1. Serving East Boston, Revere, Chelsea, Winthrop, and Everett
A publication of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center • Volume 2, Issue 2 • Fall/Winter 2015
Your Community, Your Health
Find out more about staying
healthy with EBNHC on the
web: www.ebnhc.org
Follow us on Twitter for the
latest news in our health care
services: twitter.com/ebnhc
See what we’re doing in the
community on our Facebook
page: www.facebook.com/ebnhc
Wellness is Working!
page 3
Reach
Out and
Read!
page 4
FIND US
ONLINE
Training and Education inYour Community!
The East Boston Neighborhood Health
Center (EBNHC) has been providing
health services to local communities for
more than 45 years; it is one of the largest
community health centers in the country.
But did you know EBNHC operates a
school?
EBNHC's Education & Training Institute
(ETI) is located just two blocks from
Maverick Square at 250 Sumner Street in
East Boston. The school offers valuable
training to both health center employees
and members of the local community, with
a focus on career-building. ETI believes
that there is a strong connection between
health and education. The Institute’s
newest program, the Youth and Young
Adult Pathways Program, is a great exam-
ple of this connection. The Pathways
Program partners with the health center’s
By Steven Snyder
Staff Writer
primary care departments to help direct
young adults aged 16-24 on a strong and
balanced pathway to adulthood. The
Program offers ESOL classes, Hi-Set
(high school equivalency), Mentoring,
Wellness and Career Counseling, and Job
Placement—all supported by primary and
behavioral health care professionals.
Steven Snyder, Vice President of ETI,
explains, “Our goal is to give people in our
community training and education that can
help them get ahead. For some, that might
mean going back to school, for others
maybe a better paying job, and for even
others a specific career path. Our students
all have things in common, though. They
want to get ahead and they are taking ad-
vantage of the opportunity that ETI of-
fers.”
Other free Education & Training Institute
programs offered to the community
include English Language, Certified
Nursing Aide Training, CPR, Math
and Computer Skills, and more. ETI also
partners with Bunker Hill Community
College (BHCC); classes are held
at BHCC in the evenings. For more infor-
mation about any ETI program, call
EBNHC’s Education & Training Institute
at 617-568-6444 or visit at 250 Sumner
Street, East Boston, MA.
The care you
need, when you
need it now
Located at 10 Gove Street,
first floor, three blocks from
Maverick Station.
The EBNHC Emergency
Department:Always Open
and Open to All
The EBNHC Emergency Department
is ready to meet your emergency
health needs, right here in your
community. Our experienced team
gives high-quality treatment to every
patient who walks through our
doors. And our doors never close.
The staff at the
East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
Happy Holidays!
From our family to yours,

2. arranged for a collection box and Cindy’s
coworkers pitched in with enthusiasm.
According to Cindy, “Some gave
eyeglasses and others donated money. We
were able to buy several pairs of over-the-
counter eyeglasses with that money.” In
total, Cindy’s project netted close to
300 pairs of glasses. “I plan to do this
every year. I work with a great team of
coworkers,” concludes Cindy.
Susan Ostrander has an additional conclu-
sion to share. “I have been in leadership
for many years and I cannot even begin to
tell you how Cindy has touched my soul
and the other staff members she works
with. She is a one of a kind, but what I
have found is that EBNHC is full of
people just like her. I am fortunate to be
working here.”
Be sure to put aside any unused eyeglasses
from within your circle of family, friends,
and coworkers. Cindy’s eyeglass drive
will run again in 2016!
cation. From ensuring that the department
has creamer in the refrigerator for coffee
(by the way, she does not drink coffee or
use the creamer) to getting things rolling
when a coworker is facing hardship (orga-
nizing the meal, card, flowers, shopping,
etc.), Cindy has it covered. Susan reports
that Cindy even drives her to the train
station after work because she does not
want Susan walking in the dark! When
Susan attempts to reimburse Cindy for the
bridge toll, Cindy either refuses the money
or says that she will use it to buy more
goodies or supplies for the team. “She
works late, comes in early, and always
smiles,” says Susan.
When Cindy’s parents died, she wanted to
donate their eyeglasses. After consulting
with Vision Center staff members
Fernando DeSantis and Dr. Charles
Maggio and discovering that they knew
how to ship glasses to those in need in
developing countries, Cindy not only was
able to offer her parents’ glasses, but
organized a collection and gathered
many more pairs. To get the collection
started, Cindy talked to her boss and her
coworkers in the department. Susan
Cindy Maccarone, a representative in
patient accounts at EBNHC, is someone
who notices the little things and, quietly,
takes action. Although her many generous
efforts could go unrecognized, her super-
visor, Susan Ostrander, Director of Patient
Financial Services, would prefer to share
the positive atmosphere that Cindy has
created and spread in her department and
throughout the health center.
