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 Home | Volunteers |
| In This Issue |
| Healthy Living |
| Healthy Aging |
| Healthy Communities |
Health Trust revitalizes its services, opens doors New Family Resource Center, Food Basket and Neil A. Christie Lounge provide better services
After months of client surveys, community collaboration and careful planning, The Health Trust is in the process of improving and expanding the community services offered at its Race Street location, opening a new Family Resource Center, a revitalized Neil A. Christie Lounge and an expanded Food Basket, to be located around the corner on Garland Street. “This is such an exciting time as we begin to offer new, improved and expanded services that better meet the community’s needs,” says Frederick J. Ferrer, Health Trust CEO. Thanks to a funding partnership with FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, The Health Trust Family Resource Centers opened doors late this summer to serve the health and wellness needs of Santa Clara County families. The Center’s are a part of FIRST 5’s Learning Together Initiative, a multi-million dollar investment to help improve family wellness to better prepare young children to start school. The Health Trust Family Resource Centers, located at 48 Race Street and in the Northwood neighborhood of San Jose, offer a multitude of classes on healthy eating, parenting, and school readiness to families with children aged 0-5. Just next door, the Neil A. Christie Learning & Living Lounge will re-open its doors later this fall. Formerly called the Neil A. Christie Living Center, the Lounge will function much more as a learning destination where Health Trust AIDS Services clients can take classes in everything from budgeting to job seeking skills to nutrition and healthy eating. Programming offered at the Lounge will be more targeted and structured, while continuing to offer support groups and social activities, like those provided at the old Neil A. Christie Living Center. Around the corner, The Food Basket will reopen its doors at 1043 Garland Street, doubling its space and capacity to prepare monthly grocery baskets for homebound HIV/AIDS and Meals On Wheels clients. The new Food Basket will serve over 1,000 clients. Meals On Wheels has an exciting new partnership with Revolution Foods and will also use the larger space for daily storage and distribution of meals for clients. The expanded Food Basket will also provide food through the Produce Mobile and nutrition education to Family Resource Center families.
Ninth Annual Open Air Health Fair a success
New Health Trust funded report reveals
As part of its Healthy Living Initiative, The Health Trust, in partnership with The Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation, funded Public Health Law and Policy (PHLP) to conduct a groundbreaking assessment of healthy food resources in Santa Clara County. Through extensive research, PHLP concluded that a number of neighborhoods could do more to promote access to healthy foods; the report then offered specific policy recommendations to improve access. Healthy food resources, including community and school gardens, farmers markets, and community supported agriculture are important vehicles for getting local and fresh fruits and vegetables into the hands of residents. Numerous studies prove residents with access to fresh fruits and vegetables eat healthier, and in turn, experience better health outcomes. Unfortunately, even in the “Valley of the Heart’s Delight,” many residents lack access to fresh produce. This study was the first of its kind to gather data about access and pinpoint the gaps. With the study in hand, The Health Trust and other funders can now use its findings and recommendations to engage in grantmaking and policy efforts to improve healthy food access in Santa Clara and San Benito Counties. The Health Trust’s commitment to healthy eating is evident in a recently released Request For Proposal that will provide funding to support the expansion of these healthy food resources in Santa Clara and Northern San Benito Counties. The report is avilable at www.healthtrust.org/foodaccess.
Health Trust Request for Proposals (RFP) to promote healthy food resources in Silicon Valley
The Health Trust anticipates funding grants in the range of $20,000 - $100,000 per year. Applicants may apply for up to two years of support. The maximum amount of funding is $100,000 per year for up to two years. The Health Trust anticipates making four to six grants by the end of 2010. For more information please visit www.healthtrust.org/grants.
Silicon Valley Health Corps
On September 22, 2010 the inaugural class of Silicon Valley Health Corps finished their year of service, as part of an expansive partnership between The Health Trust, AmeriCorps and 10 local organizations to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to local residents. The inaugural class of 46 made an incredible impact on the community that included;
A new class of HealthCorps members started earlier this month and will conclude their service next fall. The Silicon Valley Health Corps project runs for three years.
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Healthy Steps Silicon Valley Needs Volunteers
This spring The Health Trust released a first-of-its-kind resource for older adults in Santa Clara County. Vast in scope, the guide provides a road map for lifelong fitness, a list of area resources as well as daily health and wellness tips for older adults. The guide was launched as part of an ambitious campaign by The Health Trust and the Council on Aging to enhance physical activity among 25,000 older adults in Silicon Valley. Health Promotion Coordinator Pauline de Lange is leading the campaign, bringing together volunteers and organizations to brainstorm creative ways to share the guide and train volunteer Health Champions to promote its use. Volunteer Health Champions are still being recruited to support this ambitious effort; 18 have been trained so far to give 15, 30, or 60 minute presentations at partnering sites and community events. The Health Trust’s ability to make a difference depends on volunteer support. Contact Pauline if you are an organization interested in partnering or an individual who would like to become a trained ‘Health Champion.’ If you have a passion for reaching out to your community, we are also looking for regional leaders to spearhead local outreach. To get involved, please e-mail Pauline at paulined@healthtrust.org.
