Tag: Health

FreshDirect Breaks Promise To Convert To Electric Fleet; Buys 15 New Diesel Trucks

FreshDirect once again had an opportunity to purchase new electric trucks as they promised to do but instead they chose to purchase ten brand new diesel trucks, Welcome2TheBronx has learned.

We went over to Milea Trucks Sales & Leasing on 149th Street and Austin Place to investigate after a local concerned citizen took some photographs and sent them over. What we saw really shocked us at how FreshDirect continues to lie to our community about their intentions. Sitting on their lot were 10 brand spanking new diesel trucks. I checked each and every truck and all of them were diesel with “certified clean idling” stickers. I asked one of the workers at the office what that meant and they said, “All that means is that when they stop, they don’t pollute but as long as they’re driving around, they still are spewing diesel fumes.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. What about all the promises to convert to electric?

Bronx Children’s Lives At Risk: New Study Reinforces Link Between Air Pollution & Autism

Many people often ask why we fight against the proposed move of FreshDirect move to the South Bronx — an area that is already plagued by asthma where 1 in 4 children have the life-threatening ailment. The truck intensive and polluting industry that is FreshDirect will only exacerbate such ailments in our community, something which many studies have clearly shown is a health problem.

Now, just after last month’s announcement about Columbia University’s study linking pollution to childhood ADHD, Harvard has released a study which indicates that pregnant women are at almost TWICE the risk of giving birth to a child with autism due to smog spewed by vehicles, or smoke stacks: something which the South Bronx has been a dumping ground for.

Prescribing Vegetables, Not Pills To Combat Obesity In The Bronx – NY Times

What happens when you prescribe fruits, veggies and all sorts of produce to Bronxites who are overweight instead of pills? They lose weight. At least that’s what one innovative program is showing right here in The Bronx at Lincoln Hospital — one of four city hospitals to participate in the $15 million, 5 year program funded by a grant from the Tisch Fund.

Coming Monday: 25 TO LIFE — One Man’s Struggle With HIV/AIDS

On Monday, December 1st — a date known the world round as ‘World AIDS Day’ — SimonSays Entertainment releases ’25 To Life’, a documentary which focuses on one man’s struggle’s with HIV/AIDS. SimonSays Entertainment has produced such critically acclaimed movies like ‘Gun Hill Road’ (which was based in The Bronx), ‘Blue Caprice’, and ‘Mother of George’, the latter two which received honorable mention status in The New York Times year end review of top films for 2013.

The Bronx’s Montefiore Hospital Designated One of 8 In New York State To Treat Ebola Cases

Governor Cuomo announced today in a press conference that a total of eight hospitals across the state of New York as medical centers designated to treat ebola cases — Montefiore in The Bronx being one of them.

According to the press release, “Montefiore Health System president and CEO Steven M. Safyer, MD said, “We applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership on this potential public health issue. New Yorkers will be well-served by having specialty centers located in their communities with the expertise to respond quickly and efficiently if the need arises. Montefiore, with its academic partner, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has nationally-recognized expertise in Ebola research and treating infectious diseases, and has a robust infection control program. We have been training our frontline care providers in best practices for many months to identify, isolate, and care for patients who may be infected with Ebola.”

NYC Issues Ebola Educational Outreach

Immediately upon the news that Ebola had reached the United States over in Dallas, TX, Welcome2TheBronx quickly issued an informative post on the basic facts about Ebola, how it’s transmitted, and what you can do to protect yourself but most of all to be educated on the topic.

Now, NYC Department of Health has issued more comprehensive educational material on Ebola and we would like to share that information with you so please refer to the information below:

First Case Of Ebola In United States History Diagnosed In Texas

The deadly virus known as Ebola has been diagnosed for the first time in US history in the state of Texas. While this may seem faraway from The Bronx, along with the African countries where the epidemic has broken, it is important to remember and be sensitive to the fact that our borough is home to the largest population of Africans in New York City.

Bronx Residents Unite Against Climate Change; Lead Hundreds of Thousands At People’s Climate March

South Bronx Unite Against FreshDirect, buildOn The Bronx, and La Finca del Sur were some of the organizations that led the historic People’s Climate March this past Sunday down Manhattan’s West Side which saw over 400,000 people in attendance (days earlier, People’s Climate March estimated that about 100,000 people would participate). These Bronx groups were part of the first wave called ‘Frontlines of Crisis, Forefront of Change’ which consisted of ‘…the people first and most impacted and are leading the change’ led by Indigenous people, Environmental Justice, and other Frontline communities.

For the first time in history, the issue of environmental justice in The Bronx, particularly hard impacted communities in The South Bronx were pushed to the front of the global consciousness as we meandered our way down the March route through the canyons of Manhattan. Although many diverse groups were representing the Bronx, one common theme was seen among them: Stop FreshDirect from creating an environmental catastrophe in the South Bronx.

JLo Finally To Give Back To The Bronx In A Big Way

As some readers know (and perhaps even she herself does too), I’ve been pretty critical and have written about Bronxite JLo’s, aka Jenny from the Block, aka Jennifer Lopez, lack of truly giving back to the Bronx and borough she is always claiming as being a part of.

Well it appears that we can finally say with confidence that this is no longer the case.

Exclusive: BOOM!Health Moving To Melrose; Bringing Bronx LGBTQ Center & New Cafe Along

Boom! Health, a Bronx-based organization that is dedicated in transforming lives through health and wellness has signed a 25 year lease (with an option to purchase), taking over Brook House Furniture in the Melrose neighborhood of the borough. Once the renovations are complete, the building will also house The Bronx LGBTQ Center and Boom! Cafe.

Crunch Fitness In Melrose At The HUB Is Hiring Personal Trainers

Crunch Fitness is finally scheduled to open towards the end of April In Melrose at the HUB inside the Opera House Hotel on 149th Street between Brook and Bergen. The fitness chain is seeking to hire personal trainers so if click the link to see if you are qualified as well as the contact information on where to send your resume. Good luck!

Join Bronx Community College & Run The Bronx This May 3rd!

Bronx Community College (BCC)’s Run the Bronx race will be held on May 3. This annual event was founded in 1978 by former college president and Tuskegee Airman Dr. Roscoe C. Brown.

Now in its 36th year, the Run has become a signature event for the borough. And there’s so much more to the day than just a high-spirited, friendly competition. Run the Bronx promotes fitness and wellness, a crucial issue in a borough that has the highest rates of asthma, diabetes and obesity in our city. BCC would like to further expand the annual race to encourage healthier habits and lifestyles in our common community and turn around these alarming statistics.