Susan calls Cindy “Radar,” after the
character from the M*A*S*H television
series that aired from the early 1970s to
the early 1980s. She explains, “Radar was
the office administrator who supported
the commander of the unit of an Army
Hospital during the Korean War. Radar
had a way of knowing what the captain
needed, what the staff needed, and even
what the patients needed. He was never
asked to do what he did, and he never
wanted anything in return.”
At EBNHC, Cindy takes care of everyone
without need for compensation or recipro-
2 Your Community, Your Health Fall/Winter 2015
300 Pairs of Eyeglasses—and the
Special Woman Who CollectedThem
Your Community,
Your Health
Serving East Boston,
Revere, Chelsea, Winthrop,
and Everett
A publication of the East Boston
Neighborhood Health Center
Volume 2, Issue 2
Fall/Winter 2015
Editor
Steven Snyder
Managing Editor
Miranda Hersey
Associate Editor
Marcela Chacón
Designer
Jonathan Budzyna
news Writers
Marcela Chacón
Steven Snyder
Copyeditor
Marie Clougher
Translation
Language School International,
Acton, MA
Production and Distribution
Josh Resnek
Your Community, Your Health is
published twice a year by the East
Boston Neighborhood Health Center.
The reproduction, in whole or in part,
of any information contained herein
and prior is forbidden without express
written permission of the publisher.
10 Gove Street • 20 Maverick Square
East Boston, MA 02128
Telephone: (617) 569-5800
Website: www.ebnhc.org
In ThIS ISSuE
By Marcela Chacón
Staff Writer
Because your good health matters.
Wellness is Working..............3
Reaching Out toYouth.........3
A Top Place to Work.............4
Strong and Beautiful..............5
Better Care Through
Teamwork ...............................7
Let’s Get Movin’ Update......8
1. We just celebrated our 25th Anniversary! In 1990, EBNHC’s Elder Service Plan was one of the first PACE
programs to receive Medicare and Medicaid waivers to operate.
2. The Elder Service Plan is a full Medicare benefit that can start at the age of 55. You don’t need to wait
until you are 65 to receive this benefit.
3. The Elder Service Plan has a personalized plan of care for each and every participant.
4. There is NO CO-PAY for medications through the Elder Service Plan!
5. Elder Service Plan participants are fully covered for hearing aids, glasses,
and dentures. (These benefits are subject to medical necessity.)
6. 46% of our participants are under the age of 75.
7. 7% of our participants are 95 years of age or older! Imagine!
8. We just opened our new Wellness Center.
9. Elder Service Plan participants can now benefit from acupunc-
ture, massage, yoga, Zumba, and individualized fitness plans.
There is no cost or co-pay for any of these services!
10. We are expanding our service area to include: North End,
Stoneham, Melrose, Malden, and Medford! We are still covering
East Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop, and Everett. 617-568-6377
www.ebnhc.org/esp
TenThingsYou Might Not Know
About the Elder Service Plan

3. 3Your Community, Your HealthFall/Winter 2015
Elder Service Plan participants who have
been coming to the Wellness Center report
anecdotally that they need less medication,
and enjoy reduced stress, improved range
of motion, better sleep, and better mood!
The Wellness Center “has improved my
quality of life. It really has!” — Valerie
Scott, Elder Service Plan Participant
“It is definitely a good addition. I’m
happy. I love it!” — Victor Dsouza, Elder
Service Plan Participant
At the Elder Service Plan Wellness Center
we are offering new and exciting program-
ming to expand our core class offerings.
Attendee engagement, excitement, and
participation remain high. In the next
newsletter, we look forward to reporting
on the outcomes of the alternative
therapies that are offered: medical
massage, acupuncture, and Feldenkrais!
Make sure you check us out on YouTube!
The Wellness Center is featured in two
episodes on Checking in with Amy, which
you can find at the EBNHC YouTube chan-
nel (www.youtube.com/user/EBNHC). If
you haven’t been in to check us out yet,
please come by!
