– Time and again one of the biggest challenges the Shaping Elizabeth coalition members have heard from our community is that residents know resources and support services exist, but don’t know where or how to find them. Amid the COVID-19…
– Emergency food providers have been hard at work during this public health crisis to continuously offer groceries and hot meals to those in need. To support families facing food insecurity, the City of Plainfield and the Healthy Plainfield coalition have…
– These uncertain times where social distancing has moved us apart is when we need to be in closer communication. In the past, the Healthy Plainfield partner organizations have always addressed residents’ needs face-to-face, whether at the health department, library, bus…
– I was young and scared, growing up and living in Ghana. I did not see much hope for a good life. Then I got lucky. A worldwide group called the International Rescue Committee (IRC) found me and my family. According…
– This is an unprecedented time in our nation’s history, and everyone is facing uncertainty as we move through this COVID-19 pandemic. Children, families, and seniors are afraid to leave their homes, social distancing and isolation have become the new normal, and…
– As Supervisor of Physical Education, Health and Safety in the City of Elizabeth Public School District, I understand the 150-minutes-per-week physical education requirement in New Jersey is not enough to prevent modern lifestyle diseases like metabolic syndrome and build strong…
– In New Jersey, not everyone has equal access to fresh food due to systemic barriers such as 1) geographic location, 2) limited access to transportation options, 3) a minimal number of stores and 4) an overall lack of access to…
– I learned so many things during my first year in the Next Generation Community Leaders program. Elizabeth is my hometown and I was passionate about making a change here, but before I met my teammates and our coaches, I was…
– Shaping Elizabeth (SE) held its Passport to Health Celebration in November 2019. This culminating event celebrated community members’ journeys in taking greater control over their health throughout 2019. Throughout the year, quarterly community events featured health screenings and an overview…
– My name is Viviana and I have lived in Elizabeth for my whole life. One day I got a call that I was accepted to the Next Generation Community Leaders program here in the city. I had no idea that…
– Transportation is essential to activities such as accessing medical care, doing basic shopping, obtaining an education, getting to work and socializing. Transportation options heavily rely on the opportunities provided by an interconnected system intended to mobilize people from one place…
– My name is Marcella Tosetti and as part of the Next Generation Community Leaders program of 2019 through NJHI and Groundwork Elizabeth, we helped residents of our local community learn about and sign up for the SNAP program in New…