Chef Richard Ingraham, who was born in Liberty City, is returning to his birthplace on April 14, 2012 to lead a Celebrity Food Demo for youth, parents, and community residents at the Liberty City Farmers’ Market, which takes places at the TACOLCY Park on NW 62^nd Street & NW 8^th Avenue each Thursday and Saturday.  The market is managed by Urban GreenWorks and supported by Youth L.E.A.D.’s youth apprentices and community outreach efforts.

Ingram is a personal celebrity chef for Dwayne Wade and his girlfriend, Gabrielle Union. He has generously agreed to share his cooking expertise on April 14^th to show youth and residents how to prepare locally-grown, seasonal produce from the farmer’s market in a healthy manner. Ingram will also speak on the important of nutrition for health and physical performance in sports.

The Celebrity Food Demo Event will be held from 1-3 pm on Saturday April 14^th at TACOLCY Park. In addition to Ingraham’s food demo, the farmers’ market will host live music by Buffalo Brown, youth poets, and a Youth L.E.A.D. smoothie stand featuring organic, seasonal fruits.

The event is being organized and funded by Youth L.E.A.D., an emerging food justice nonprofit that educates, empowers and employs youth from Liberty City and Opa Locka as Food Justice Activists at partnering farmers’ markets and community gardens. 

Dr. Lewis Accepts Health Secretary’s Appointment
to National Library of Medicine

United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius recently appointed Florida Memorial University (FMU) President Dr. Henry Lewis III to the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The secretary expressed “delight” in Lewis’ appointment in a formal invitation letter. He hopes his appointment inspires others.

“I am truly humbled and honored to receive this appointment,” Lewis said. “I hope this appointment inspires our students to leverage all of their available resources and opportunities so that they may achieve their dreams.”

Lewis, a nationally renowned biomedical researcher, will serve a four-year term on the Board of Regents ending August 2015.  The board serves as the advisory body to HHS, NIH and NLM on all important aspects of policy regarding the Library and is the final review body for NLM's external grant program. The Board meets three times a year in February, May and September.

“I am looking forward to serving on the board and expanding research on issues that impact our communities,” Lewis added. Lewis served on as chairman of the NLM’s environmental health and information outreach panel.

- National Infant Mortality Awareness Month event to be held Saturday, September 17^th -

MIAMI – Despite a statewide decrease in deaths among children younger than one year old, the infant mortality rate in Miami-Dade County has creeped upward, especially in black and Hispanic communities.  Aimed at reversing this alarming increase, Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade (HSCMD) will host The Community Health & Education Fair. The event takes place Saturday, September 17, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Betty T. Ferguson Community Center, 3000 N.W. 199^TH Street, in Miami Gardens, FL. The fair will equip women with intensive education and tools as they learn to care for themselves, infants and toddlers up to age five. A special program will begin at 11 a.m., when elected officials and community leaders will pledge commitment to supporting HSCMD’s services for local mothers and children.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Xavier Suarez kicked off week with ribbon-cutting ceremony

 
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Xavier L. Suarez and Helen B. Bentley Family Health Center, Inc.’s (HBBFHC) president and CEO Dr. Caleb A. Davis (center) cut the ribbon marking the start of HBBFHC’s National Health Center Week celebration.  Pictured (from left to right) are Miguel Valentin, member, HBBFHC’s Board of Directors; Coconut Grove pioneer Thelma Gibson; Ron Nelson, chief of staff, Office of City of Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff (District 2); Ricardo Gonzalez, executive aide, Office of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Xavier L. Suarez (District 7); Dr. Joyce M. Price (below, front), director of community involvement and field activities, HBBFHC; Merline Barton, co-founder, The Thelma Gibson Health Initiative; Pinky Sands, member, HBBFHC Board of Directors; and, Gene Tinnie, member, HBBFHC Board of Directors.   

Miami, FL – Miami Dade College (MDC) is hosting its 6^th Annual Free Community Health Fair at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Medical Center Campus. Services being offered at the fair include glaucoma, glucose and cholesterol tests; a limited number of free mammograms; and dental and vision screenings. There will also be information on nutrition, heart disease and cancer prevention; a blood drive and much more. The MDC Health Fair is free and open to the public.

Free shuttle transportation to the fair will be available at the Culmer Metrorail Station, beginning at 8 a.m. the day of the fair.

A “Stress Relief Zone” will include free chair massages and other services, as well as on-site pharmacists from the Florida Pharmacy Association providing medical information and bone density screenings.

For several years, the Medical Center Campus has been offering the fair and many services to the community. Care Access will be providing physicians on-site during the health fair to follow-up with individuals who receive questionable health screening results. In addition to medical services and screenings, there will also be a “Children’s Corner” with face painting, balloons, a bounce house, arts and crafts and more.

