Kaiser
Permanente Hawaii physicians and staff members will be partnering with
Hawaii Island School Garden Network volunteering their time working in
sustainable gardens at Waimea Middle and Kahakai Elementary Schools on
January 18 in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
Hawaii Island School Garden Network helps Big Island schools increase
consumption of locally grown foods through sustainable food production.
This volunteer effort is part of several community service activities
being initiated by nearly 300 Kaiser Permanente's physicians and staff
on Oahu, Big Island, and Maui.
"As
physicians and health care providers, we're naturally enthusiastic
about helping people get healthy. Having the opportunity to do that
outside of our clinics by supporting sustainable gardens in our
community and sharing activities that teach students and their families
about good nutrition is so important, and it's something we're
extremely proud to be a part of," said Dr. Daryl Kurozawa, Kaiser
Permanente's physician leader for the Neighbor Islands.
Kaiser
Permanente Hawaii physicians and staff members will be volunteering at
Waimea Middle and Kahakai Elementary Schools in Kailua-Kona from 8:30
a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on January 18 working in the schools' sustainable
gardens weeding, pruning and planting crops. Part of the volunteer
effort will include shared learning through fun activities that teach
students and their families about nutrition based on the 5-2-1-0
nutrition program, a statewide effort to combat childhood obesity
through public awareness and education. The 5-2-1-0 program encourages 5 fruits and vegetables or more per day, 2 hours of screen time or less, 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and 0 sodas
and sugar-sweetened sports and fruit drinks. Dr. Cris Ancog, a
pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente, serves as a volunteer medical
advisor for the program.
"The
Hawaii Island School Garden Network (HISGN) is pleased to work with
Kaiser Permanente in creating this tremendous community service and
learning opportunity. The work day will help acquaint doctors and other
health care professionals with our island's school garden movement that
is reconnecting our keiki and youth with their food and helping to
change nutritional choices for students and their families," said Nancy
Redfeather, HISGN director.
In
conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Kaiser
Permanente physicians and staff will also be volunteering at Ka Umeke
Kaeo Charter School in Hilo and, in partnership with 'AINA in the
Schools Program on Oahu, at Waikiki Elementary School, tending to the
schools' sustainable gardens; and on Maui visiting with residents,
playing interactive games, teaching crafts and other one-on-one
activities, serving meals and working to beautify the campus at Hale
Makua Health Services elderly care home.
This volunteer effort is part of series of events taking place this year in celebration of the 50thanniversary
of the Hawaii Permanente Group in Hawaii, which was formed on August
20, 1960 to provide care to all Kaiser Permanente members in Hawaii.
About Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
Kaiser
Permanente Hawaii has provided total health to the people of Hawaii for
more than 50 years. All of its physicians are members of the Hawaii
Permanente Medical Group (HPMG), the largest and most experienced
multi-specialty physician group practice in the State of Hawaii. Care
for members is focused on their total health guided by our personal
physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert care and
medical teams are supported by industry-leading technology advances and
tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care
delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente
is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education
and the support of community health. Visit kp.org for additional information.
About Hawaii Island School Garden Network
The goal
of the Hawaii Island School Garden Network (HISGN) is to help island
schools build gardening and agricultural programs that will
significantly contribute to the increased consumption of locally
produced food by involving students, their school communities, and
their family networks in food production. HISGN is one of The Kohala
Center's self-reliance initiatives. Visit www.kohalacenter.org/HISGN/about.htmlfor more information.
Photo: The Kohala Center