Cambios Con Fe

Hi everyone!

This is Roxana Quintero and I am working with San Diego State University Research Foundation, San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative, Healthy Eating Active Communities and Walk San Diego on the project: Promoting Active Communities Through Faith-based Organizations.

We have been working closely with 5 churches in Chula Vista, CA (St. Rose of Lima Parish, Church of the Most Precious Blood, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Chula Vista Presbyterian Church, and Community Congregational Church/Fruit of the Vin) on the importance of policy and environmental changes in the prevention and reduction of childhood obesity. We have had huge successes so far. We created an 8-week training series for faith-based adult promotoras and youth leaders on physical activity, nutrition, walkability, church and park assessments, wellness committees, and community advocacy.

Over the past few months we have been focusing on teaching the promotoras and youth leaders to assess their home, church and surrounding community environments to identify areas that promote or deter healthy eating and physical activity in order to advocate for improvements. So far, each church has established a wellness committee, which acts as a hub for all internal and external environmental advocacy, and hosted congregational nutrition classes with guest speakers. During the nutrition classes, promotoras and youth leaders talked about nutrition and improvements in the home environment, so children and families can be more active. Each church is starting to make small changes, such as serving fruits and vegetables before and after services or events. They have also engaged in changing what foods are provided during fundraisers. One church said they are serving corn instead of tamales.

We have faced some challenges throughout the project. Language has been an issue as not all project partners speak English or Spanish, but the group has been resourceful in promoting communication and translating at all training and community events. Translation makes for longer training sessions and events, but ensures everyone feels included. The simultaneous translation offered at the Faith Advisory Council meetings, the convergence of all churches involved in the project to share ideas and brainstorm new prevention strategies, is rather pricey so we may be investigating new opportunities to communicate in both languages. The group also continues to identify other new opportunities to improve communication for both project partners and participants to ensure successful implementation of the project.

In January, we are going to focus on park audits. Promotoras and youth leaders are going to organize their respective faith communities in identifying and carrying out opportunities to improve nearby community parks via enhancements to safety, aesthetics, and physical structures, as needed. They are also going to look for ways to improve access to park facilities. In March, we are going to look for funding opportunities to make these identified improvements to facilities and routes. We are excited for the next steps to come. We look forward to sharing them with you. Keep you posted!