FitNOLA

Challenge Grant, Louisiana, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

Overview

The Fit NOLA project provided an effective jumpstart to the City of New Orleans’ larger Fit NOLA initiative. The project focused on influencing food and physical activity behaviors in three low-income, high-crime neighborhoods. The environments of 6 neighborhood parks were transformed to reflect the preferences and perceived needs of the local community. The project developed a fruit/veggie and an exercise prescription (Rx) program in association with the community health centers. The long-term plan is to refine and expand the activities to additional neighborhoods.

Highlights

  • Improvements to 6 neighborhood parks that included:
  • water fountains, bike racks, fitness equipment, a new baseball field, a resurfaced basketball court, benches & tables, upgrades to restrooms, shade/landscaping, a new concession building, sidewalks, and a brick plaza
  • playground fencing, gates, lighting, and security cameras
  • Free classes, 3-4/week, AM and/or PM, in each of the 6 parks
  • Classes included: dance, hula hooping, boot camp, Zumba, kickboxing, yoga, & creative walking
  • Attracted approximately 7,050 community participants
  • Negotiation and coordination of a police presence during physical activity classes
  • Farmers Market Fruit/Vegetable Prescription Program (FMRx)
  • RX distribution by health care providers at community clinics, to 862 recipients
  • 76% were redeemed, primarily at local farmers markets, with some transactions through Whole Foods
  • 3 major community input events (~300 participants) to collect residents’ ideas for park programming, concessions, general improvements
  • 6 Family Fests (over 3,000 participants) to bring neighborhood organizations and families together to promote the Fit NOLA parks and activities

Project Partners

  • LA Public Health Institute
  • Market Umbrella
  • Tulane Prevention Research Center
  • New Orleans Recreation Development Commission & NORD Foundation
  • City Of New Orleans
  • New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation
  • Park Booster Clubs
  • Community Health Centers
  • Neighborhood Partnership Network
  • Neighborhood Churches
Growing Local NOLA

growinglocalnolabannersmall

Overview

Growing Local NOLA built a farm and health education center in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans to support surrounding neighborhoods develop affordable, accessible sources of fresh, local food. Their approach combines water-based recirculating farming and traditional soil based growing. They provide comprehensive training for new farmers, healthy cooking/nutrition classes, and advocacy for urban agriculture policies.

Highlights

  • Growing Local NOLA Urban Farm and Health Education Center – 2 blighted lots transformed to edible green spaces in Central City, New Orleans
  • Public campus: 1/2 acre community garden consisting of solar powered buildings; raised garden beds; a demonstration aquaponics system; a chicken coop; recycling and compost bins; meeting space; and exercise space.
  • Urban market farm: 1/2 acre consisting of a greenhouse, hoophouses, beehives, and in-ground garden beds; grows food to sell or use at the public campus.
  • Advocacy and Policy Accomplishments
  • Farm to School and the LA State Legislature: Minimum Purchase Threshold for schools raised to the federal level so that schools can purchase more local, fresh food directly from farmers
  • City Council and the Mayor’s Office Comprehensive City Zoning Ordinance: changed zoning to more easily allow urban agriculture and aquaponics
  • Grow to Own: partnered with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority to establish a process where blighted properties can be claimed and used for farming.
  • Community Training and Capacity Building
  • Classes and trainings imparted new healthy living skills for 2000 community participants (topics included health supportive cooking, women’s wellness, gardening or farming, farm to school laws, Zumba, and yoga)
  • Supported, created, or improved 12 farms or gardens

Project Partners

  • New Orleans Food and Farm Network
  • Recirculating Farms Coalition
  • Solar Alternatives
  • Debra Surtain (master gardener)
  • Bollag International
  • Gulf Coast Housing Partnership
  • Nexum Printing
  • NOLA Trash Mob
  • USDA
  • Loyola University School of Mass Comm
  • LA Department of Agriculture and Forestry
  • LSU Ag Center/Extension
  • OC Haley Business Association
  • Faubourg Lafayette Neighborhood Assn.
  • NOLA Locavores
  • Wild Lotus
  • Avenue Café
  • Capstone Community Gardens
  • Life City
  • LA Farm to School Alliance

 

Great Resources Wherey'at (GRoW)

Growing Local NOLA

Overview

The GRoW project was developed by members of the New Orleans Kids Partnership (NOKP) to develop a coordinated services network that would infuse physical activity and healthy eating education and activities through ‘hub schools’ to youth in three zip codes of the Gentilly community of New Orleans. GRoW established partnerships with charter schools, the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD), and local businesses to deliver programs and recruit participants. GRoW also focused on volunteer-based infrastructure improvements and policies to increase opportunities for healthy living.

Highlights

  • Delivered 70 GRoW Saturdays
  • Served 638 children ages 5-18 from targeted zip codes
  • 71 students attended 10 or more GRoW Saturdays
  • Engaged children in 11,744 hours of physical activity
  • Served over 10,000 servings of fruits and vegetables
  • Created School Wellness Committees at four schools
  • GRoW Citywide Advisory group met quarterly seven times
  • Over 300 volunteers facilitated 13 community service projects, including a skate park near the St. Bernard Center and a school garden at Menard Nelson School

Project Partners

  • Big Brothers, Big Sisters
  • Alignment Nashville
  • Collegiate Academies
  • America’s Promise Alliance
  • City of NOLA – Office of Planning
  • Ashé Cultural Center
  • Court-Appointed Special Advocates
  • Center for Engaged Learning & Teaching (Tulane)
  • Greater New Orleans Foundation
  • Concordia, LLC
  • Neighborhood Partnership Network
  • Hands On NOLA
  • Recovery School District
  • Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools
  • Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
  • Louisiana Public Health Institute
  • New Orleans Outreach
  • New Orleans Kids Partnership
  • Start the Adventure in Reading
  • Up2Us
  • Young Audiences