Jersey City

Nutrition Education & Cooking Techniques

• The Division of Food and Nutrition at Jersey City’s Department of Health and Human Services will collaborate with experts in the health and wellness field to bring high-quality workshops to each community farm.
  
  
• Our urban community vertical farms will not only provide free nutrient-dense greens (grown about as locally as you can get) to registered members, but we’re committing resources to walk with them on their health journey for one year.
  
  
• There will be regular educational workshops on how to shop your favorite grocery store, read and compare food labels, and how to stretch your budget to make room for more whole fruits and fresh vegetables on your plate.
  
  
• Residents will learn culinary techniques and share culturally significant foods stories, creating a greater sense of community and building a culture of health which speaks to our #HealthierJC mission.

Each journey has its beginning, middle, and end. That’s why we feel it’s essential to provide residents with free diagnostic test results in the areas noted below. Thus, giving them insights, they might not have been aware of before. We’ll then re-test them every three months to show them how they’re doing. We realize this program might not get everyone to their desired destination, but we are confident these key indicators will empower them with the right toolkit to complete their journey.

For Adults (18+)

• Biometrics (Height, Weight, Blood Pressure & Hip/Waist Circumference)
  
  
• Lipid Panel for Cholesterol
  
  
• Complete Blood Count for overall health and detection of a variety of diseases and conditions
  
  
• Vitamin D
  
  
• Creatinine
  
  
• Js-CRP
  
  
• Hemoglobin A1 c for diabetes

For Minors (12-17)

• Biometrics (Height, Weight, Blood Pressure & Hip/Waist Circumference)
  
  
• Cholesterol Total
  
  
• Vitamin D

• What is vertical farming and why is this Jersey City program so timely?

• Climate change is forcing us to rethink how and why we do many things -- farming is one of them.
  
  
• Residents will have the opportunity to learn the science and technology of indoor farming, growing food without soil, sunlight, pesticides, and up to 80% less water than traditional agriculture.
  
  
• They will help seed and germinate their own food -- then watch them grow.
  
  
• They will harvest weekly crops to share with their community, incorporate into meals they are already eating, or try them in new recipes.

Workshops will include the importance of physical activities like basic walking, biking, and fundamental full-body movements focused on push and pull exercises you can do anywhere.

• The importance of sleep cannot be left out of this journey.

• We will provide insight on the value of quality sleep, along with tips and techniques to make small changes in your daily habits to increase the quality of your sleep.

"Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. For example, sleep is involved in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke." --According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on Jun 29, 2021

A new article in the journal Psychology of Violence suggests that sleep problems play a far greater role in aggression than researchers suspected. Authors Zlatan Krizan and Anne Herlache of Iowa State University point out the different ways that poor sleep can help release aggressive impulses and fuel violence. Along with case studies showing that violent offenders become less aggressive after being treated for sleep problems, brain research indicates that poor sleep can influence our ability to control impulsive behavior; it also appears connected to how we emotionally respond to threats.

Select members will be given extra insights with a 24/7 health monitoring ring. Members will be chosen based on their explicit need and engagement in the program activities. We will prioritize members who are managing a chronic disease and want to use this data to feel better. Oura rings will provide members with notifications and insights on key health factors like…

• Rises in body temperature

• Heart rate
  
  
• Variable heart rate
  
  
• Sleep patterns
  
  
• Physical activities

If you are eligible, register & Pick the Community Vertical Farm Location Nearest you

• Site selections are concentrated in Wards A & F and other underserved communities.

Program Orientation & First Health Screening

• Learn and ask questions about the program and get tested.

Attend Nutrition Education Workshops

• Facilitated by expert educators and partnerships with the Head Start program, Community Health & Wellness educators, dietitians/nutritionists, and SNAP ED educators.

Attend Culinary School & Culture Sharing Workshops

• Facilitated by chefs, restaurant owners, and YOU!

Attend and Co-Create Community Conversations

• Using some Appreciative Inquiry Concepts -- Define, Discovery, Dream, Design, Destiny

• Focused on solutions to end food swamps and deserts in your community.

• To increase your health and wellness knowledge.

• To give you lifelong tools to continue your journey.
  
  
• To improve your personal health and prevent, reverse, or manage a chronic disease.
  
  
• To make your health a priority.
  
  
• To share your journey with others and create a supportive holistic wellness community.
  
  
• To simply feel better.