#30Faces30Years

As president and founder of the African Heritage Food Co-Op, Alexander J. Wright, JD, understands the importance of bringing healthy food into communities, and has worked with Good for the Neighborhood and Healthy Options At Home to do just that.

“I became involved with the Independent Health Foundation because we both recognized there was a need in the community,” Alexander said. “We knew we could work together to bring healthy options to people, especially those living in food deserts.”

Healthy food is an integral part of the African Heritage Food Co-Op’s mission to offer affordable foods to neighborhoods in need, and Alexander believes the Independent Health Foundation is an outstanding partner to help with this mission.

“I grew up and currently live in the communities I serve, and I personally see the impact that these initiatives can have,” he said. “It is important for the community to see people coming together and taking their health seriously.”

A RedShirt volunteer, Barbara Piotrowski has volunteered for many years with Good for the Neighborhood.

“I’m so very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in life and have always felt a strong desire to give back,” Barbara said. “Good for the Neighborhood offered a perfect opportunity to blend my passion for helping people with my work and career interests.”

Working>Working at the registration table, Barbara connected with community members, making an immediate impact with a bag of fresh produce.

“Volunteering for Good for the Neighborhood allowed me the privilege to interact directly with our members and others in our community,” Barbara said. “Those interactions reminded me that there are real people at the receiving end of our efforts to improve quality of care and health outcomes.”

Helping neighbors take control of their own health

The number of programs RedShirt Beth Podgorny has volunteered with are too numerous to mention.  

Always willing to help her community, Beth sees volunteering as an opportunity to pay it forward.

“My family is fortunate to have the opportunities that we do,” she said. “I have raised my family in the East Buffalo community and see every day the impact that volunteerism has on all of us. Giving back to this great community is our great privilege.”

Along with giving back to her neighborhood, Beth loves connecting with her Independent Health co-workers.

“My favorite part of the program is meeting people who work for Independent Health with whom I do not generally have direct contact,” Beth said. “It enhances the sense that we are all part of a family working towards common goals. It is always fun to volunteer for a new event and make new connections.”

It is not always easy to get kids to eat healthy foods. Thanks to a partnership between the Independent Health Foundation and the Buffalo Public Schools Child Nutrition Program, school meals are tastier and more nutritious than ever. “Many of the families we serve in Buffalo Public Schools are struggling financially, and school meals are sometimes the only meals the children receive,” said Bridget O'Brien Wood, Food Service Director at Buffalo Public Schools. “It is critical that these meals are nutritious and appealing to students. Working alongside the Independent Health Foundation, we were able to survey students, analyze the data, and implement the necessary changes to meet the needs of the students. As a result, students were sampling new foods they had never tried before, helping staff create new menu options.” Bridget has also collaborated with the Foundation to develop a new School Wellness Policy to create healthy school cultures while gaining support for school gardens, Farm to School programs, and professional development for staff. “Working with the Independent Health Foundation has been a great experience. The IHF representatives we’ve worked with have had positive energy and are amazing problem solvers,” Bridget said. “During the pandemic, they were one of the first community partners to contact me and ask what we needed and how they could help. I know that I can count on IHF to help with a problem, brainstorm an idea, or share their expertise to help navigate any challenge at any time.”

Creating healthy communities starts with creating healthy partnerships. Good For the Neighborhood has a supportive partner in Crystal Selk, Executive Director of West Side Community Services, who works with the Independent Health Foundation to bring education, health services, and fun to her community.

“I love that our West Buffalo neighbors can walk to our community center and get a flu shot, get a blood pressure check, try nutritious foods, and get school supplies all in one stop,” Crystal said. “The programming and support offered through Good For the Neighborhood extends and complements the services we already have to offer. As various needs arise, the Independent Health Foundation is always supportive and willing to listen and adjust.”

Residents are quick to adjust, too. Crystal has seen first-hand how access to information can change the trajectory of individual health outcomes.

“More than a few times, I have seen neighbors come for health screenings and be motivated by the results, making follow-up and preventative appointments with their primary care providers,” she said. “Creating an easy and fun way for people to understand and take control of their personal health and wellness is why I love hosting Good For The Neighborhood at West Side Community Services.”

Investing in the community for generations

Longevity requires attention to detail – something that Diane Colgan, Sr. Vice President of Marketing for Tops Friendly Markets sees as a common thread in the store’s partnership with the Independent Health Foundation.

