Codman Square Health Council October 21, 2010 4:00 - 5:30 p.m 637 Washington Street- Boardroom Attendance: Rev William Loesch, Michael Desronvil, Cynthia Loesch and Shanaya Coke (Codman Square Neighborhood Council); Anthony Stankiewicz (Codman Square Health Center); Jennifer Opp (Harvard School of Public Health); Rosanne Foley (Dorchester Environmental Health Coalition); Dr Harold May (FAMILY, Inc.); Sgt David Kiley (BPD C-11 Safe Streets Team); Flavio Deivega (Mayor’s Office) Welcome and overview – Cynthia Loesch The Codman Square Health Council is made up of residents and organizations working together to improve the health of the community Announcements • Last Farmers market is 10/28 and will be fun with music, pumpkin carving contest and more • The Hidden Heroes event is 11/19/2010 from 6-8 p.m at Norfolk Street We will celebrate individuals that have shown commitment to the community Tickets are $35.00 and 95% of sales go to two youth for college scholarships For more info, call 617-265-4189 or visit www.codmansquarecouncil.org • 1-800-QuitNow handouts were distributed by the BOLD Teens Free patches are available • Aware for All: National Clinical Research Education Day is 11/6/2010 from 10- p.m at Grove Hall Library (41 Geneva Ave.) 02121 Call 617-582-8707 for free registration Codman Square Presentation on Health will be 12/1/2010 • Rev Loesch is holding planning meetings every Wednesday from 5:00-6:30 at 14 Euclid Street For more info, call 617-265-4189 • We plan to focus on work done since last year and showcase data we have collected throughout the year from the farmers market and other venues • The BPHC is looking for feedback on best practices from last year Aliza shared that our community meeting was one of the best and hopes we participate in the follow up meetings Also, the BPHC has launched the “What’s Your Health Code?” and has set year goals to reduce health disparities by 30% including obesity, STIs, low birth rates, etc Healthy Codman Square: Block-by-Block Initiative This effort allows us to build relationships within the community, share our goals as the Health Council and show the impact the built environment has on our health Questions we are looking to answer with the Block-by-Block Initiative: • What access and obstacles to good health exist in Codman Square? • What and who makes up the built environment (buildings, infrastructure and services) and what are their goals in the community? • What can we together to improve the health of the community? • How we show a demand for a healthy community? Presentation • The Tool Kit was presented with the: assessment questions, focused questions, and resource guide • The blogsite www.codmansquare.org was shown with Walgreens data available • The Council approved the format and was excited about the information being collected including present healthy activity, obstacles and next steps Codman Square Health Center The health center is looking for support from the community as they re-apply as a federal health center The pharmacy is up and running, they have community representation on their board and they are active in the community as a health center and provide certain programs They received $8 million federal dollars for the $14 million Capital Project for the Codman Academy health focused expansion and will present to the community in 2011 The CSNC Board is in support of providing a support letter and the Health Council voted in support to provide a letter Next Steps • The next meeting will be focused on the Harvard School of Public Health’s Bicycle Visual and Verbal Preference Survey with Anne Lusk Food will be provided Codman Square Health Council November 18, 2010 4:00 - 5:30 p.m 637 Washington Street- Boardroom Attendance: Rev William Loesch, Cynthia Loesch and Shanaya Coke (Codman Square Neighborhood Council); Michael Desronvil (Codman Square Health Center); Jennifer Opp (Harvard School of Public Health); Keyona Aviles (Youth Development Network); Rodney Simmons (BOLD Teens); Marcel Tam (Boston University); Tom Powers (DotWell); Virgil Moses (Resident); Mike Dogherty (Summit Electronics), Nick Doyle and David Heron (Codman Academy)Anne Lusk (Harvard School of Public Health) Welcome and overview – Cynthia Loesch The Codman Square Health Council is made up of residents and organizations working together to improve the health of the community Announcements • The Hidden Heroes event is 11/19/2010 from 6-8 p.m at Norfolk Street We will celebrate individuals that have shown commitment to the community Tickets are $35.00 and 95% of sales go to two youth for college scholarships For more info, call 617-265-4189 or visit www.codmansquarecouncil.org • The Deadliest Disease in America is a film that will be shown on 11/20/2010 to highlight the themes of inequity