FOOD Justice Project Germinating at LA Corp
The Living and Affected Corporation joined a growing initiative under
the First Presbyterian Church Community Gardens
Project funded through a Argenta beautification grant from the city of
North Little Rock. Since participating the project has been maturing into its own programming possible in the guise of the Food Justice Project, which addresses sustainable, organically grown foods for communities that are often in food deserts or without immediate access to fresh produce. "As an organization we speak about the dilemma of "food" as a
social determinant within our "Housing, Education, Food,Treatment, Employment
"concept." said Jonathan Griggs. "I hadn't really thought about us actually
growing a product but as we've moved forward with the project it seems like a
natural fit within all of the efforts that we are undertaking." Griggs and the LA Corp staff will embark on producing a second version of their successful HELP Fair (9/28) by offering another testing opportunity in commemoration of World AIDS Day 2012." This year theme is "Getting to Zero" which encourages communities to pursue "zero infection or transmission rates."
James Mclaughlin, who had primarily lead the project said, "we will need volunteers to come help us make the gardening project a success, especially as we finish out the fall and look to spring 2013. Although it was unexpected, It's been a blast in researching and determining the best way to execute the process." he concluded. The grant also allowed a water source to be placed nearby and the church also supplied hoses to assist with spraying each raised box. Mclauglin stated, "doing a garden is not just a simple task. It takes work, commitment and seeds or starter plants. I hope that we can enhance our footprint as more folks offer in-kind donations of seeds or even cash contributions for upkeep."
The group hopes to begin following the growing season with planting fresh greens such as radishes, speciality lettuces such as mesculin, spinach and other hardy fall weather produce. As a community based organization affiliate of The Living Affected Corporation, STRILITE was created to address HIV/AIDS prevention issues in the Black MSM community. Within its structure, the group also has identified other social determinants that directly correlates with linking or either retaining individuals to an treatment regimen. If you are interested in sharing your "green thumb" expertise or would like to learn more about our volunteer opportunities reach out to LA Corp at 379-8203.
I would like to call your attention to an excellent new resource that can help advance our efforts to improve health outcomes for people living with HIV: “Innovations in Oral Health Care for People Living with HIV/AIDS 
,” a special supplement to Public Health Reports (the official journal of the U.S. Public Health Service). This PHR supplement presents findings from the Innovations in Oral Health Care Initiative, which involved 15, five-year demonstration projects supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau with resources from the Ryan White Care Act’s Special Projects of National Significance. The findings presented in this supplement show that innovative program models can engage and retain people who are living with HIV/AIDS into oral health-care services in both urban and non-urban settings. The articles in this special issue represent important additions to our body of knowledge about oral health care for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Good oral health and good general health are inseparable. As discussed at length in the Surgeon General’s 2000 report, Oral Health in America, oral health is essential for general health and well-being across the lifespan. It is especially critical for people who are living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) because inadequate oral health care can undermine the success of HIV treatment regimens, nutritional intake, and health outcomes. Oral infections also may spread to other parts of the body, which can be particularly dangerous for individuals with compromised immune systems. (Read more about this topic on the AIDS.gov HIV/AIDS Basics page Oral Health Issues.)
As Surgeon General Regina Benjamin notes in her introduction to the new Public Health Reports supplement, “Inadequate oral health care can undermine HIV treatment and diminish quality of life, yet many individuals living with HIV are not receiving the necessary oral health care that would optimize their treatment.”
To help us address this and improve health outcomes for PLWHA, I encourage you to read the supplement and share it with your colleagues and constituencies.
Do you have other ideas about improving oral health care services for PLWHA? Tell us in the comments section below.
The Living and Affected Corporation joined a growing initiative under
the First Presbyterian Church Community Gardens
Project funded through a Argenta beautification grant from the city of
North Little Rock. Since participating the project has been maturing into its own programming possible in the guise of the Food Justice Project, which addresses sustainable, organically grown foods for communities that are often in food deserts or without immediate access to fresh produce. "As an organization we speak about the dilemma of "food" as a
social determinant within our "Housing, Education, Food,Treatment, Employment
"concept." said Jonathan Griggs. "I hadn't really thought about us actually
growing a product but as we've moved forward with the project it seems like a
natural fit within all of the efforts that we are undertaking." Griggs and the LA Corp staff will embark on producing a second version of their successful HELP Fair (9/28) by offering another testing opportunity in commemoration of World AIDS Day 2012." This year theme is "Getting to Zero" which encourages communities to pursue "zero infection or transmission rates."
James Mclaughlin, who had primarily lead the project said, "we will need volunteers to come help us make the gardening project a success, especially as we finish out the fall and look to spring 2013. Although it was unexpected, It's been a blast in researching and determining the best way to execute the process." he concluded. The grant also allowed a water source to be placed nearby and the church also supplied hoses to assist with spraying each raised box. Mclauglin stated, "doing a garden is not just a simple task. It takes work, commitment and seeds or starter plants. I hope that we can enhance our footprint as more folks offer in-kind donations of seeds or even cash contributions for upkeep."
The group hopes to begin following the growing season with planting fresh greens such as radishes, speciality lettuces such as mesculin, spinach and other hardy fall weather produce. As a community based organization affiliate of The Living Affected Corporation, STRILITE was created to address HIV/AIDS prevention issues in the Black MSM community. Within its structure, the group also has identified other social determinants that directly correlates with linking or either retaining individuals to an treatment regimen. If you are interested in sharing your "green thumb" expertise or would like to learn more about our volunteer opportunities reach out to LA Corp at 379-8203.
New Resource Highlights Innovations in Oral Health Care for People Living with HIV/AIDS
Dr. Ronald Valdiserri
,” a special supplement to Public Health Reports (the official journal of the U.S. Public Health Service). This PHR supplement presents findings from the Innovations in Oral Health Care Initiative, which involved 15, five-year demonstration projects supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau with resources from the Ryan White Care Act’s Special Projects of National Significance. The findings presented in this supplement show that innovative program models can engage and retain people who are living with HIV/AIDS into oral health-care services in both urban and non-urban settings. The articles in this special issue represent important additions to our body of knowledge about oral health care for people living with HIV/AIDS.Good oral health and good general health are inseparable. As discussed at length in the Surgeon General’s 2000 report, Oral Health in America, oral health is essential for general health and well-being across the lifespan. It is especially critical for people who are living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) because inadequate oral health care can undermine the success of HIV treatment regimens, nutritional intake, and health outcomes. Oral infections also may spread to other parts of the body, which can be particularly dangerous for individuals with compromised immune systems. (Read more about this topic on the AIDS.gov HIV/AIDS Basics page Oral Health Issues.)
As Surgeon General Regina Benjamin notes in her introduction to the new Public Health Reports supplement, “Inadequate oral health care can undermine HIV treatment and diminish quality of life, yet many individuals living with HIV are not receiving the necessary oral health care that would optimize their treatment.”To help us address this and improve health outcomes for PLWHA, I encourage you to read the supplement and share it with your colleagues and constituencies.
Do you have other ideas about improving oral health care services for PLWHA? Tell us in the comments section below.
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