Healthy Chesapeake

Healthy Chesapeake develops and delivers collaborative programs to support access and utilization of Healthy food and combat food insecurity. This program has three main arms, including supporting community gardens, nutrition education, and preparation of Healthy food. Fiscal year 2023 efforts included: 1)supporting 19 community gardens in a variety of settings to increase access to Healthy foods for city residents most in need. This included the creation of a library garden in a food desert that has truly impacted an underserved neighborhood, with children eating fresh produce right out of the garden. 2)collaborating with community partners to distribute Healthy food and recipes to encourage healthier meal preparation and understanding the use of food to improve overall health. 3)developed, successfully piloted, and are now expanding the Healthy foundations educational program at Chesapeake juvenile services as part of their health and physical education courses. The program introduced Healthy cooking and provided workforce opportunities for 18 students in the inaugural class. 4)supporting forkids, a regional nonprofit that supports a homeless shelter for families experiencing homelessness, with cooking and distribution of Healthy meals to residents, as well as meals to their after-school education programs. Over 1,168 meals are served weekly, with an additional 700 items provided per week for a grab and go service.

Healthy Chesapeake promotes access to and engagement in programs supportive of physical, behavioral, and mental health. This includes a no-cost chronic disease management clinic for low-income individuals with uncontrolled diabetes / hypertension; support groups, on-site training; a variety of free health- and engagement-focused community events; and other efforts to promote Healthy, active lifestyles, and promote social engagement. Fiscal year 2023, efforts included: 1)offering a free weekly high-touch chronic disease management clinic to address participants' medical, social, and transportation needs serving a total of 78 clients in this reporting year. Partnering with the foodbank of southeastern Virginia and the eastern shore has provided 40-70 pounds of lean proteins and fresh produce to the individual at each visit. Over 33,000 pounds of food were distributed to clients. 2)working with the local rotary club and health system to bring a mobile medical clinic to the communities of need. 3)sponsoring multiple interns and student experiences both virtually and in person for on-the-job training in health promotion and community services positions. 4)supporting Chesapeake integrated behavioral healthcare's community options program clients by providing tasks designed to give them an opportunity to connect and feel productive and engaged. 5)facilitating and originating community coalitions for early childhood development, to provide critical prevention and early intervention strategies to improve outcomes and developmental goals for young children and their parents, including the creation and pilot of a social determinants of health survey to facilitate referrals to home visitation programs and create new strategies to positively impacts the families' lives, and the development of a neighborhood family resource center. Continued health literacy work with community partners to provide consistent health education and information across the city of Chesapeake utilizing healthier 757's rewards for Healthy living platform.

Healthy Chesapeake develops and delivers collaborative initiatives that support physically and mentally active lifestyles for seniors and children who might otherwise lack access to these opportunities. Fiscal year 2023, efforts included: 1)supporting and attending community resource and health fairs to distribute needed supplies for health and safety, such as back to school backpacks, water bottles; and many other needed items to support physical and mental health, such as educational handouts, food samples with recipes, toiletries, etc. More than 3,600 participants were served. 2)participating in multiple local and regional teams designed to support area youth with identifying resources, programs, and available activities for success, including an educational workshop and culinary education class created to support financial responsibility in teens and the Chesapeake redevelopment and housing authority strong families initiatives supporting more than 170 families.