4275 Lemon St.| Riverside, CA 92501 | 951.788.3471 | RCHF.org

EASTSIDE HEAL ZONE, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FAITH LEADERS AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS COME TOGETHER TO PROMOTE UNITY IN THE EASTSIDE OF RIVERSIDE!

(Riverside, CA) May 10, 2017- Eastside HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Living) Zone had their 4th Annual Walk by Faith event on Sunday, April 30 hosted at Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church. Over 300 people participated in the 3.5 mile walk that aimed to promote unity in Eastside Riverside. Eastside HEAL Zone, is an initiative made possible in part by funding from Kaiser Permanente on behalf of the Riverside Community Health Foundation hosted the event at Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church.

“This was such a great and well organized event,” said community member, Yesenia Garcia. “Next year, I am going to bring my whole family.”

Participants walked the 3.5-mile route, stopping at all 5 of the participating churches; Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, Riverside Spanish Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Second Baptist Church of Riverside, 2nd Chance Ministries Church, and Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church, which was the starting and ending point of the walk. Eastside HEAL Zone also designated prayer stops along the route at Lincoln and Bordwell Parks.

Garcia explains the unity she felt after completing the walk. “In general, it’s good to be familiar with the people in your community. Coming together for this walk only makes us [community] stronger.”

In an effort to, promote a healthy community, the Eastside HEAL Zone project partners have, in the last year, opened a community fitness center, provided 40 produce stands in the neighborhood, provided health education workshops to more than 800 community members, trained more than 80 students to advocate for clean alleyways, supported three corner store makeovers, hosted 9 Walking Wednesdays for child safety, and referred more than 220 patients for chronic disease management.

In addition to walking the route, the event included, Ballet Folklórico from Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, a musical selection from members of the Riverside Spanish Seventh Day Adventist Church and 2nd Chance Ministries Church, and parade teams from Second Baptist Church of Riverside. The American Heart Association administered FREE Health screenings to the community while various vendors such as Champions for Change provided FREE health education and healthy recipe books.

Eastside HEAL Zone’s Walk by Faith event continues to provide a safe space for Eastside residents to unite and encouragement to live a more active and healthy lifestyle.

For more information about the Walk by Faith route or if your church is located on the Eastside and would like to participate, please contact, Terri Akens at (951) 788-3471 or Terri@rchf.org.

To get involved with or learn more about the Eastside HEAL Zone Initiative, please contact Riverside Community Health Foundation’s Eastside HEAL Zone Coordinator, Dr. Shené Bowie-Hussey, DrPH, MPH, ACSM at (951) 788-3471 or Shene@rchf.org.

Connect with RCHF!www.facebook.com/RCHF1973Follow us on Instagram @rivcohealthfoundationVisit us at www.rchf.org

Connect with Eastside HEAL Zone!www.facebook.com/EastsideHZoneTag us on social media by using #walkbyfaith2k17

For Immediate Release

For more information about this press release, please contact Terri Akens at951.788.3471 or at terri@rchf.org

The Eastside HEAL Zone Initiative is a place-based intervention that targets both places and people utilizing environmental strategies supported by policy and reinforced by education and promotion. Ultimately, due to this initiative, changes are expected to occur in the following areas: environments, policies, and community resident awareness, knowledge, skills, motivation, and utilization. Over time, the cumulative result of these efforts will be population-level

behavioral changes around nutrition and physical activity in the community of Eastside. For more information on the HEAL Zone, visit http://rchf.org/programs/eastside-heal-zone/

4275 Lemon St.| Riverside, CA 92501 | 951.788.3471 | RCHF.org

For Immediate Release

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(Left): Miguel Lujano, Council Assistant, Ward 2 and (Right) East

Area Commander, Lt. Christian Dinco posing for a photo at the

Walk by Faith Event.

Ninfa Delgado, Vice President of Riverside Community Health

Foundation, participates in a warm up before walking the route.

(Left): Freddy Pepper from the Second Baptist Church of Riverside

was the MC for this year’s Walk by Faith event. He encourages community members before

the walk as Ninfa Delgado, Vice President of Riverside Community

Health Foundation translates in Spanish.

Community members begin their 3.5 mile “Walk by Faith” journey!

Prayer stop with Pastor Mendoza from Riverside Spanish Seventh-

Day Adventist Church at Lincoln Park.

Dr. Shené Bowie-Hussey, DrPH, MPH, ACSM, Riverside

Community Health Foundation’s Eastside HEAL Zone

Coordinator ensures “walkers’” safety as they cross the street.

FREE Health Screenings were provided by the American Heart Association at the Walk by Faith

event!

Terri Akens, Community Outreach Coordinator for Riverside

Community Health Foundation and Facilitator of the faith-based group for Eastside HEAL Zone’s Walk by Faith Event, participates in Heart and Soul’s line dancing activity.

Our lucky raffle prize winner, Arnoldo Barajas, Eastside HEAL

Zone’s Resident Leadership Academy graduate wins two gift

cards to Delia’s Grinder.