For example, we know that the obesity rate of children in New Brunswick is two times (2x) higher than other children around the country. This drove us to tackle this issue along with our community partners. As a result, the Health Task Force developed the New Brunswick Ciclovia. This initiative was designed to encourage families and individuals to get active. By closing city streets to cars and opening them up to the all people to enjoy activities that increase their physical activity levels. Now in its 6th year, the Ciclovia draws more than 10,000 people per event.

Another example of our work at the Health Task Force focuses on addressing Diabetes. In NewBrunswick, 1 out of 4 households reported someone in the home with diabetes. As a result, the Health Task Force developed a grassroots Diabetes Outreach Initiative with Saint Peters University Hospital. We hired community members (community health ambassadors) to go out into the community to raise awareness on the dangers of unhealthy lifestyles that can lead to Diabetes. In the process, we met people with a high risk of getting Diabetes and even those with Diabetes and were able to help them get into a hospital-led care program. We knocked on over 1,000 doors, providing more than 150 people with detailed information and connecting 40 individuals into medical care services in our first 7 months!

NBT’s Health Task Force is proud to be one of two affiliates of Healthier New Brunswick (HNB) - - a professional network whose mission is to improve the health and healthcare of city residents. Together, we organize plans and actions that make New Brunswick a place where residents can lead active and healthy lifestyles. We welcome everyone to join the conversation, whether you are a resident, local organization or an individual with a passion to make a difference in New Brunswick.

For more information on the Health Task Force and how you can get involved, feel free to contact Manuel Castaneda, Director of Community Health at: mcastaneda@nbtomorrow.org