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FreshLink featured on Center for Disease Control's website

March is National Nutrition Month, a campaign of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Read examples on the CDC's website of how the Prevention Research Centers (PRCs) are supporting a nutrition revolution. FreshLink, a core project of the Prevention Research Center at Case Western Reserve University, is featured on the site for their work linking health food access to Cleveland neighborhoods.  Read more. . .

FreshLink Organizes Volunteer Opportunities

To help give back to a valued partner in Cleveland, FreshLink team member, Christine Schneider (Data Manager), recently organized a volunteer opportunity for PRCHN staff at the Cleveland Food Bank on February 29, 2012.  Volunteers spent the morning unloading palates and sorting non-perishable food items.  The Food Bank was very appreciative of the help they received and are looking forward to future volunteer opportunities with FreshLink and the PRCHN. 

Dr. Kelley-Moore Presents at WVIZ

Dr. Jessica Kelley-Moore, FreshLink Principal Investigator, recently presented at the BioMedTech: Students Translating and Exploring Medicine (BMT: STEM) Program on February 23, 2012, held at WVIZ.  This program, co-sponsored by the Great Lakes Science Center and Cleveland Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC), is a four-part series that improves students’ knowledge of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, and improves knowledge of research approaches that are crucial in identifying linkages between these diseases.  BioMedTech: STEM is offered to students in Grades 7-12 from Ohio schools (including public and private schools, and career centers) who are interested in health careers.  Ten schools participated in this program via videoconference.  Each of the four sessions features a local medical researcher who focuses on a different aspect of these chronic diseases.  

Dr. Kelley-Moore presented an introduction to community health research, focusing on understanding the social context of healthy eating.  She described how place matters in regards to health outcomes, particularly in Cleveland, where less than 30% of residents get the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day.  This is important, as fresh produce can reduce risk for chronic disease.  Dr. Kelley-Moore also provided an in-depth description of FreshLink, including study goals and tasks, and what FreshLink has learned from the community.   For example, students learned how the FreshLink team conducts extensive food environment audits to document the problem (i.e., limited access to healthy foods).  They were also provided with a description of how FreshLink engages neighborhood residents to help identify a food access problem, develop a solution(s) for this problem, and implement these solutions in the neighborhood.  Finally, students learned about the many disciplines involved with community health research, such as Sociology, Public Health, and Social Epidemiology. 

Dr. Kelley-Moore’s presentation was very well-received by program attendees, and WVIZ was appreciative of Dr. Kelley-Moore’s contribution to the series.  For more information on Dr. Kelley-Moore’s presentation (“Community Health Research: Understanding the Social Context of Healthy Eating”), or for more details on FreshLink activities, please visit http://prchn.org/freshlink. 

FreshLink Creates Garden Networks

Last year, FreshLink conducted extensive audits of the community gardens in our neighborhoods, including interviews with garden leaders and gardens.  Through that process, we discovered that one significant challenge is the lack of communication and partnership between gardeners – some of whom garden only a few blocks from each other!  Both Central and Buckeye-Shaker NWGs identified the need to create a neighborhood Garden Network as part of the intervention around community gardening.  These Networks bring together garden leaders and gardeners from all over Central and Buckeye neighborhoods, facilitating communication and resource-sharing.  Participants can learn various gardening tips from fellow gardeners, have the opportunity to attend gardening workshops sponsored by partner organizations such as OSU-E and Cuyahoga County Board of Health, and can also share resources (like equipment and seeds). 

The end goal of these networks is to increase the impact of community gardens in these neighborhoods.  Brittany Barski, of who heads the Green Corps program at CMHA has been particularly instrumental in the development of these Networks.  The first meeting of the Central Garden Network will be held on Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. at Friendly Inn Settlement.  The first meeting of the Buckeye Garden Network is scheduled for Monday, March 26, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. at Rice Branch Library. Meetings are open to current gardeners and potential gardeners.  Help FreshLink and the Neighborhood Working Groups spread the word about these exciting new Networks!

Jamie Oliver Community Kitchen Survey: Coming to Your Neighborhood!

Attention residents of Central, Buckeye, or Ohio City Neighborhoods! 