“Wonder what your customer really
wants? Ask. Don’t tell.” – Lisa Stone,
BlogHer Co-Founder and CEO
We asked. The Elder Service Plan partici-
pants told. We listened. And, when the
doors opened, they came! The doors of the
Wellness Center have been open for
several months now. We are at the point
where we can grit our teeth, cross our
fingers, and wonder… “Is it working?”
The short answer is a resounding YES!
The road toward opening the Wellness
Center doors has been bumpy, and has
taken several unexpected right-hand turns
(or so I have been told). Every department
has felt the growing pains associated with
opening the Wellness Center. Now we
can all sigh in relief that the hard work of
starting a new alternative care site is
paying off in measurable and positive
Elder Service Plan participant outcomes.
The first round of preliminary statistics is
in:
• 60% of the participants who routinely
come to the fitness center have LOST
WEIGHT.
• 59% of the diabetic participants who
routinely come to the fitness center
have a LOWER A1C*.
*A1C statistics reflect only those
participants who have a recent A1C
reading available for comparison.
Wellness is WORKING!
By Hollis Graham, RN
Wellness Center Manager, Elder Service Plan
If the answers to these questions are “yes,”
you are eligible to enroll in three
Bunker Hill Community College classes that prepare
you to earn your Certified Nurse’s Aide license:
Clinical Practice, Patient Care Skills,
and Clinical Internship!
This program is offered through the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center in conjunction with
Maverick Landing Community Services and Bunker Hill Community College with generous support
from the Mayor’s Office of Jobs and Community Services.
FREE CNA
Training!
Free T-Passes, tutoring,
job-placement assistance, and more!
Are you between 17 and 24 years old?
Do you have a high school diploma or GED?
Do you live in the City of Boston?
For more information, please call:
East Boston Neighborhood Health Center: 617-568-6444
or
Maverick Landing Community Services: 617-569-7600
www.ebnhc.org
Reaching Out toYoung
People through the Arts!
The East Boston Neighborhood Health
Center (EBNHC) is strongly committed to
the youth in our community. In addition to
organizing various cultural activities,
EBNHC supports a school-based health
center that is now located at East Boston
High School. There, students can receive
comprehensive physical, mental, and den-
tal health care. Through this collaboration
with the high school, EBNHC continues
to promote the health and educational suc-
cess of school-aged children in our
communities.
Stay tuned for news of more cultural
programming in the community—and
remember to reinforce with your children
the message that they do not need drugs or
other substances to have fun.
Artistic experiences and cultural program-
ming can provide important education
about social issues in our communities.
The Improbable Players are a group of
young and talented artists who use
dramatic performances and theater
workshops to educate the public about
addiction and recovery. The group’s plays
are presented by actors who are in long-
term recovery from addictions.
The Improbable Players presented an ed-
ucational play at East Boston High School
about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. At
the end of the presentation, members of
The Improbable Players spoke openly
about their own recovery experiences.
Students had the opportunity to engage in
a conversation about the struggles faced
by people with these illnesses, as well as
the steps toward finding a path to recovery.
By Marcela Chacón
Staff Writer

4. 4 Your Community, Your Health Fall/Winter 2015
State Representative Adrian Madaro
joined the East Boston Neighborhood
Health Center's (EBNHC) Pediatrics
Department recently to promote reading
by and to children of all ages. Research
has long indicated that reading to and with
a child helps stimulate the healthy growth
of the child. The Reach Out and Read
Program, along with Leanne’s Dream
Fund, has supplied many new books to the
By Steven Snyder
Staff Writer
The Elder Service Plan helps older adults stay
in our community and live in their own homes,
for as long as possible. It is the ideal solution
for older adults and families who want an
alternative to nursing home care, but need a
care partner to arrange for the right combination
of services to keep a loved one at home.
To find out more, call 617-568-6377,
TTY 800-439-0183, or visit us at
www.ebnhc.org/esp.
Serving residents 55+ in
East Boston, Chelsea, Revere,
Everett, andWinthrop.
Keepinghealthyis
justpartofmyplan
EAST BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER ELDER SERVICE PLAN
State Representative Adrian
Madaro and Clifford Help
Children to Reach Out and Read
health center throughout the year. The
books are given to patients at well visits.
Representative Madaro read to and joked
with the kids, but was very serious
about the topic. “There is nothing more
important than making sure kids have the
best education. Parents can do very well
at home simply by getting their kids
interested in reading at a young age. We
are thankful that EBNHC helps drive this
effort with their many patients.”