and racism that individual’s experience in the healthcare system • The next Codman Square Neighborhood Council meeting is set for 12/1/2010 at p.m The Boston Public Health Commission Health of Boston Report will be presented while highlighting great work that has taken place in the community Dinner is at p.m and for more information, call 617-265-4189 • 600 LED street lights are coming to Codman Square The Mayor’s Office of Environment and Energy is switching out old cobra neck lights with 25% more energy efficient lights that last 15 years • Harvard Catalyst: Community Based Participatory Research newsletter was distributed • Our next Health Council meeting will include a presentation from Co-op Power and Cynthia Loesch regarding the solar hot water educational installation at 81 Brent Street 02124 Bicycling Safety Survey • Anne Lusk introduced the visual preference survey and its purpose to assess how people view safe biking 33 images were shown and participants were encouraged to rate how safe they viewed the surroundings and • • biking area and then discuss it Notes: o Characteristics of safer bike lanes: different color bike lanes space between car doors and bike lanes; wider bike lanes, bike lanes on the right side of cars decrease chances of being doored; bike lanes through bus lanes are effective since buses not run as often as cars are on the road o Other ideas on safer biking: bells on bikes and bike signals at the traffic light o Possible locations for a bicycle track: Blue Hill Ave., Warren St and Martin Luther King Blvd Next Steps: Collect the data, analyze it and write a journal The goal is to build a cycle track in Dorchester, engage residents in the process and get information out to the neighborhood Anne has been working with the city to identify potential locations Examples of bicycle tracks Codman Square Health Council Thursday, December 16, 2010 4:00-5:30 637 Washington Street- Boardroom Attendance: Rosanne Foley (Dotwell and Boston Natural Areas Network); Pat Cooke Dorchester Home and Garden Trust Corp.; Kerri-Ann Richards (Co-op Power); Jennifer Opp (Harvard School of Public Health); Rev William Loesch and Cynthia Loesch (Codman Square Neighborhood Council); Tonshaya Jones, Shaquille Jones, and Maya Copeland (BOLD Teens); Wyatt Posig (DYS and Roxbury Youth Works); Angel Diaz and Angel Diaz from proposed Angel Meat Market; Keyona Aviles (Youth Development network and BPHC); Aliza Wasserman (Boston Public Health Commission) Welcome and Introductions– Cynthia Loesch The Codman Square Health Council is made up of residents and organizations working together to improve the health of the community Announcements • Wyatt passed around Christmas cards for us to sign and send to children at Children’s Hospital • Angel and Angel Diaz are looking to open a meat market at 503B Washington Street 02124 They are looking for community support They are aware of the community’s sanitation concerns and insist they will be a good neighbors and supportive of the community The Codman Square Neighborhood Council checked Angel’s references and they all stated that he is very professional and the best butcher they have ever worked with • The word is a bike shop will be opening at Ashmont T-station • The Codman Square Neighborhood Council distributed 1200 stuffed animals to local schools, churches and residents in the community through Winter Wishes Codman Square Presentation on Health The community comes together for this event with the Boston Public Health Commission to look at the health of our community in comparison to the rest of the city Last year we focused on health data and brainstorming strategies and goals with the priorities of obesity and diabetes, substance abuse and peace promotion This year we did a follow up meeting to last year to showcase all of our efforts and to share what we have learned in the last year 101 people attended and Barbara Ferrer led a presentation with the Health Council Summary Greater Wellness (obesity and diabetes) • After data was shown about obesity rates in South Dorchester the group broke up into groups and: Reviewed the success of the Codman Square Farmers Market and discussed bike safety, bicycle tracks and the importance of the walk group Learned more about the Retire Ronald Campaign to remove toys from happy meals and took action by signing the pledge Reviewed the funds available to allow capital improvement to Cronin Playground/ Wainwright Park and make sure the park is green, safe and useable Filled out a survey for the Boston Parks Dept and will lead the community meetings in the New Year Substance Abuse • Reviewed data related to tobacco use and related illnesses • Discussed Other Tobacco Products like blunts and snus and shared tobacco cessation resources • Shared how the BOLD Teens