“I would like to congratulate the Independent Health Foundation on its 30th anniversary,” Diane said. “Tops is celebrating its 60th right now so we understand the value of longevity in the marketplace and in supporting our customers through the generations. As two local Western New York companies, Tops has had a long-standing partnership with the Independent Health Foundation.”

Current partnerships include the Nutrition Rewards program, providing incentives for healthy eating, along with the family-friendly First Night Buffalo.  

We love the idea of partnering on events where families can come together to celebrate in a safe environment,” Diane said. “With the challenge of COVID, the Independent Health Foundation definitely rose to the occasion and was able to successfully transition to an online event. With Tops’ large network of stores in Western New York, we were able to help them get the word out and provide a convenient way for families to purchase party packs to ring in the New Year.  We are already gearing up for this year’s event and look forward to again selling these party packs starting in late November.”

Helping neighbors take control of their own health

Since Good for the Neighborhood came to the Niagara Falls Housing Authority more than a decade ago, director Eric Fields says he has noticed many positive changes in his community.

“I have personally witnessed a lot of individuals coming just to see what’s going on and then taking the time to sit down, talk to doctors and find out information about their own health,” Eric said. “They may recommend people follow up with a physician to check on blood pressure or high cholesterol. Some find out they’re diabetics. A lot of these people didn’t know because they weren’t able to take the time to see a doctor and to check on themselves.”

Many come to Good for the Neighborhood events to check out the giveaways, but they end up staying for so much more.

"It’s for people of all ages, races and ethnic backgrounds. It provides a lot of services to people,” Eric said. “And they’re not just here to get free stuff. People genuinely want to get better for themselves and for their families. Witnessing it firsthand has been a blessing for me.”

Eric sees the Independent Health Foundation as an outstanding partner in the larger effort to improve the health and well-being of his community.

“We have a lot of dialogue, and they’re open to suggestions,” he said. “Working with them has been great. They have been 100 percent committed to getting out into the communities and working with us.”

Fostering confidence and creativity in the workplace

Local entrepreneurs Jim and Danielle Fleckenstein saw a natural connection between their children’s gym, Rolly Pollies, and the Independent Health Foundation’s Fitness for Kids Challenge and Kids Run. The programs are in line with their mission to give children the tools and confidence they need to live a healthy and successful life. What they didn’t realize is how much confidence and creativity these programs would bring out in members of their own staff.

“We are passionate about enhancing the lives of the children in our community,” they said. “Partnering with the Independent Health Foundation has helped us to reach even more children and teach them how to instill healthy habits into their daily routines."

In addition to reaching more children, the partnership between Rolly Pollies and the Independent Health Foundation has allowed the Fleckenstein’s to challenge themselves creatively as they look toward the future.

“Preparing children for the Kids Run gave us the opportunity to discover the unique talents that existed within our own company,” they said. “We found new and exciting ways for all of us at Rolly Pollies to build meaningful family-friendly fitness opportunities in the Western New York community on a larger and more accessible scale. The fun and creativity this program inspired has enhanced and strengthened our curriculum and our commitment to our community.”

Making friends on the soccer pitch

Hein Si Thu started as a player with the Soccer for Success program, learning new skills and finding friendships among his fellow players and with his coaches. Now he’s a junior mentor coach, helping provide the same experience to the next generation of soccer players.

This program has been important to me and my community because players have lots of fun and learn soccer skills and have chances to make many new friends,” he said. “I also enjoy being a coach and playing soccer with the players.”

More than just a soccer program, Hein Si Thu has been able to develop lasting relationships.

“My favorite part of this program has been meeting all the other amazing coaches and coaching the younger players,” he said.

Education is the key to making healthy choices

Holly Anderson, owner of Anderson’s Frozen Custard, became involved with Healthy Options through the Taste of Buffalo and a University at Buffalo research study.

It’s the educational opportunities that have kept Holly involved with the program.

“This is important to us because healthy food options and education about healthy foods encourages our everyday eating choices and habits,” she said. “Nutritious foods make us feel better and allow us more freedom in the choices we make every day.”

A Buffalo Public School teacher, Jane Orcholski is passionate about using the Fitness for Kids Challenge to enhance her school’s physical education curriculum.

“I believe the resources and activities that the Foundation provides have become an integral part of our PE department, and a tremendous way to promote a lifelong love of health and wellness,” she said.

The best part for Jane are the lessons her students take home with them.

“I loved being able to provide hands-on resources for students and their families,” Jane said. “My favorite part is seeing the enjoyment they have participating in the fitness activities and how much health knowledge they retain and share with others.”

