe, revitalizing neighborhoods in Chatham County. The organization brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. As one of 1,600 affiliates in the US and part of Habitat for Humanity International, which is active in 70 countries worldwide, Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity addresses the need for safe and affordable shelter both locally and around the world. https://www.habitatsavannah.org

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
912.844.9990

January 26, 2023

Healthy Savannah Survey Results Show Increased Use of Community-Based Solutions

(SAVANNAH, GA) Savannahians are becoming more aware of and utilizing community-based solutions that promote healthy food and physical activity where they live, work and play. The findings of a 2022 survey conducted by Healthy Savannah were revealed at its CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Stakeholders’ Meeting on January 25, 2023.

About 35 participants were in attendance, representing Savannah and Chatham County organizations committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community. The event was held at the Vaden Automotive corporate office building at 12020 Abercorn in Savannah.

“I think it’s so important that we all come together around a common cause, the work that we do,” said Lillian Grant-Baptiste, chair of Healthy Savannah. “It’s important that we hear from one another so that we have a greater understanding of everything that we’re doing individually; it makes possible all that we do collectively.”

The 2022 survey measured the impact of ongoing efforts funded by the REACH grant in areas of nutrition, physical activity and community/clinical linkages as experienced by Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. Feedback was collected from 642 respondents across the county but concentrated in target census tracts.

The 2022 survey results indicated:
• Physical Activity – More people are aware of the Tide to Town trail system and Active People Healthy Savannah initiative. Access to sidewalks, bike lanes and other recreation facilities has become more important. Nearly half of the respondents would walk or bike to work, school or shopping if there were safe paths or sidewalks.
• NUTRITION AND HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS: Forsyth Farmers’ Market (FFM) continues to be a leading resource in Savannah /Chatham County. A majority of respondents (66%) had heard about or used the market and (53%) currently purchase healthy foods at FFM, up 20% from 2019. A quarter (26%) had purchased food from FFM’s Farm Truck 912 and three quarters (75%) desired to do so. Generally, there was an increase in healthy food purchases and the use of SNAP benefits.
• RESOURCE DIRECTORIES AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES: Resource directories are beginning to see an increase in utilization. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of respondents had used the 211 resource line in 2022, up from 32% in 2021. Herohelpme.com, an online directory of community health resources, with 57% of respondents reporting its use. This was an increase in use, up from 20% of respondents in 2021.

“We still have some work to do to help people connect with life-changing resources,” said Armand Turner, physical activity program manager. “More than 85 percent of respondents said they are unfamiliar with our Tuesday healthy walks, the walking school bus initiative, the convenience store fresh food initiative or breastfeeding advocacy. We have ongoing efforts in all of these areas through REACH grant funding.”

Turner says it was concerns related to reduced physical activity at the start of the COVID pandemic that led him, along with Healthy Savannah Executive Director Paula Kreissler, to engage the organization’s social media followers to join them for weekly healthy walks on trails throughout Savannah and Chatham County. The two have continued to lead the Tuesday walks each week, often sharing the backstories of historic trails and showcasing updates on the Tide to Town protected network of walking and bicycling trails. Once completed, Tide to Town will connect 75% of Savannah’s neighborhoods to safe, affordable and cost-effective walking and biking infrastructure.

Kreissler challenged participants to use the survey results and resources such as the REACH-funded Community Health Advocate program to develop specific actions for their agencies. The stakeholders unanimously agreed that they would lend their support through promotion and participation to help increase the REACH grant-funded Community Health Advocate network across the county.

“I think especially in the work that we do it is very imperative that we collaborate,” said Dr. Deidre Grim, PhD, MPA, MPP, MUR.

Grim is the executive director of Forsyth Farmers’ Market (FFM) and Farm Truck 912, its mobile farmers’ market that brings local seasonal fruits and vegetables to Savannah’s low-wealth neighborhoods. Farm Truck 912 is also supported by REACH grant funds.

“Providing resources that address nutrition insecurity, lack of access to healthy options and lack of access to transportation takes a joint effort. We must make sure we are very intertwined with each other’s work because we’re able to then convey that to the community. The community looks at all of us for resources.”

Healthy Savannah has been engaged in collecting community feedback on healthy food and active living knowledge and behaviors since 2014. The work is funded in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Racial and Ethnical Approach to Community Health (REACH) grant, administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. The survey focuses on general knowledge of Healthy Savannah activities, community knowledge and behaviors related to healthy food and active living. The majority of respondents in the 2022 survey were Black/African American (66%). Most were 30-59 years old (74%) and had lived in Chatham County for more than 10 years (67%). For more information about the 2022 survey results, contact Paula Kreissler at paula@healthysavannah.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

November 19, 2022

Fresh Express Expands to Three Permanent Locations for Healthy Food Choices

(SAVANNAH, GA) The Fresh Express no-cost fresh food distribution program has expanded to a third permanent site.

Located at the intersection of East 40th Street and Waters Avenue, the site provides food on the first Friday of each month. The two other locations — the Curtis V. Cooper Family Health at 106 E. Broad St., and the Moses Jackson Center at 1410 Richards St. — distribute on third Fridays. All begin at 9:30 a.m. on the day of distribution.

The new site started as a pop-up location but was made permanent due to demand.

“At each site, we usually have around 25 households that come to pick up produce, but turnout at Waters and 40th often surpasses that average,” said Laura Schmarkey, association outreach program director. “For example, in June we served 34 households there.”