developed the nation’s first warning label for tobacco products and the FDA came out to visit them They also advocated for FDA regulation of tobacco for years With FDA regulation of tobacco products, warning labels will be placed on cigarettes Each table had the opportunity to review the proposed warning labels and provide comments that will be submitted to the FDA Peace Promotion • Reviewed slides about weapon carrying and violence • Tables took part in the Why’s exercise using the data to narrow done why this problem exists in our community and developed solutions Presenters, facilitators and scribes will provide a written summary of the event for the record BOLD Teens Renew Boston The Renew Boston Residential Retrofit Program is currently offering qualified Boston homeowners and landlords funds to make energy improvements to their properties The City and its partners provide eligible Bostonians with low-hassle, no-cost home energy assessments and free efficiency upgrades including insulation, air sealing, water saving devices and high-efficiency light bulbs This is for 1-4 unit homes and for middle income residents The BOLD Teens passed around a survey/signup to help residents determine if they were eligible 81 Brent Street and Co-op Power Solar Educational Installations 81 Brent Street will be an ENERGY STAR and LEED-H certified home This project developed from the community seeking greener, healthier developments in Codman Square The owner, Cynthia Loesch, is truly committed to making this project educational for everyone There will be three educational installations: the solar hot water, solar electric and rainwater harvesting system Co-op Power will be facilitating the solar installations Co-op Power is a multi-class, multi-racial movement for a sustainable and just energy future They have been very successful in western Massachusetts developing weatherization crews, neighbor solar installations and the ownership of renewable energy They are working to establish a Council in Boston and develop an energy crew to weatherization and even solar installations About $30,000 is needed to get a crew on the road Co-op Power is member driven and residents here will have to become members to develop a Council The 81 Brent Street project will have educational solar hot water installations organized by Co-op Power Crews If you are interested in taking part, call Kerri at 617-645-7298 To learn more, visit www.cooppower.coop Boston Natural Areas Network Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN), organized in 1977, works to preserve, expand and improve urban open space through community organizing, acquisition, ownership, programming, development and management of special kinds of urban land like community gardens, urban wilds and greenways ← The Nightingale garden is a huge garden and will have new and improved water spigots, gazebos and pathways The Dorchester Garden Council provides gardening resources and opportunities for urban agriculture like the vacant lots with the Boston Redevelopment Authority of Dorchester farms http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/Planning/PlanningInitsIndividual.asp?action=ViewInit&InitID=152 It is a local version of farming and resident participation is needed Master Urban Gardener (MUG) is a home program with free classes and helps people with landscaping Interest was shown in developing a garden tour in Codman Square Smoke-Free Housing • The Boston Housing Authority is scheduled to make their 64 buildings smoke-free by 2012 This is a city effort that came out of residents seeking smoke-free housing after smoke-free restaurants passed • Second-hand smoke is dangerous and can seep through walls and air ducts so multi unit housing is where residents are most vulnerable • The Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corp responded to the Boston Public Health Commission’s RFA to transition some of their buildings to smoke-free Big thanks to Rev Loesch and Davida Andelman for encouraging the NDC • This is the way of the future and we should work with the Codman Square Neighborhood Council and other civic groups to support smoke-free housing for all future developments ... Cynthia Loesch and Shanaya Coke (Codman Square Neighborhood Council) ; Michael Desronvil (Codman Square Health Center); Jennifer Opp (Harvard School of Public Health) ; Keyona Aviles (Youth Development...• The Council approved the format and was excited about the information being collected including present healthy activity, obstacles and next steps Codman Square Health Center The health center... Electronics), Nick Doyle and David Heron (Codman Academy)Anne Lusk (Harvard School of Public Health) Welcome and overview – Cynthia Loesch The Codman Square Health Council is made up of residents and