Feeding off the energy at the Kids Run

A RedShirt volunteer, Javett Long loves to promote healthy family habits through the annual Independent Health Foundation Kids Run, which is free and accessible to all members of the community.

“I love working with the kids and seeing them so excited to not only compete but to receive a medal regardless of how they do in the race,” Javett said. “There aren’t many free programs in my community that allow children to have fun exercising while learning healthy living habits. This is very needed, and I am so glad it’s available to children in my area.”

RedShirt Karen Brim volunteers with the Independent Health Foundation in an effort to enhance the quality of life for underserved Western New Yorkers. She works regularly with several programs, including Good for the Neighborhood.

“I understand that service to others is the rent I pay to live on this earth,” Karen said. “We all have talents, gifts, passions, special areas of expertise, and professional training. My focus is helping to improve health equity and health outcomes in this community.”

Karen connects with local families to help them grow – and finds herself growing in the process.

“I have found that racial identity is an important component of a patient’s healthcare experience. If a patient can identify with me, there is an increased likelihood that they may be more open and engaged, leading to a more successful interaction and a more successful health outcome,” she said.

“The program allows me to stay connected with patients and gain insight into the lives of people who are underserved, learning more about different cultures and their backgrounds and challenges. Since I am not public facing at my day-to-day job at Independent Health, the ‘Ask The Pharmacist’ information table at Good For the Neighborhood events provides a venue for me to teach patients how their pharmacist can help them get the most out of the medications they may be taking.”

Combining music and wellness to make a difference for kids

Combining two of his passions – music and wellness – Kevin McCarthy has donated his time and talent to perform health-themed shows at schools participating in the Fitness for Kids Challenge.

In 2008, I met with the Independent Health Foundation to discuss ideas on how we could create a youth assembly with a wellness message for the Fitness for Kids Challenge,” he said. “We came up with a program that is enjoyed by students and staff, bringing a ‘Wellness is Cool’ message to the schools. It’s meant to counteract negative health messages young people are bombarded with every day. There is no better feeling than making a difference in the community with these shows!”

In 2020, Kevin teamed up with the Independent Health Foundation and the Buffalo Bills for the Play60 Virtual Kickoff. He performed two original songs for the event, and helped with video content to bring the Fitness for Kids Challenge into families living rooms during the pandemic.

“My two passions in life are music and wellness,” Kevin said. “With the Fitness for Kids Challenge, I can bring both of those interests together to hopefully make a lasting impact on the community.”

As a redshirt volunteer, Kim Marino has participated in all kinds of projects with the Independent Health Foundation – from Good for the Neighborhood to the annual Kids Run and the Student Peer Advocate Program.

“I am passionate about helping those who need it the most, and I think the impact the Independent Health Foundation has in the community is so important,” Kim said.

What is it about volunteering that Kim loves so much?

“The best part of volunteering with the Foundation has been all the wonderful people I’ve met in the community – people I otherwise might never have had the privilege to meet.”

Lifelong healthy skills start at home

With a house full of kids, La’Shea Green-Thomas has been able to provide an overall sense of wellness within her home, thanks in part to Independent Health Foundation programs like Healthy Options at Home and Soccer for Success.

“Healthy Options at Home allows me to engage with my children in a healthy and fun way,” La’Shea said. “This program has offered traditions that we had gotten away from and helped me reinforce important life lessons at home.”

With Healthy Options at Home, La’Shea receives more than just the raw materials for a healthy dinner, but ideas on how to stretch her food dollars.

“The program has taught us how to budget at the high-end grocery stores,” La’Shea said. “It also provided guides and supplies to make healthy meals for a family of five.”

Along with healthy meals, La’Shea’s children have been able to participate in Soccer for Success, giving them an outlet for physical fitness and a place to interact with other kids and have fun.

“Soccer for Success has taught my children important social and teamworking skills needed to be successful in life,” she said. “I witnessed my children’s confidence increase after playing in this program, which gave them the chance to build new friendships and identify mentors in the community.”

Eating healthy while eating out doesn't have to be hard

Food Truck Tuesdays in Larkin Square are Buffalo summer staple. Leslie Zemsky, Vice President of Larkin Development Group, saw a perfect opportunity to pair the event with the existing sponsorship of Independent Health by bringing in the Foundation’s Healthy Options program, helping families identify nutritional choices at each food truck.