The fair’s main goal is to provide health information and services to those who might not otherwise get regular medical attention. “This year’s fair provides an opportunity to improve our community’s health and develop new strategies that will impact lives in a positive manner,” said Dr. Armando Ferrer, president, MDC Medical Center Campus.

WHAT:             MDC Medical Center Campus’ 6^th Annual Free Community Health Fair

WHEN:            Saturday, Feb. 26, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE:          Miami Dade College, Medical Center Campus, 950 N.W. 20th St., Miami

COST:             Free admission including free shuttle transportation. 

For more information about the health fair, contact Madeline Pumariega at 305-237-4212. To schedule free transportation to the fair, call 305-237-4209.

CAC-Florida Medical Centers will host a ribbon cutting and free community event for the grand opening of a new comprehensive full-service medical center in Liberty City.  CAC's investment of approximately $2.5 million in the new Liberty City medical center will provide area residents with a wide range of social, health and lifestyle services and programs with an ultimate goal of improving the quality of life and health of residents in the community.

Grand opening activities are scheduled for Saturday January 22, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with VIP ribbon cutting from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the  Liberty City CAC-Florida Medical Center, 6269 NW 7th Ave., Miami, FL 33150.

Youth Environmental Programs
The Captain Planet Foundation seeks to fund innovative programs that empower children and youth to work towards solving environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities. All funded projects must involve young people ages 6-18 (elementary through high school). Nonprofit organizations and public schools worldwide are eligible to apply for grants of $250 to $2,500. Applications are reviewed quarterly; the next deadline is Dec. 31. For application guidelines, visit Captain Planet Foundation.


Nutrition Education Programs
The Allen Foundation supports nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions that promote human nutrition in the areas of health, education, training, and research. Grant priorities include the following: nutritional education for mothers during pregnancy and after the birth of their children, training for educators and demonstrators of good nutritional practices, and the dissemination of healthful nutritional information. Relevant nutritional research projects are also supported. The next application deadline is Dec. 31. Visit the Allen Foundation for an eligibility quiz and submit an online application.


Community/Composer Collaborations
MTC's MetLife Creative Connections program provides grants ranging from $250 to $3,500 to enable American composers to participate in public activities related to specific performances of their original music. The program aims to increase awareness and enhance the creative artist's role in society by supporting the composer's interaction with audiences, performers, arts organizations, and local communities. Applications are submitted by a sponsoring organization. Applications are reviewed quarterly; the upcoming deadline is Jan. 7, 2011. Visit Meet the Composer for online application information.


Youth Fishing and Boating Education Programs
The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation seeks to implement an informed national outreach strategy that increases participation in recreational angling and boating. The Foundation's National Youth Fishing & Boating Initiative is offering grants to youth-focused boating, fishing, and conservation organizations for pilot-to-national or national aquatic education programs that introduce children and their families to boating and fishing. The application deadline is Dec. 27. Visit National Youth Fishing and Boating Inititiative to review the grant guidelines and submit an online application.


IBM Smarter Cities Challenge
This three-year IBM Corporate Citizenship initiative enables up to 100 cities around the world to become smarter by enhancing their capacity to collect, analyze, and act upon information across multiple core systems; apply systems analysis to the key problems facing cities; create an environment where global cities can learn from one another; and foster partnerships that address critical challenges, enabling cities around the world to become more vibrant and livable places for their citizens. Awards in IBM technology range from $250,000 to $400,000. Application deadline is Dec. 31. For more information, visit Smarter Cities Challenge.


Youth Running Programs
The Saucony Run for Good Foundation helps to prevent and reduce childhood obesity by offering grants of up to $10,000 to nonprofits that initiate and support running and fitness programs for kids. Program participants must be 18 years of age or younger. Priority will be given to programs that serve youth populations not traditionally exposed to running programs. The application deadline is Dec. 13. Visit Run for Good to download the application guidelines.

Please help The Global Syndicate and Project Medishare as we do our best to prevent a potential epidemic. Click here to donate funds of which 100% will support Project Medishare and its efforts on the ground in Haiti.  No amount is too small, but no support is unacceptable.  200+ have perished, 2000+ have been infected, and the number can increase exponentially rapidly if adequate containment efforts are not undertaken.  Please contribute right away and encourage at least 5 other people to do the same.

Reports have been confirmed of a Cholera outbreak in several provinces in Haiti.  Cholera is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which affects the intestinal system of the body. An infected person experiences severe vomiting, explosive diarrhea and severe dehydration. Without immediate medical treatment, cholera may result in death within four to twelve hours after symptoms begin. Due to a large loss of body fluids, cholera is gruesome in the way that it leaves survivors in their physical appearance, as well as in the biological toll it takes on the body.