EBNHC:ATop Place to Work!
underway this year. ‘It truly is allowing
people to express their personalities,’says
chief executive Manny Lopes. ‘It builds a
deeper relationship.’”
The full list of Top Places to Work was
published in the November 12, 2015,
edition of The Boston Globe. There, the
selection process was explained:
“The Globe invited 2,178 companies to
participate in this year’s Top Places to
Work survey, 357 went all the way through
the process. Nearly 77,000 employees
completed confidential surveys, rating
their employers based on 24 statements
about direction, execution, connection,
management, work, pay and benefits, and
engagement.”
As The Globe pointed out, “…making the
cut is no small feat.” Manny Lopes,
EBNHC CEO, commended the health
center’s staff in an internal announcement.
“This accomplishment is only possible
because of you, the amazing team that
makes us what we are.”
(in photo above, from left: EBNHC Board
Chair Rita Sorrento, President and CEO
Manny Lopes, Human Resources Director
Linda Dailey, Chief Medical Officer
Jackie Fantes, and Vice President of
Operations Lili Silva)
The East Boston Neighborhood Health
Center (EBNHC) earned a spot on The
Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work list for
2015. Honored for the second year
running, EBNHC was included in the Top
Places to Work 2015: Large category.
In a Top Places to Work preview published
in The Globe’s November 11, 2015, issue,
EBNHC was highlighted in a special
section focused on companies with unique
traditions that make employees happy.
EBNHC’s tribute read:
“At the East Boston Neighborhood Health
Center, employee gatherings aren’t just for
the workers; they are about them as well,
focused on staff members’ hobbies or
skills. Recently, the staff gathered to watch
a documentary about Juli Windsor, a
physician assistant at the health center
who, in 2014, became one of the first
people with dwarfism to complete the
Boston Marathon. (The filmmaker was
Boston Globe staff writer David Abel.) Up
next is a photography exhibition featuring
the work of several talented staffers. For
holiday parties, the center puts together
videos of skits and musical performances
starring employees. Last year’s video
featured workers lip-synching and dancing
along to Pharrell Williams’s song ‘Happy’;
a Star Wars-themed production is
By Marie Clougher
Staff Writer

5. 5Your Community, Your HealthFall/Winter 2015
1. Spray a medium pan with nonstick, fat-free cooking spray. Sauté green bell
pepper and corn until softened (about 5 minutes).
2.Add green onion and tomato. Cook until the vegetables are heated through
(about 5 minutes).
3. Stir in cilantro.
4. Heat the whole-wheat or corn tortillas in a separate pan. Place the cheese
and vegetables on the tortilla while it is still in the pan. Fold the quesadilla in
half and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is lightly
brown.
Time: 25 minutes Difficulty: Easy
Vegetable Quesadillas
Healthy Meal Idea
Total Calories: 129
Protein: 7 g
Carbohydrate: 20 g
Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 286 mg
Fiber: 11 g
Transfat: 0 g
Serves: 4
Nonstick, fat-free cooking oil spray
2 green bell peppers, sliced
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup tomato, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
4 whole-wheat or corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
cheese
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
Puzzle Corner
Sudoku
Fill in the blanks
with numbers so
that each 3x3
sub-region
contains the
numbers 1-9! A
number may not
appear twice in
the same row, in
the same col-
umn, or in a 3x3
sub-region.
Word
Scramble
Unscramble the
words! Each
word can be
found in one of
the headlines or
stories in this
paper.
Answers
on page
8!
Open 7 days a week! New patients
always welcome. Call 617-568-4477
to make an appointment.
Located at 10 Gove Street, East Boston. Just three
blocks from Maverick Station on the Blue Line!
The Pediatrics
Department
at East Boston Neighborhood
Health Center
Keeping your child
healthy and happy:
Strong, Healthy, and
Beautiful—Inside and Out
EBNHC recognizes women’s roles as
vital in our society, and values their
leadership as they work for the future of
our community. Supporting the “Miss El
Salvador Massachusetts” contest means
more than recognizing and celebrating
women’s beauty. Through the health cen-
By Marcela Chacón
Staff Writer
ter’s collaboration with the “Miss El
Salvador Massachusetts” pageant, contest
participants will have the opportunity to
volunteer in different departments at
EBNHC, learning more about their
community and strengthening their
leadership skills.
Project SHINE
Offers PrEp
East Boston Neighborhood Health
Center’s (EBNHC) Project SHINE is
pleased to offer the community an
additional preventive measure against
HIV. The new measure, called PrEp
(Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), is prescribed
as a daily pill that prevents HIV-negative
people from becoming infected.
