39°
By ROB SULLIVAN
What: Optimus Health Care invites the community and the media to the French Market (Farmers Market) in Downtown Stamford to celebrate affordable access to healthy foods. Healthy foods are beneficial to our overall well-being, but what happens when eating healthy is outside of our budget? In the summer of 2014, Alexandra Garcés, nutritionist at Optimus Health Care, brought the Healthy Bucks Program to Stamford. I found challenges in promoting healthy eating and wellness to our patients, even by simple means of including fruits and vegetables to their daily diets, Garcés said. Inspired by the New York Healthy Bucks program and initially designed for the patients of the Optimus Health Care Nutrition Program @ 1351 Washington Boulevard, Garcés piloted this program to help remove the financial barriers patients face in acquiring healthy foods. By distributing small weekly stipends to Optimus Health Care patients currently enrolled in the Nutrition Care Program, Optimus provides access to healthy food while supporting farmers and the Stamford community. Thanks to the supporters at Bensidoun USA, Inc.-Northeast Market Division and the Stamford Downtown Special Services District (DSSD); the Optimus Health Care, Inc. 2014 Healthy Bucks Program ran throughout the summer and will continue to run through Saturday, October 25. This collaboration continues to make a significant difference in many families of the Stamford community. The Farmers market is open to the public every Saturday through October from 9am-3pm on Bedford Street and Forest Avenue. Why: HEALTHY FOOD IS NOT A LUXURY! Every day, more Americans are looking to government assistance programs for basic food needs. Reductions in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) pose a threat in access to healthy foods. Even those who do not qualify for SNAP face financial obstacles in trying to incorporate healthy eating into their food budget. The majority of patients receiving nutrition services at Optimus say that the basic staples of fruits and vegetables are too expensive to buy. From a nutritionists perspective, healthy eating is quickly becoming a luxury that many people are finding difficult to splurge on, said Optimus Nutritionist, Alexandra Garcés. It has become much more practical to choose the more affordable processed and unhealthy foods and be sure that there is food at every meal. When: Saturday September 13, 2014 Event: 9:00 AM Program: 9:30 AM Where: French Market/Farmers Market Downtown StamfordBedford Street & Forest Street Stamford, CT 06901 About Optimus Health Care: Optimus Health Care is a community-based organization whose mission is to improve the overall health of individuals and families in underserved communities by providing preventive, primary and supplemental health care along with health education in a culturally sensitive manner, regardless of ones ability to pay.About The Stamford Downtown Special Services District:
The Stamford Downtown Special Services District, a Business Improvement District, was established in 1993. Its mission is to create, manage and promote a quality environment for people, which enhances the economic vitality of Stamford Downtown.
Stamford Downtown offers a broad array of shops, services, restaurants, arts, education and events. This is the Place! About Bensidoun USA: With over 60 years of experience and over 100 markets throughout the world, the Bensidoun family are the public market managers and developer experts.Rolland Bensidoun, like his father and grandfather before him, began managing open-air markets in and around France. For almost 60 years, Rolland has expanded his operation to over 80 markets throughout France and the metropolitan area, introducing his sons, Pascal and Sebastien, to the business. In 1996, The Bensidouns decided to expand outside of Europe to develop the French Market in the United States and bring to it its expertise and resources, as well as touch of Parisian color.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Bridgeport and receive free news updates.
