This is the latest Live Well Allegheny e-update. It is full of information that will help in making Allegheny County healthy for all. This can also be shared with your own networks. More information is available on our website at: www.livewellallegheny.com including partner resources which are available here.

We now have 210 community partners, 68 municipalities, 53 restaurants, 33 workplaces and 18 school districts united in our efforts to make Allegheny County healthy for all!

Also, be sure to like and follow the Allegheny County Health Department on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date on all ACHD news.

Greetings from the Director’s Office,

April is almost over, but before the month ends, I want to ensure that everyone is aware that April is Minority Healthy Month. This designation aims to raise awareness about the ongoing health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority populations.

This year’s theme for National Minority Health Month is VaccineReady. The focus is to empower communities to get the facts about COVID-19 vaccines, share accurate vaccine information, participate in clinical trials, get vaccinated, and practice COVID-19 safety measures.

Here in Allegheny County and much of the U.S., there are longstanding health disparities across racial and ethnic lines in many areas, for example in infant mortality, diabetes, hypertension, life expectancy, and of course COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Health care providers and vaccine providers, including ACHD, are working to address health disparities related to COVID by removing barriers to testing, treatment and vaccination, and by taking vaccine into every community.

However, to address long-standing racial and ethnic health disparities, everyone can and must do their part- first by acknowledging that disparities exist, and then considering how our individual and institutional behaviors and/or policies impact disparities… and finally work to address these behaviors and policies. It is not easy, but it is essential.

The goal is health equity which the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation defines as “increasing opportunities for everyone to live the healthiest life possible, no matter who we are, where we live, or how much money we make.”

Be safe and be kind.

TruthNotCovid Campaign Launches with Community Website

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) commissioned MEE Productions Inc. (MEE) to develop and execute the United Against COVID campaign, which is a community-engagement initiative focused on supporting ethnic and minority communities in Allegheny County that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

For more information and to access the campaign resources visit: truthnotcovid.org.

April is National Minority Health Month The 2021 National Minority Health Month theme is #VaccineReady. Did you know that when you get vaccinated, you are protecting yourself, your family, and your community? That’s why @NIMHD is sharing trusted information to help everyone get #VaccineReady for #NMHM2021. You can find out more at: National Minority Health Month (nih.gov)

Covid-19 Vaccine PODs in Allegheny County

Tobacco Free Adagio Health (TFAH) is the new contract manager for tobacco prevention and control services in Allegheny County. Adagio Health has managed tobacco prevention and control programs in southwestern Pennsylvania for several decades and is excited to expand their work in Allegheny County. TFAH specializes in tobacco education, cessation counseling and prevention for pregnant women, adults, and teens. Their services include Quitline training to healthcare providers, educational training in tobacco for schools, virtual cessation classes through an 8-session course covering tobacco/nicotine addiction, resource to nicotine replacement therapy, and policy and advocacy work. TFAH partners with healthcare agencies, schools and educational organizations, and local and state governments throughout the service area to encourage smoke free communities. For more information on TFAH or to enroll in cessation click here: Tobacco Free Adagio Health Pennsylvania.

The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council is looking for people to join the Pittsburgh Good Food Coalition. The Good Food Purchasing Program provides clear standards and support to empower institutions like schools, hospitals, older adult residential facilities, etc. to procure local, sustainable, fair and humanely-produced foods. If you are interested in supporting the Good Food Purchasing Policy adoption/implementation or in learning more, please fill out this coalition interest form. If you have any questions please contact Sarah Buranskas: sarah@pittsburghfoodpolicy.org

The Green Grocer is a mobile farmers market that provides fresh food options in Allegheny County Communities.

Check out the new 2021 schedule of locations:

Pitt Eats: Healthy Eating on Campus!

At the beginning of 2021 five new Pitt Eats dining locations on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus became the newest Live Well Allegheny Restaurants. They are The Eatery, Schenley Café, Petersen Events Center- Shake Smart, Petersen Events Center- Steel City Subs and the Cathedral of Learning. We interviewed Pitt Eats’ Sustainability Director Lisia de Lima Spellman to learn more about how they use food to encourage health, wellness, and sustainability on campus.

What is the background/history of Pitt Eats’ sustainability initiatives?

We believe serving healthy and nutritious food provides a foundation for lifelong learning. We are proud to feed future leaders and understand the immense responsibility to nourish our guests’ minds and bodies. We believe that wellness goes beyond our dining halls. To support a well-balanced healthy lifestyle, we create programs that help our guests live life to its fullest. From sourcing our ingredients to preparing our menus, we keep health and wellness at the forefront of everything we do.

How does Pitt Eats’ commitment to sustainability assist the efforts of Live Well Allegheny?

Pitt Eats’ commitment to sustainability embraces the system as whole, including the environment and the people. Providing healthy and nutritious food to our guests is how we assist the efforts of Live Well Allegheny.

What do you consider the greatest success to come from Pitt Eats’ sustainability efforts so far?

We consider each sustainability initiative a great success and each one of them will create an impact in the environment and in the community. Reducing waste, increasing the amount of sustainable food purchasing, reducing GHG emissions, having more local foods in our portfolio, donating food, and donating 5% of a purchase back to the Pitt Pantry are examples of the sustainable initiatives we drive.

What are your plans moving forward?

• Expanding the Real Food Challenge across campus to serve 25% Real Food by 2025.
• Serve 50% of to-go meals and beverages in reusable containers by 2025.
• Serve meals that put plants at the center of the plate by decreasing the amount of animal-derived products sold by 25% by 2025.
• Expand food waste composting 50% by 2025.
• Reduce landfill waste by 25% by 2030 from 2017 levels.

To learn more about the Pitt Eats dining locations, or other Live Well Allegheny Restaurants visit: Live Well Allegheny Restaurants