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Community Programs
"Preparing Food for the Soul:" A nutritional soul food cooking demonstration For generations, the African American community has prepared and indulged in “Soul Food,” or comfort food. This food however, is traditionally prepared with fatty, cholesterol rich ingredients that are linked to health risks, such as lowered life expectancy and chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
CCDPH has developed “Preparing Food for the Soul:” A nutritional soul food cooking demonstration to present healthy alternatives to traditional cooking methods and ingredients. Each participant will receive a list of recipe substitutions and heart-healthy recipe books.
Participants will be able to take part in cooking demonstrations, nutritional presentations, physical activity, interactive, educational games and food tasting. Follow-up meetings with each group will include sessions on reading food labels, how to shop for healthy foods and how to create healthy pot luck meals, where participants will use the heart-healthy cookbook to prepare a recipe for the group. After the first session, each participant is given a personal journal to record daily diet and physical activity along with blood sugar levels, cholesterol and blood pressure.
Change Your Plate, Eat Great! Change Your Plate, Eat Great! is a five week class designed to teach basic nutrition knowledge and practical skills to help participants improve their eating habits. The program uses a simple visual model of a house-hold plate. Participants will learn about the relationship between nutrition and the prevention of chronic disease, easy food label reading and how to make the meals they already prepare healthier.
This program is currently being piloted in Hanover Park to Spanish speaking residents. For more information, please call (708) 492-2252.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention
With so many news headlines centered on teen sexuality in today’s society, many parents simply do not know how to approach their children about the consequences of sex. Similarly, many teens are afraid to ask for guidance about relationships and how to deal with peer pressure. To find out more, click here.
Health Fairs and Presentations
To have a representative at an upcoming community event or to schedule a presentation, complete theHealth Fair or Presentation Request Form.
Please also be advised, CCDPH observes federal holidays; staff will not be able to participate in presentations on the following Black Out Days.
Maywood Health Initiative (MIH) The Cook County Department of Public Health’s Health Promotion Unit and the University of Illinois Extension, Cook County/North Suburban Unit have initiated the formation of the Maywood Advantage Partnership to promote healthy lifestyles and develop sustainable chronic disease prevention programming for residents of Maywood.
This initiative is seeking organizations serving and residents living in Maywood who are committed to identifying gaps in services, determining community assets and investigating the type of health programming community agencies and residents want to see implemented and expanded in Maywood.
For additional information or to get involved, please call (708) 492-2253.
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