Second Annual Caregivers Count Conference to help Silicon Valley residents caring for aging loved ones
Building on the success of last year’s conference, the Aging Services Collaborative is now planning a second annual Caregivers Count Conference for Saturday, November 13. The conference provides a valuable opportunity for individuals caring for an aging relative or loved one to come together and learn about resources available to help with their caregiving needs. This year’s conference will have sessions on compassion fatigue, passages in caregiving, and navigating the health care system. Simultaneous translation will make the information available in Spanish, Vietnamese and Mandarin. To learn more and register visit www.healthtrust.org/caregiverscount.
The Aging Services Collaborative and The Health Trust continue efforts to improve senior nutrition in San Jose
Earlier this year when the City of San Jose proposed drastic cuts to nutrition programs that feed area seniors, The Aging Services Collaborative took a stand at City Hall, where hundreds of seniors rallied to protect the meal programs for another year. But the Aging Services Collaborative and The Health Trust realized the city would need to work harder and smarter to continue to provide the service while facing ongoing budget pressures and increasing demands into 2011 and the years ahead. To this end, The Health Trust provided funding for a Senior Nutrition Task Force to examine the existing program and look for ways to sustain long term viability. The work of the Task Force is making progress in gathering and analyzing data, conducting focus groups, surveys and interviews. Preliminary recommendations for the City of San Jose program will be released in December for public comment. If you would like to be involved or want more information, please contact Lori Andersen at loria@healthtrust.org
Renowned MD and author educates
On October 1, 2010 dozens of local health providers gathered at Valley Medical Center to listen to noted author and physician Dr. Frank Spinelli discuss how the health care community can better meet the health needs of gay men. Dr. Spinelli is the monthly healthcare columnist for The Advocate, the oldest continuing gay publication in the United States and author of The Advocate Guide to Gay Men's Health and Wellness. Spinelli explained that traditional medical teaching does not focus on gay men’s health and providers often find that gay men have specific questions or concerns about their health. It is important for providers to understand those health issues more likely to affect gay men as well as the interplay between lifestyle and overall wellness. The lecture was broadcast by the Commonwealth Club of California. If you would like to listen to the podcast, enter the link http://www.itunes.com/podcast?id=113721208.
New partnership, Web site helps The successful chronic disease self management program taught by The Health Trust is now available online to patients anywhere. Better Choices, Better Health is now online at www.selfmanage.org. The online class is made possible thanks to a grant from The Health Trust to the National Council on Aging. The California HealthCare Foundation is also promoting the class by funding the Palo Alto based design firm IDEO to market the online course.
21st Annual Silicon Valley Walk AIDS Supports critical organizations including The Health Trust AIDS Services
On October 17th thousands gathered at Discovery Meadow in downtown San Jose to make the 5k walk along the Guadalupe River trail to support people living with HIV/AIDS. As in previous years, The Health Trust AIDS Services was a grateful recipient of dollars raised to support local organizations that care for Silicon Valley residents with HIV and AIDS.
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On October 9th and 10th, Santa Clara Valley residents lined up in droves for the free health care, education and community connections offered at The Health Trust’s Annual Open Air Health Fair, at the San Jose Flea Market. Hundreds received free preventive health screenings and flu shots thanks to a collaborative partnership between The Health Trust, Gardner Health Services and The Santa Clara County Public Health Department. Participants also visited the hundreds of community-based organizations, educational booths and health services including free dental services. 
Based on the findings contained in the Healthy Food Resource Assessment, The Health Trust has released a Request For Proposals to fund projects that improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables in low-access communities. Through this RFP, The Health Trust will fund (1) Projects that expand, enhance or replicate efforts to promote healthy food resources in Santa Clara County and Northern San Benito County; and, (2) Projects that plan for and/or pilot innovative models that promote healthy food resources and have not been tested or implemented in Santa Clara County and Northern San Benito County.
Treatment for chronic disease makes up 75 percent of our nation’s health care spending, but few realize that some of the best treatment can be found in our local community or even online. Better Choices, Better Health is a peer led course that teaches participants how to take charge of their chronic diseases by making diet and lifestyle changes. The class was developed at Stanford University as a six week, interactive course. The Health Trust offers the class in community settings, such as local senior centers. “The online class is an exciting way to make the class more accessible, especially to people who might be homebound,” says Health Trust Vice President of Programs Paul Hepfer. “We are excited about the potential to reach hundreds more people struggling to manage their chronic illness and provide them with the tools they need for better health.”
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