Health fair focused on children and families

Healthcare and physical fitness experts appeared at the Southeast Community Facility on Saturday April 4th at the 2nd Annual Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, Families First Health Fair. Games, prizes, panel discussions, and information booths were lined up to address diabetes and obesity, public health issues that are especially prevalent in communities like Bayview Hunters Point.

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, Families First was a family-friendly, free event organized by the Health and Housing Ad-Hoc Committee of the Southeast Community Facility Commission with support from businesses, schools, community-based organizations, and concerned citizens from Bayview Hunters Point.

The event was presented in partnership with five community Elementary School: Bret Harte, Dr. George W. Carver, Dr. Charles Drew, Malcolm X Academy, and Willie Brown Academy. School children’s paintings and essays will be featured. Children, youth, and their families from all backgrounds are encouraged to attend.

Lots of healthy foods, health information, and health testing were provided free of charge.

“We want to bring our community’s children, youth and families together to celebrate and improve health and wellness,” stated Commission President Willie B. Kennedy. “Obesity and diabetes can be prevented and treated if we commit ourselves to education and to finding ways to connect services with the people who need them.”

According to a San Francisco Department of Public Health 2004 Community Health Assessment, two-thirds of African Americans in San Francisco are overweight or obese. And the Bayview ranks highest among San Francisco neighborhoods in ambulatory hospitalizations for adult uncontrolled diabetes.

Pictured is Josepha from Rainbow Grocery at 2008's health fair.