Photo from Brookdale Medica Center Safety Fair
Today, Dreyfus Health Policy and Research Center announced the launch of their new campaign, Rise Up East New York. This campaign is meant to promote wellness and disease prevention, and improve quality of life by, and among East New York residents.
“This is a great initiative for the East New York Community”, stated Ed Towns, former East New York Congressman. “Wellness and disease prevention are important aspects of keeping residents healthy, particularly during this pandemic. I’m happy to partner with Dreyfus to help get the word out about this campaign. Most importantly, this effort will be community-led and driven, with the involvement of all sectors including, but not limited to, traditional healthcare, retail and manufacturing business, employment, education, nutrition, transportation, recreation and spiritual life”
Dr. Barry Smith, President of Dreyfus Health Policy & Research Center stated, “We’re excited to bring the Rise Up campaign to East New York. We believe this initiative can create positive health outcomes in the community. Our goal is to help lower the rate of chronic illnesses like diabetes, kidney failure and heart disease, while improving overall community health. Most importantly, this effort will be community-led and driven, with the involvement of all sectors including, but not limited to, traditional healthcare, retail and manufacturing business, employment, education, nutrition, transportation, recreation and spiritual life.”
East New York has one of the city’s highest chronic disease rates and houses some of the state’s worst health statistics. Four of the primary illnesses that this project will address are obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease. Unleashing the currently untapped wisdom and power of the residents of East New York for positive change will make all the difference! East New York will shine – something of which we can all be proud!
The initiative is looking to make wellness and disease prevention a community priority by helping the East New York area to become a prime model for the city, state, and country through forward-thinking activism, programming and education.
Rise Up East New York will promote health and wellness in East New York by creating strong and sustainable multisectoral community partnerships and conducting health assessment surveys to better understand the issues that put residents at risk for chronic illnesses and kidney disease, in particular.
“Our health assessment survey is the first step towards lowering the rate of chronic illnesses”, stated Nancy Uhland, of Rise Up East New York. “We are working with community partners to encourage participation in our survey, which will help us to focus on what the community itself sees as effective ways to improve health outcomes in East New York”.
Community members can participate in the health assessment survey here. The survey takes 5 minutes to fill out and does not require you to enter any personal information.
Rise Up East New York has already created community partnerships. They will be a health resource partner in the upcoming East New York Health & Wellness Series, which is set for Thursday October 15, 2020 at the Brooklyn Sports Club. The organization will be distributing information about common chronic illnesses, including kidney disease, as well as conducting general health assessment surveys.
Nikki Lucas, East New York Community Advocate, and host of the East New York Health & Wellness Series stated, “we’re happy to have Rise Up East New York joining us this year as a health resource partner. Our events were created to provide health resource information to the community. Kidney disease, high blood pressure and heart failure are diseases that heavily impact our community. If the Rise Up initiative and survey move us in the right direction to improving the overall health of the community, then I am all for it.”
To find out more about the Rise Up: East New York program or to volunteer, visit riseupeny.org
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