An initiative of the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, in partnership with Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, Fresh Express launched in 2016 to serve neighborhoods with low access to fresh food. The monthly event expanded to its second and now third permanent sites with the support of the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant funding awarded to Healthy Savannah and the Y through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Schmarkey says while demand helped drive the decision to make the new location permanent, it was made possible through the efforts of the volunteers who staff each site and make each day successful.

“One of our site volunteers told us about a young lady who consistently wanted lemons, specifically as a remedy during the pandemic to make hot lemon water,” said Schmarkey. “So our staff and volunteers always made sure to gather some lemons for this lady and her elderly mother when stocking up before distribution day.”

On the first and third Fridays of each month, the volunteers and staff members distribute an average of 750 pounds of fresh produce and bread to neighbors in need. Each family can fill two bags full of fresh foods to take home each month at no cost to them.

“We shop the Second Harvest’s selection on the day of distribution so every time there is something different, but we like to lean towards having an even mix of fruits and veggies,” Schmarkey said.

“We love selecting mixed greens and salad kits and staples like potatoes and onions. We try to always find what we call ‘walkable food,’ such as apples, peaches, plums, and bananas for our community members who don’t necessarily have a kitchen or a home. We also distribute bread and often have surprise items like pumpkins, mini evergreen trees, water, and sunscreen.”

According to a 2020 study from Feeding America, 17.1% of Chatham County residents are considered food insecure. Additionally, 21.8% of the children in Chatham County are food insecure.

“Since the launch of Fresh Express we have been able to put more than 60,000 pounds of fresh food back into the community to serve neighbors in need,” Schmarkey said. “The Y is proud to serve our community with our partners at Second Harvest and United Way, along with support from the REACH grant, to provide this monthly produce distribution program that aims to provide access to fresh fruits, vegetables and bread in neighborhoods with insecure access to healthy foods.”

Anyone interested in volunteering at one of the Fresh Express sites can sign up by emailing Schmarkey at laura.schmarkey@ymcaofcoastalga.org or calling 912-354-5480.

For more information on volunteering, visit https://ymcaofcoastalga.org/Volunteer or https://www.unitedwayvolunteers.org/ Learn more about the Fresh Express program and see the schedule of upcoming distribution dates at https://ymcaofcoastalga.org/freshexpress.

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

November 10, 2022

Center Parc Credit Union Cuts Ribbon on New Flagship Center

(SAVANNAH, GA) A collection of community leaders gathered to help Center Parc Credit Union officials and members celebrate the ribbon-cutting of its flagship financial center at 5698-A Ogeechee Road on Friday, Nov. 4.

While the new branch stands in unincorporated Savannah, both Savannah Mayor Van R. Johnson and Pooler Mayor Rebecca Benton attended the ribbon cutting to show support of the members who are served by Center Parc in both cities.

LEFT TO RIGHT:
Savannah Flagship Branch Manager Emily Hopper, Marketing Growth Specialist Regina Pointer,
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, II, Interim Vice President of Savannah State University Shalonda
Mullgrav, Savannah Superintendent M. Ann Levett, Pooler Mayor Rebecca Benton, Center Parc CEO Charles M. Head, Center Parc President Blake Graham, Center Parc Board of Directors Chairman Charles “David” Disharoon, Board of Directors Secretary Timothy Payne, Board of Directors Member David G. (Jabo) Patterson, Board of Directors Member Vanessa Meek, Board of Directors Member Philip “Phil” Upchurch, Tameka Moultrie Director/Member Partnerships Greater Pooler Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, Inc. and Courtney Rawlins, Executive Director of the Greater Pooler Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.

The new financial center, located in an outparcel of the Berwick Marketplace, becomes Center Parc’s first stand-alone facility in the Savannah area. Two existing branches in Chatham County are located inside the Pooler Walmart at 160 Pooler Parkway and the Savannah Walmart at 6000 Ogeechee Road.

“With this modern, purpose-built facility, we are more prepared than ever to serve our members and our community,” said Chuck Head, CEO of APCU and Center Parc Credit Union. “We invite members and potential members to come see what this member-owned financial institution can do to help them reach their financial goals.”

For his vision in helping achieve this flagship branch, Center Parc named a conference room in Head’s honor. They also honored retired COO Theresa Stonecypher by dedicating the branch’s welcome center in her name.

Since Center Parc Credit Union makes supporting the communities a priority, the new 6,200-square-foot building includes several community-oriented features. For instance, groups can use its community room for meetings without charge.

The flagship location is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Drive-up ATM and ITM services are available on a 24-hour basis. Anyone who lives or works in Chatham, Effingham, Bryan or several other counties in Georgia qualifies to become a member of Center Parc.

ABOUT CENTER PARC CREDIT UNION
Center Parc Credit Union is a division of APCU, the oldest chartered credit union in the state of Georgia. In September 2020, two new Center Parc Credit Union locations opened in the Savannah area: at the Pooler Walmart, 160 Pooler Parkway, and the Savannah Walmart, 6000 Ogeechee Road. The new financial flagship office is now open in Berkwick Market Place. The member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative is dedicated to helping hardworking people save money and prosper. Each member’s funds are insured for up to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). For more information, call 800.849.8434, email info@centerparc.org or visit online at www.centerparc.org

CONTACT
Regina Pointer, Savannah Marketing Growth Specialist
Center Parc Credit Union
5698-A Ogeechee Road
Savannah, GA 31405
rpointer@centerparc.org

MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young, President
Carriage Trade Public Relations® Inc.
912.844.9990
www.carriagetradepr.com
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com

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