SACSS Monthly Nutrition Workshops with Food Bank of NY’s Just Say Yes Initiative

The first wealth is health! At SACSS, we put this motto to work at our monthly nutrition workshops for our seniors. Led by Michael Sewa, a nutritionist from the Food Bank of New York’s Just Say Yes (JSY) initiative, the workshops offer healthy, delicious, and nutritious food choices and recipes, and tips on how our seniors can improve their overall health. Michael’s efforts are focused on elevating the health status of underrepresented urban communities through access to quality nutrition and effective dietary interventions. 

The Just Say Yes initiative encourages participants to eat healthier, consume more fruits and vegetables and become more physically active by offering nutrition workshops, cooking demonstrations and other educational activities at food pantries, shelters, farmers’ markets, and other community settings. As an obesity prevention initiative, JSY provides practical, cost-effective tips for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. Increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables among New York State residents is a key strategy for reducing the risk of several chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some cancers. 

At SACSS, we believe that access to quality nutrition education and resources is critical for promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing chronic disease for our seniors. Through these nutrition workshops, we aim to help elevate the health and well-being of our seniors while also giving them some mouth-wateringly delicious recipes to whip up!