For more information about PrEp through
Project SHINE, please contact the Project
SHINE Office:
79 Paris Street, first floor
East Boston, MA 02128
617-568-4490
For more information about PrEp, visit
www.whatisprep.org.
By Alejandro Galeano-Molina
EBNHC HIV Health Educator

6. 6 Your Community, Your Health Fall/Winter 2015
Bilingual Corner
The Digestive System: El sistema digestivo
Large Intestine:
Intestino grueso
Appendix: Apéndice
How do you say it? ¿Como se dice?
Headache Dolor de cabeza
Runny nose La nariz mucosa
Cough La tos
Sore throat Dolor de garganta
Flu La gripe
Cold Resfrío
Backache Dolor de espalda
Tonsillitis Amigdalitis
Small Intestine:
Intestino Delgado
Esophagus: Esófago
Stomach: EstomagoLiver: Hígado
Gallbladder:Vesícula biliar
Pancreas: Pancreas
Rectum: Recto
This past year, children from EBNHC’s
CATCH (Children’s Access to Coordi-
nated Healthcare) program were invited to
both Red Sox and Celtics games. CATCH
participants were able to meet players and
venture on to field and court. Thanks to the
Boston teams for their kindness to the
young fans!
CATCHVisits
Fenway and
the Garden
By Steven Snyder
Staff Writer
We are pleased to announce that flu
vaccines are now available to everyone.
You do not need to be an EBNHC patient in
order to receive a vaccine. If you would like to
be vaccinated, please call Monday-Friday to
make an appointment:
ADULT MEDICINE
617-568-4401
(over age 15)
PEDIATRICS
617-568-4477
(children under 15)
WhatYouNeedtoKnowAbouttheFlu
Call the health center if you
have the flu AND…
• you have difficulty breathing
• you are no better after 5 days
• you are pregnant
• you have asthma
• you have a serious chronic
disease
If you have a cough and you
come to the health center,
wear a mask AT ALL TIMES.
Masks are available as you
enter the health center.
Stay home
until you are
fever-free for
24 hours.
Protect yourself:
Wash your hands.
Staying
healthy
When to
call us
What to do
Protect yourself:
Get both a
seasonal flu
shot and an
H1N1 flu
(swine flu) shot.
Protect others:
Cough in your
sleeve to prevent
the spread of
germs.
Remember, most people
with flu do NOT need
prescription medication.
Rest and drink
plenty of fluids.
Protect yourself and your family. Get vaccinated!
FAMILY MEDICINE
617-568-4800
(adults and children)
Is it the flu? If you have:
coughfever
headache
chills
... it’s the flu!

7. 7Your Community, Your HealthFall/Winter 2015
“Checking in with Amy” is a health and wellness TV show
for adults 55+ presented by Amy Goldberg, RN.
Chelsea: Monday at 6:00 pm andThursday at noon on Channel 3
Everett: Monday at 8:00 pm and Friday at 5:30 pm on Channel 3
Revere: Monday at 6:00 pm andThursday at 1:00 pm on Channel 8
Winthrop: Monday at 5:00 pm,Thursday at 1:00 pm, and Saturday at noon on Channel 3
Learn how to stay healthy and independent,
living in your own community.
The Doctor and PharmacistTeamYields Better Care
Have you ever thought about the
importance of the relationship between
your doctor and your pharmacist? If you
haven’t, consider taking a new and closer
look at the way you are managing your
health care.
There are many problems that can occur if
your doctor does not have any communi-
By Marcela Chacón
Staff Writer
cation with your pharmacist. Among them
are prescription errors such as a faulty
dosage selection due to poor handwriting,
inappropriate prescribing that results from
a lack of information about the individual
patient and/or co-existing treatments, and
related difficulties.
Who should know your medical record
better than your doctor? Your pharmacist!
Wouldn’t you feel safer knowing that the
prescription you were given at your
appointment will be taken
care of by a team of
professionals?
Here at EBNHC we
provide the best care
possible to our patients.
To that end, we have
worked really hard to
build strong relationships
between our pharmacy
and our team of physi-
cians. Our pharmacies are
located in our main
patient care buildings to
encourage and facilitate those relation-
ships. Not only do we want to keep our
patients safe, but we also strive to provide
efficient and quality service.
