National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Initiated in March 1973 as a week-long event, "National Nutrition Week" became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. For more information, visit www.eatright.org/nnm

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland recognizes the importance that food and nutrition plays in building strong families, stabilizing neighborhoods and promoting and preserving health. Through a comprehensive community engagement process, denoted as Conversation: Central, the Foundation learned the community’s thoughts, beliefs and experiences around health. Aside from the issue of access to health care, participants emphasized the fact that Central neighborhood residents experience significant challenges in eating healthy and engaging in physical activity. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not available, accessible, affordable, and/or adequate, and many individuals and families are not aware of methods of cooking healthy food. Likewise, outlets for active living from walking groups to exercise and dance classes are not available, accessible, affordable, and/or adequate. Current conditions do not meet safety or demand needs of the community. Additionally, many residents may not appreciate the health and stress-relieving benefits of healthy eating and an active life style.

As a result, in the Foundation’s recent strategic grant-making targeting the Central neighborhood, the Healthy Eating and Active Living (H.E.A.L.) initiative was launched December 2009. With an initial investment of just under $200,000 a portfolio of grantees, representing community-based organizations that serve the Central neighborhood are currently planning and or piloting a series of programs that address issues of access to fresh fruits and vegetables, nutrition education for adults and families, provision of healthy snacks and meals for at-risk children in the neighborhood, increasing healthy food options in corner stores and expanding neighborhood market gardens. Collectively these efforts and others, support the Foundation’s aim to improve the health status of Central Neighborhood residents by supporting healthy eating and active living.

 

 

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland believes like many, that health is vital to supporting families, building stable neighborhoods and reducing poverty. Health disparities result from a complex array of socio-economic and environmental conditions, broader health system issues and personal behavior. Social determinants or root causes such as income and education inequality, standard of living, social inequality, and quality of the physical environment impact health outcomes far greater than biology, behavior and access. As disparities across our community, state and country continue to persist and widen, we must consider action towards addressing health equity by tackling the root causes of poor health in our communities.

WOMEN & SPIRIT is a project of The Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an association of the leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the United States. The Conference has more than 1,500 members, representing about 95% of America’s 68,000 women religious.