EmblemHealth, the New York health benefits and wellness company, is once again helping to increase New Yorkers’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables through its sponsorship of GrowNYC Greenmarkets.
This summer, the company will have a presence at Greenmarkets located in Manhattan (Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island).
EmblemHealth’s sponsorship will support GrowNYC’s Greenmarket Youth Education program, which provides school tours of Greenmarkets for 6,000 children each year and offers the in-depth, in-school “Seed to Plate” curriculum to 5th and 6th graders. Greenmarket Youth Education teaches children about farmers markets, seasonal and healthy eating, and sustainable agriculture to help children gain an understanding of how food choices impact their bodies, their environment and their communities.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) will conduct nutrition classes and cooking demonstrations at select markets. EmblemHealth will also sponsor cooking demos by GrowNYC at the three markets indicated by an * below. NYCDOHMH will also provide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) beneficiaries with a $2 Health Bucks coupon for every $5 spent at the market. Health Bucks are redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables at all NYC farmers’ markets and help make eating healthy on a limited budget more affordable.
The GrowNYC sponsorship is part of EmblemHealth’s citywide Small Steps initiative that helps local residents take small steps to improve their health and wellness, right in their communities. Information on local GrowNYC Greenmarkets is available on EmblemHealth’s mobile app, “Small Steps to a Healthier You,” that lets users monitor their health and wellness activities. The app allows the user to find healthy resources in their community, set goals, earn badges, and track daily steps and water intake. The “Small Steps to a Healthier You” app is available at www.smallsteps.emblemhealth.com, the iTunes App Store or Google Play.
“As the Official Sponsor of Small Steps, we want to show people that they don’t have to make big changes in their lives to live healthier,” says David Flemister, director of brand strategy and community marketing at EmblemHealth. “It’s the small steps they can take – like walking more and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables available at the Greenmarket in their neighborhood – that can make a big difference in their overall health and well-being.”
Marcel Van Ooyen, executive director of GrowNYC, praises the close collaboration with EmblemHealth. “Working together, we are able to expand shoppers’ access to the fresh fruits and vegetables that might otherwise be unavailable to them. Whether it’s taking care of your own health or the health of your environment, GrowNYC and EmblemHealth are both working to provide the tools and resources that will help New Yorkers live a healthier lifestyle.”
According to Christine Johnson Curtis, Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control at the NYC Department of Health, “Few New Yorkers consume enough fruits and vegetables, which are naturally low in calories and rich in vitamins and minerals. Through their partnership, EmblemHealth and GrowNYC are helping more New Yorkers access fresh produce and develop the culinary skills to lead healthier lives.”
Manhattan
*175th Street Greenmarket
175th Street between Wadsworth Avenue and St. Nicholas Avenue
Thursdays: 8 am – 5 pm
EmblemHealth on site:
- July 23
- August 27
- September 17 and
- October 15
Market open through November 19
NYCDOHMH and EmblemHealth cooking demonstrations (free EmblemHealth recipe cards distributed)
Click here for a location near you.
For more information, visit www.emblemhealth.com.
Learn more at www.grownyc.org.
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