Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • November 12, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 11 In line with this recent success, Saint Francis is a rm believer that improvements to community health extend beyond treating the current needs. Much of the work to make such improvements is carried out through prevention. For example, we know that two major, yet preventable, causes of death are cigarette smoking and obesity. Saint Francis Hospital, along with the other four hospitals within the Trinity Health Of New England organization has launched the New England 61 Day Challenge™, a health and wellness initiative aimed at creating long term healthy habits. In it's inaugural year, the New England 61 Day Challenge™ asks colleagues and community members to say "no" to soda, sweets and cigarettes for the 61 days between November 1 and December 31 as a way to encourage individuals to kick start healthy habits before the New Year. Throughout the challenge, Trinity Health Of New England is providing free educational sessions on smoking cessation, healthy eating, and increasing physical activity along the way. Along with identifying the need to help improve the overall health an access to quality care in the communities we serve, Saint Francis has identied the need to assist members of our patient and colleague community with better access to food. Founded in 1976, the Joan C. Dauber Food Bank at Saint Francis is the rst hospital-based food bank in the nation. It is truly a one-of-a-kind entity, serving more than 1,300 families each month and distributing over 144 tons of food annually. We have great pride in the unending and valuable work done each day to improve the health of our local communities. With that comes an immense amount of appreciation. We are consistently inspired by those who support and carry out the Saint Francis mission, taking strides to reverse the realities we face of health inequalities. stfranciscare.org Partners in Caring Improving Community Health As a leader in the health care industry in the greater Hartford region, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center has a deep understanding that limited access to quality health care is a disheartening truth in the communities where we live and work. We also know that when an individual is facing daily challenges related to income, unstable housing, unsafe neighborhoods, or substandard education, it can cause a signicant difference in the health of that individual. These conditions, known better as social determinants of health, can create detrimental barriers to individuals in need of medical care. Saint Francis Hospital is constantly seeking ways to raise the bar by serving our communities with the same passion and diligence as we serve our patients. A key component to fullling this mission is following through in our commitment to provide equal health care opportunities to all individuals, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or gender. We take great pride in this work, much of which is put into action by our colleagues in the Curtis Robinson Center for Health Equity. On a daily basis, the Curtis Robinson Center advances health equity in the communities we serve through engagement, research, education and advocacy. Thanks to a partnership between the center and the national organization Tobacco Free Kids, the center recently played a critical role in a momentous day for the City of Hartford, who became the rst municipality in the state to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old. The city passed the measure unanimously, which also prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 21. The city council's decision was arguably motivated by the group of young African American girls who spoke before the Health and Human Services Committee and Hartford City Council in favor of the measure. The group of young students were trained by local advocates using the Tobacco Free Kids curriculum, an educational initiative funded and guided by the Curtis Robinson Center. John Rodis, M.D. President Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center

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