You may have read in the Plain Dealer 12/31/11 in "Whatever happened to . . . " about the status of Jamie Oliver's "kitchen" in Cleveland.  Here's the link to the article:
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/12/celebrity_chef_jamie_olivers_p.html.  The American Heart Associated is trying to determine which of three Cleveland Neighborhoods would be the best location for Jamie Oliver's kitchen.  They will be surveying residents of Central, Buckeye and Ohio City Neighborhoods at three libraries. The Central Neighborhood survey will take place at Sterling Branch Library.  Buckeye Neighborhood's survey will be held at Rice Branch Library,a nd Ohio City's survey will take place at Carnegie West Branch Library.  These surveys will not be asking residents about their health, but will be asking if they would take advantage of a kitchen, if it were located in their neighborhood, to learn how to prepare healthy food at home.  They will be surveying residents at these libraries from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. this week from Wednesday, February 1st until Friday February 3rd!  If you get the opportunity--and have not already filled out a survey--please visit the library in your neighborhood and take part in the survey. If you have any questions, please contact FreshLink at 216-368-8513.  Let your voice be heard!

FreshLink Awarded UHI Grant from CWRU School of Medicine

In its continuing efforts to increase access to healthier foods in urban communities, FreshLink recently applied for the Urban Health Initiative Grant, University-Community Partnerships to Improve Urban Health Outcomes, from the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine.  We are pleased to announce that FreshLink’s pilot study will be funded!  The pilot study plans to expand on existing partnerships between CWRU’s Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods, the Ohio State University-Extension (OSU-E), the Healthy Eating and Active Living Initiative (HEAL) in Buckeye-Shaker-Larchmere Neighborhood, and the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) to create a cooking-based curriculum for low-income adults who care for children.  Particularly, the pilot study will expand upon OSU-E’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) that is currently underway in the community by incorporating hands-on instruction in healthy cooking techniques.  Classes will begin in early 2012 and will take place at Woodhill Estates, a CMHA Property in the Buckeye-Shaker-Larchmere Neighborhood.  FreshLink is pleased to continue partnering with these organizations, and is looking forward to working with the residents of the Buckeye-Shaker-Larchmere Neighborhood.  For more information on the Urban Health Initiative Pilot Grant, or for more news on FreshLink activities, please visit http://prchn.org/freshlink. 

New Adult and Youth EFNEP Series in Buckeye

FreshLink and the Buckeye Neighborhood Working Group have partnered with the Ohio State University-Extension (OSU-E) to bring two new EFNEP series to Buckeye Neighborhood.  These new adult and youth series will both begin on Monday, November 14, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. at Sunbeam Elementary School (11731 Mount Overlook, Cleveland, 44120).  Youth and adults interested in participating in these free programs can sign up on the first day of classes.  Come join in the food, friends, and fun!! If you would like to know more about Cuyahoga County EFNEP, please visit the OSU-E website.  Or, for more details on FreshLink programming in your neighborhood, contact FreshLink at 216.368.8513.



FreshLink participates in "Case for Community Day"

On Friday, September 16, 2011, FreshLink helped organize a group of Case Western Reserve University students, faculty, and staff who volunteered during "Case for Community Day."  FreshLink and the volunteers assisted at EC Grows, a community garden located in East Cleveland (Woodworth & Coit Road).  The group helped build a raised bed in memory of one of the gardeners who recently passed away, and also helped to clear weeds, spread mulch, and mow.  The gardeners were very appreciative of the help, and the volunteers had a great time!  Be sure to check out the pictures in the FreshLink "Case for Community Day" photo gallery. 

FreshLink adds Hough

The FreshLink team is happy to announce the addition of the Hough neighborhood to their targeted research aimed at increasing healthy food access in disadvantaged areas in Cleveland. With the help of neighborhood organizations and community leaders, FreshLink has already been connecting fresh food resouces in  Central, Buckeye-Shaker, and the East Cleveland areas for several months.  This is the last of four neighborhoods to be chosen.  

The Hough neighborhood was selected by NOCA (the PRC Network of Community Advisors) because it met the primary study selection criteria, particularly size and average household income.  Hough also has all four of the key points of entry for the FreshLink intervention:  food retail, community gardens, community centers, and schools.  Further, NOCA identified Hough as an ideal neighborhood because of its history of strong neighborhood leadership and proximity to other FreshLink neighborhoods.



Case for Community Day on Friday, September 16, 2011!

FreshLink is participating in "Case for Community Day!"  This is a day where Case Western Reserve University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends volunteer around the Greater Cleveland area.  This year, FreshLink will be supporting the EC Grows Community Garden (14900 Woodworth Road) by assisting with garden clean up, harvesting, and other basic gardening tasks.

If you would like to participate in this worthwhile event, registration begins August 22, 2011.  To register, click here.