“When Independent Health became a sponsor of programs in Larkin Square, we knew that working Healthy Options into Food Truck Tuesdays would be a great fit,” Leslie said. “We wanted guests to feel comfortable coming to this family-friendly event all summer long knowing they have plenty of healthy and delicious options for the whole family to choose from. The Healthy Options program makes eating healthy easier than ever.” 

As part of the Student Peer Advocate Program, Lucas Soto has learned invaluable skills that have enriched his life and given him the tools he needs to help the community.

“This program has taught me to lead and reinforced what it means to be a leader -- helping those who can't help themselves, educating and informing the community, and stepping forward when no one else is willing or able to do so,” Lucas said. “It has mobilized youth participants to improve the conditions in the communities where they live and make the world a better place.”

For Lucas, one of the major benefits was the ability to learn in an atmosphere supportive of open conversations.

“My favorite part of the program is the ability to talk openly with peers my own age who were just as interested in the program as I was,” he said. “I never felt afraid to fail my teachers or friends just because I observed something in a different light.”

Lamont Mingo serves as a Red Shirt volunteer for programs that help community members who could use a little extra support.

“It is very important to me to participate in activities that assist communities that sometimes lack resources needed to function in normal day-to-day life situations,” he said. “The Independent Health Foundation provides those opportunities for me to serve my community.”

As with many volunteers, Lamont finds the best part is simply being with other people.

“My favorite part is just meeting, talking, and having fun with the people in attendance,” Lamont said.

Sharing her knowledge as Chief Operating Officer at Jericho Road Community Health Center, Magdalena (Maggie) Nichols joined the Independent Health Foundation Board of Directors to help guide work in communities of need.

Maggie’s expertise is in issues of racial equity and social determinants of health, making her a strong advocate for one of the Foundation’s newest programs, “Growing Up Strong.”

“One of my favorite aspects of the Growing Up Strong Program is the intentional focus on collaboration with primary care practices to revamp what well-child visits look like in order to better create a more level playing field when it comes to identifying needs for both a child and their family,” Maggie said. “This allows for the implementation of early interventions, which can be the difference in changing the future of a child and their family. That's exciting!”

When Good for the Neighborhood first came to her West Buffalo community in 2009, Mary Montez became a regular participant as a way to keep on top of her health, particularly with the various health screenings offered including blood pressure checks.

My blood pressure was high for a long time. I wasn’t on medication. It was in control but recent years, it got high and I went on medicine,” Mary said. “This was a way for me to keep checking my blood pressure. I like the screenings between doctor’s appointments. I go once a year to the doctor, and the screenings help me keep an eye on things. I’m older and I want to be healthy get some more good years out of my life.”

Along with screenings for blood pressure, Mary also enjoys the education on various health topics and the people she’s come to know over the years.

“I like the people there,” she said. “They all know who I am because I’ve been going for so long. They also have a lot of health information there, a lot about things I never knew about. There’s always something to learn. That’s why I keep coming back.”

Working to increase access to healthy, affordable foods

Mike Tobin, the owner Fresh Catch Poke Co., got involved with the Independent Health Foundation’s Healthy Options program as a way to help promote healthy, affordable food.

“We want to help get healthy food out to as many people in the community as possible, and the Healthy Options program helps us do that,” Mike said. “Healthy Options helps educate people on ways to improve their health. Our menu at Fresh Catch is full of nutritious options to help people reach their goals.”

Family fitness with no financial strings attached

As a longtime partner with the Independent Health Foundation, Michele Mehaffy and Wegmans have offered consistent support to the annual Kids Run.

“My favorite part is seeing the kids grow year after year – and keep coming back,” she said.

Michele also appreciates the accessibility of the Kids Run to the entire community.

“This is one of the only community events in Western New York that is completely free for families to participate in and attend,” she said. “It’s important to offer these opportunities for all families to be able to do something that brings them together, with an added bonus of creating healthy habits.”

Seeing the power of kindness and respet - in two languages

Nancy Carroll started working at Independent Health in 1993, and quickly learned just how needed her bilingual skills would be as a volunteer with the Good for the Neighborhood program. Nearly 30 years later, she’s still putting those skills to great use with the program.

“I work to advocate for preventative care, proper nutrition, and volunteerism,” she said. “I have witnessed firsthand the smiles, the expressions of appreciation, and the acknowledgment of being treated with kindness and respect from all who attend and participate in these events.”

