New York, NY (August 8, 2014) — EmblemHealth, the New York health and wellness company, is helping to increase New Yorkers’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables through its sponsorship of GrowNYC Greenmarkets. The company will have a presence at Greenmarkets located in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) will conduct cooking demonstrations and nutrition classes at select markets and will provide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) beneficiaries with a $2 Health Bucks coupon for every $5 they spend at the market. Health Bucks are redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables at all NYC farmers’ markets and help make eating healthy on a limited budget more affordable.
“Fruits and vegetables are essential to a healthy diet, yet few New Yorkers consume the recommended amount,” said Christine Johnson Curtis, Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control at the NYC Department of Health. “Together, EmblemHealth and GrowNYC are helping to make fresh produce, culinary education, and innovative resources more accessible for all New Yorkers, which is vital to promoting healthy living and building stronger communities.”
The GrowNYC sponsorship is part of EmblemHealth’s “Small Steps” campaign to encourage people to take small steps each day toward living healthier. “As the Official Sponsor of Small Steps, we are bringing useful tools and resources to the heart of the communities we serve,” says David Flemister, director of brand strategy and community marketing at EmblemHealth. “We want to show people that making small changes to their daily activities — exercising daily, drinking more water, eating fresh produce and vegetables — can positively impact their lives. The cooking demonstrations are a great way to show people how to eat healthier by learning to cook the fruits and vegetables from the Greenmarket in their neighborhood.”
“GrowNYC’s Greenmarkets and EmblemHealth form a natural partnership, working together to positively impact the health of New Yorkers,” said Marcel Van Ooyen, executive director of GrowNYC. “Our farmers provide the freshest, most nutritious foods available at 51 markets across the city so that New Yorkers can eat a healthy local diet. It’s a pleasure to host EmblemHealth once again at several markets this year to encourage New Yorkers to take additional steps towards healthier living.”
Information on local GrowNYC Greenmarkets is available on EmblemHealth’s new mobile app, “Small Steps to a Healthier You”, that lets users monitor their health and wellness activities. The app contains a pedometer, tracks water intake, and allows the user to set goals, earn badges and find healthy resources in their community. The “Small Steps to a Healthier You” app is available at smallsteps.emblemhealth.com, the iTunes app store or Google Play.
Manhattan
175th Street Market — Thursdays: 8 am – 5 pm
175th Street between Wadsworth Avenue and Broadway
Market open through November 20
NYCDOHMH cooking demonstration
EmblemHealth will be on site on these dates: July 17, August 14, September 18, October 16
Queens
Corona Market — Fridays: 8 am – 3 pm
Roosevelt Avenue between 103 and 104 Streets
Market open through November 21
EmblemHealth on site: July 25, August 22, September 19, October 24
NYCDOHMH cooking demonstration
Jackson Heights Greenmarket — Sundays: 8 am – 3 pm
34 Avenue between 77 and 78 Streets
Market open year round
EmblemHealth on site: July 20, August 10, September 14, October 12
NYCDOHMH cooking demonstration
Brooklyn
Sunset Park — Saturdays: 8 am – 3 pm
Fourth Avenue at 59 and 60 Streets
Market open through December 17
EmblemHealth on site: July 26, August 23, September 27, October 11, October 25, November 1
NYCDOHMH cooking demonstration - all except November 1
Staten Island
St. George Greenmarket — Saturdays: 8 am – 2 pm
St. Mark’s Place at Hyatt Street, inside Borough Hall parking lot
Market open through mid-November
EmblemHealth on site: July 19, August 16, September 20, October 18
About EmblemHealth
EmblemHealth, Inc. provides quality health care coverage and administrative services to approximately 3.4 million people. Groups and individuals can choose from a variety of PPO, EPO and HMO plans, as well as coverage for prescription drugs and dental and vision care. EmblemHealth offers a choice of networks, including quality doctors and other health care professionals throughout the region, leading acute care hospitals across the tri-state area, and physicians and hospitals across all 50 states. For more information, visit www.emblemhealth.com.
About GrowNYC
GrowNYC improves New York City's quality of life through environmental programs that transform communities block by block and empower all New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment for future generations. Programs: Greenmarket, Office of Recycling Outreach and Education, Open Space Greening, Environmental Education and Grow to Learn NYC: Citywide School Gardens Initiative. Learn more at www.grownyc.org.