We are currently raising awareness and much needed financial support for our non-profit partner, Project Medishare, who is leading efforts to battle this ongoing viral attack. Below is an excerpt from the leadership at Project Medishare…

"Project Medishare is on the front lines in the Artibonite, Central Plateau and PAP fighting this epidemic as we speak. We have 100+ community health workers who are canvassing the camps with prevention tools and education, as well as our hundreds of doctors and nurses in country who are working closely with Haitian Ministry of Health at these clinics to provide manpower and support in St Marc as well as the new areas of outbreak.  Medishare has been called upon by the American Red Cross as well as PIH for back-up in the areas outside of St Marc which are now showing major outbreaks and we have been asked to get our four massive 5,000 sq feet field hospital tents put up out of the ground to provide 20,000sq feet of additional hospital space to treat patients, setting up cots as most are laying on the ground, and providing antibiotics, bleach, water tablets, buckets etc.  We are mobilizing a major cargo shipment down tuesday with additional supplies to help in St Marc and Artibonite and assist the haitian red cross as they are experiencing shortages in many areas.  

We should have these makeshift cholera treatment centers in the four  5,000sq foot tents built up by Tues (they are being built right now) so that we have space to treat an additional 400-500 patients at a time, as well as getting portable AC units and fans up to these areas because of the heat+high fevers, people are losing their lives much faster before they can get treatment in the overrun hospitals. We were hoping for containment and prevention but because of the alarm this caused in St Marc, there was a mass exodus out of the area and into PAP which we suspect has now carried cases into PAP and the MSPP (ministry of health) have given a very dire outlook on the situation with another 800,000 cases and deaths possible in the next 6 months if we can't get this contained.  We can most definitely (and pretty desperately) use the help in the way of an emergency grant to cover this effort because we did not have resources available to direct towards these expenses of cholera treatment supplies+ cargo lift to Haiti and any assistance would be greatly appreciated and put to worthy use."

Please help The Global Syndicate and Project Medishare as we do our best to prevent a potential epidemic. Click here to donate funds of which 100% will support Project Medishare and its efforts on the ground in Haiti.  Please contribute right away and encourage at least 5 other people to do the same.

Sincerely,

Jacques-Philippe Piverger
The Global Syndicate
Founder & Chairman

Miami, Nov. 3, 2010 – Miami Dade College (MDC) and Nova Southeastern University (NSU) are now partners in an ongoing project aimed at providing local residents low-cost dental services performed by dental students from both academic institutions once a week for the remainder of the year. The new Community Collaborative Partnership between NSU’s School of Dental Medicine and MDC’s Dental Hygiene Program officially began at the start of this fall semester.

Upper level dental students will directly treat patients at MDC’s Dental Hygiene Clinic on a one-month rotation basis, one day a week until the end of the academic year. Six students from NSU are assigned each week and approximately 24 patients will be served each day. MDC dental hygiene students will provide services such as cleanings, sealants, and X-Rays. The dental students from NSU will perform restorative care procedures such as fillings and simple tooth extractions. Program coordinators said the goal is to have the same group of students treating patients to ensure there is a continuity of care.

The services will always be offered at MDC’s Medical Center Campus on Mondays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Appointments are required and walk-ins will not be allowed. The dental services are made available at a reduced cost that is comparable to private practice fee schedules. Tooth fillings range from $48 to $100; root canals are $100 to 200; and extractions cost from $60 to $85.  To be totally accommodating to all individuals, health insurance is not necessary and services can be paid for with cash, debit or credit cards.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this desperately needed restorative dental treatment to our patients,” said Dr. Susan Kass, MDC’s dental hygiene program coordinator. She added that although the services are available to the general public, individuals must first become registered patients with the clinic before they can be served. “These services are offered to everyone. This includes adults of all ages, as well as MDC faculty, staff and students.”

The program had been in development for several months before it launched this past September at the Medical Center Campus. According to Kass, there was a growing need expressed by visiting patients to the campus clinic, as well as the uninsured families throughout the community desperately needing proper dental care, that had to be addressed. “We learned there was a great need for basic dental services by our own patients, many of whom are students and non-students from neighboring communities.”

Soon after, MDC administrators reached out to NSU to pique interest in a clinical rotation program where the institutions would share both services and patients. To get the program off the ground, MDC received both financial and in-kind support from private organizations, such as Health Foundation of South Florida and dental instrument company Hu-Friedy. Health Foundation contributed nearly $30,000 toward start-up costs and Hu-Friedy provided instruments worth in excess of $16,000.

“We are thankful for the support of these organizations, MDC and NSU administrators, and their dedication to this project and the dental hygiene program,” added Kass. “We will now be a more full-service preventive care facility for our community.”

To make an appointment at the MDC Dental Hygiene Clinic, call 305-237-4142. During the first visit, patients will be screened to determine their dental needs and will be recommended for the appropriate services.