“The clinical staff and the pharmacy are
able to work closely together because we
are co-located; we share best practices
through our medication safety committee
and our pharmacy and therapeutics
committee. The providers have direct
access to the pharmacist for collaboration
in case of any patient care
need, and the pharmacists
have access to our EHR
(Electronic Health Record)
which is unique to being
co-located. Our patients
are better served by such a
close collaboration,” says
Dr. Jackie Fantes,
EBNHC’s Chief Medical
Officer. She adds, “If a
patient has a problem with
medications, wherever that
complication presents,
there is no barrier between
the provider and the pharmacist to resolve
the issue.”
Having a care team that includes your
physicians and the pharmacy staff makes
your life easier and safer. Be sure you are
getting the right care!
10 Gove Street
20 Maverick Square
10 Gove Street
• Monday - Friday 8 am to 8 pm
• Saturday 9 am to 5:30 pm
• Sunday 9 am to 3 pm
20 Maverick Square
• Monday - Friday 8 am to 6 pm
• Saturday 9 am to 2 pm
Our state-of-the-art, onsite pharmacies allow you to get all
of your prescriptions right here. We’re located at 10 Gove
Street, first floor, and 20 Maverick Square, first floor.
Keep an eye out for our Certified Pet
Therapy Dog “Sanito” if you have not
spotted him yet! Although Sanito joined
EBNHC not too long ago, he is already a
star in our community! A trained pet-
therapy dog, Sanito loves to be around kids
and families!
Why Sanito? Sanito means “healthy” in
Spanish. Sanito’s commitment to the
EBNHC community is to support and
encourage healthy, happy, and active
families!
There is nothing like a furry hug from your
favorite dog! Sanito looks forward to
meeting all of you!
Who is Sanito? Have
you seen him yet?
By Marcela Chacón
Staff Writer
THE MEDICATIONS YOU NEED,
WHERE AND WHEN YOU NEED THEM.

8. 8 Your Community, Your Health Fall/Winter 2015
Puzzle Corner Solutions
Sudoku Word Scramble
1. education
2. eyeglasses
3. wellness
4. pediatrics
5. pharmacist
6. sanito
At EBNHC, eating healthy, keeping fit, and learning about food and exercise is the deal.
Join our programs and become a happy and active member of our community!
It’s all about the community!
ZumbaFest
Baby Mamas Ballroom
Farmers Market
Social Media Roundup
EBNHC continually connects with
the community via social media.
Your participation is part of what
makes our social media efforts
successful. Have you connected
with us everywhere?
Facebook
EBNHC: www.facebook.com/EBNHC
East Boston Farmers Market: www.facebook.com/EastBostonFarmersMarket
East Boston Elder Service Plan: www.facebook.com/EastBostonElderServicePlan
East Boston WIC: www.facebook.com/EastBostonWIC
Twitter
EBNHC: www.twitter.com/EBNHC
YouTube
EBNHC: www.youtube.com/user/EBNHC
Let’s Get Movin’
Fall 2015 Update
Let’s Get Movin’ (LGM) participants,
parents, siblings, coaches, junior leaders,
and volunteers battled to become tug-of-
war champions at LGM’s Annual End of
the Year Celebration on August 14. The
event was the culmination of LGM’s six-
week summer program, held during the
months of July and August. The festivities
celebrated the enormous accomplishments
of 183 children who spent the summer
swimming, playing sports like soccer and
rugby, practicing strength and running
drills, and learning about eating healthy
and growing their own food at the LGM
Community Wellness Garden.
By Cristina Weddle, Let’s Get Movin’
Program Coordinator
Now the Let’s Get Movin’ 2015-2016
school year program is underway, with
nearly a hundred 8-14 year-olds attending
after-school sessions twice a week in East
Boston and Chelsea. They are coached by
a new group of Community HealthCorps
Program Leaders who joined the team in
September. The leaders motivate LGM
participants to become stronger, fitter, and
to learn how to make healthy lifestyle
choices.
How do we to know that participants are
getting stronger, fitter, and healthier?
We track children’s progress in different
categories: upper and lower body strength
through a hand grip and long jump test,
aerobic capacity through the PACER test,
and nutrition and physical activity habits
through surveys.
Through a longstanding partnership with
the Cooking Matters program, we offer
cooking classes designed to teach parents
how to prepare and shop for healthy meals
on a limited budget. The classes also
reinforce the nutrition messages that
parents learn in the LGM nutrition
education groups.
Halloween Block Party