An estimated 200 residents of Mamaroneck and other Sound Shore communities participated in a fun and educational day of health awareness on Saturday, June 14 at the Access to Care Health Fair in Mamaroneck. Adults took advantage of health screenings and informational exhibits while children enjoyed dancing, games and healthy snacks.
Hosted by Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School, the fair was organized by Healthier Mamaroneck, a committee of the Mamaroneck Cares Coalition. It was sponsored by numerous healthcare providers and local organizations, including the Rye YMCA, Hispanic Resource Center of Larchmont and Mamaroneck, Westchester Community Foundation, Open Door Family Medical Centers, Fidelis Care New York, Greenwich Hospital, Montefiore/New Rochelle, United HealthCare and Lexus of Larchmont.
Residents who stopped by the school found representatives of several health and social service agencies, many with bilingual staff ready to conduct screenings and answer questions. Participating organizations included Burke Rehabilitation, Jewish Home Lifecare, Hudson Health Plan, WESTMED, White Plains Hospital, Main Street Pediatric Dentistry, the Tai Chi School of Westchester, New York Life, Greenwich Woods Health Care Center, the Westchester County Department of Health, ShopRite, Walgreen’s, WestCOP, and Larchmont-Mamaroneck RADAR. Trader Joe’s donated nutrition bars, and Super Stop & Shop, ShopRite and A&P donated boxes of fruit, which were handed out to children and adults.
By mid-afternoon when the fair ended, 393 screenings had been conducted in the school’s multi-purpose room, in mobile clinics in the parking lot, and in more private hallways. Dental screenings were the most popular stop on the circuit, followed by a paper and pencil test for pre-diabetes and blood pressure testing. People who were found to have health concerns or risks were referred for follow-up care.
Laura Tiedge, the Rye YMCA’s Senior Director of Healthy Living and the chairperson of Healthier Mamaroneck, remarked “Unlike neighboring communities, Mamaroneck residents don’t have easy access to affordable one-stop health care. We wanted to give people the opportunity to look at their health in a holistic way, and to learn about the many services that do exist in their community. We hope that we’ve inspired people to take control of their health and to seek out whatever care they and their families need.”
The Mamaroneck Cares Coalition is a strong and proactive community wide coalition composed of service providers and community members and focused on coordinated response to the low income community’s needs. The Healthier Mamaroneck committee is working to identify and create opportunities to make healthy living easier for everyone in the community.
 Event organizers & supporters: George Latimer, NY State Senator, Zoe Colon, Executive Director, Hispanic Resource Ctr., Eileen Barber, COO, Rye Y, |
 Open Door Family Medical Center volunteers led Recess Rocks, a physical activity program for youth.
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 T’ai Chi School of Westchester |
 Rye Y Staff & Volunteers |
 New York Life offered free youth identification cards |
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(updated 6/30/14)
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