Over the course of her nearly three decades as a volunteer, Nancy has seen the need for bilingual services grow, and has loved seeing the sense of community that develops at Good for the Neighborhood events.

“Thirty years ago, the primary ethnic group that needed translation services was the Hispanic community. I was so happy to utilize my bilingual skills that I learned after attending high school in Costa Rica,” she said. “Over the years our ‘melting pot’ in Western New York has grown to consist of many additional groups. It is wonderful to see so many people benefiting from all the services provided -- many with access to translators provided by other agencies that have also volunteered to help the Foundation.”

The best part for Nancy is when members return with positive health outcomes.

“It’s incredible to see people return to tell me about their follow-up health screening, their weight loss success story, or to tell me the advice I gave helped them reduce their cholesterol or lower their blood sugar. To see the smiles on children’s faces when the parent has grocery bags full of fresh fruits and vegetables to take home,” she said. “That’s why I do this.”

Teaching kids to keep their eyes on the prize

A teacher in Dunkirk, Phil Schneider got involved in the Fitness for Kids Challenge because he loves to see his students being active.

“It’s so important to keep kids active and moving around to promote a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

Don’t underestimate the power of prizes – or the joy the winning brings their teacher, as well.

My favorite part of the program is watching the students receive prizes for their participation,” Phil said. “I also love coming to school the next day and having the kids say, ‘Mr. Schneider I did this last night for 65 minutes!’”

Savannah Jedd, a student at Kensington Frederick Law Olmstead School, was looking for an opportunity to give back to the community when she found the Student Peer Advocate Program. There, she developed leadership skills while organizing service projects, including the “Buffalo Birthday Box Initiative” to support families served by the Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network.

“A lot of people were having financial problems (during the pandemic) and felt bad they couldn’t give their kids what they wanted or needed, especially for their birthdays,” Savannah said. “I understood that from my point of view. Just seeing everyone having fun and working together was the best experience. It was so important because of the impact it could have on people’s lives.”

Eating out with your kids, with less drama When Stephanie Anzman-Frasca, PhD., was a new faculty member at the University at Buffalo in 2015, she partnered with the Independent Health Foundation on her work around children’s eating behavior and health – particularly when eating in restaurants.

“The Foundation’s programs offer accessible, fun, healthy activities for families,” said Dr. Anzman-Frasca, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. “This mission aligns well with that of my research lab, where we are focused on making healthy eating and other health behaviors easier for children and families.”

While the research helps inform the Foundation’s programs, the programs in turn help Dr. Anzman-Frasca apply their work to daily life situations.

“It is really important to my research team that the work we are doing is relevant to families’ everyday behaviors in real-world settings,” she said. “We want to make it easier for children and families to make healthy choices in modern environments that don’t always make it easy, and we want to conduct research that involves and benefits the local Buffalo community, with an eye toward promoting health equity. Our partnership with the Independent Health Foundation has facilitated those goals. I love working with the Foundation. The staff is helpful, thoughtful, and enthusiastic about their work.”

After Hlakee Day aged out of the Soccer for Success program, he decided to become a Junior Coach Mentor to earn volunteer hours for school – but it didn’t take long for him develop a depper interest in his new role.

“This was something I could see myself doing in the future. One of my goals after high school is to make positive impacts in the community and this is a great way for me to get started a little bit early on that goal,” Hlakee said.

What he treasures most about Soccer for Success is the way it brings together the diversity of Buffalo.

“I appreciate learning from players and coaches and watching everyone’s different backgrounds that they bring to the field,” Hlakee said. “It’s great to work with new coaches and build my network as well.”

Refugee finds belonging, opportunity through Soccer for Success

Growing up in Kigali, Rwanda, Glorie Ndagano’s favorite hobby was playing soccer. Whether after school or on weekends, he loved learning the game.

Glorie’s life was upended when his family moved to the United States in 2010 as refugees. He was in fifth grade, starting over in a new country with a new language, new customs, and fewer opportunities to play soccer. There were no neighborhood games like he was used to in Rwanda. Soccer in the United States, he found, was highly organized and often inaccessible.

Then his teachers guided him to Soccer for Success – a free program sponsored by the Independent Health Foundation – which not only connected him back to the game he loved, but also helped him find his footing in a new world.

“As a refugee coming to America, I wanted to explore,” Glorie said. "Soccer for Success helped me do that and helped me learn English as well. You have to be able to communicate with your teammates on the field, which helped me learn the language. Soccer for Success showed me that people here are really welcoming. I love being part of this diverse community.”