Start Healthy Stay Healthy

Early Childhood Nutrition Education Program

The Start Healthy Stay Healthy Early Childhood Nutrition Education program is designed to help expectant mothers, families and caregivers of children up to 36 months of age understand and make healthy nutrition choices that prepare children for improved overall outcomes.  This includes mothers, fathers, grandparents, or anyone involved in the care and feeding of the child. It also offers training for these residents to act as advocates and deliver the educational materials throughout the community. Though originally targeted for Fairmount residents, the program has expanded to serve residents in other neighborhoods within the West Ward. To date, more than 280 residents of Newark’s West Ward have completed the training and have been empowered to promote healthier lifestyles in their neighborhood.

Community Partners

• Nestle/Gerber USA
• Programs for Parents
• Urban League of Essex County
• Sarah Ward Nursery Day Care
• Clinton Hill YMCA
• Growing Garden Day Care
• Barringer High School
• West Side High School
• Francis Day Care
• Full Gospel Church
• Vailsburg Childhood Development Center
• Newark Fairmount Promise Neighborhood
• West Ward Community Coalition (organizations, stakeholders and churches)

Start Healthy Stay Healthy Team

• Dr. Diane Hill, Co-Principal Investigator
• Donita Devance, Co-Principal Investigator
• Deborah Flamengo, Project Coordinator
• Lynella George, SHSH Community Trainer, RU-N Student-School of Public Affairs and Administration
• Stacey Ragin, SHSH Community Trainer, RU-N Student-School of Public Affairs and Administration
• Marjon Shahsamand, SHSH Intern, RU-N School of Public Affairs and Administration
• Dr. Jeffrey Backstrand, Faculty Advisor, RU-N Center for Urban and Public Service
• Dr. Shristi Rawal, Faculty Advisor, RBHS Department of Nutritional Sciences
• Dr. Joachim Sackey, Faculty Advisor, RBHS Department of Nutritional Sciences

Start Healthy Stay Healthy Photos

Media