The Food Trust recently sat down for an in-depth conversation about the work of Mi Salud Wellness Center, a community-based wellness center located in the Feltonville neighborhood of North Philadelphia that provides a variety of services focused on disease prevention and health promotion. “Mi Salud” means “my health” in Spanish and their team believes that it starts with taking care of one’s own health, then extending that care to families, and ultimately to the whole community. This past August marked three years since Mi Salud opened their doors to the community, and The Food Trust congratulates their team on this exciting milestone!
Mi Salud’s programs and services include: Healthy Lifestyle Workshops covering topics like diabetes prevention, cancer awareness, healthy eating, and exercise; Pop-Up Workshops on mental health, family and parenting; a Food Pantry; Health Screening Events; Community Health Fairs; a Youth Sports Program, which offer gym space for volleyball for ages 10-18; “Senior Tuesdays” a dedicated time for seniors to come in, attend food distribution, screenings, and see other resources; and Cooking Classes.
One notable success story Mi Salud shared with us was from their diabetes prevention program:
“A gentleman, initially weighing 300 pounds and at high risk for diabetes, joined the program. He was skeptical at first, but with encouragement from our lifestyle coach, he committed to the program, setting goals around exercise, stress management, and physical activity. Six months in, he lost 35 pounds, and by the end of the year, he lost 50 pounds, significantly reducing his risk for diabetes and improving his cholesterol and blood pressure levels. He was thrilled with the results and even shared a heartfelt testimony in Spanish during his graduation, highlighting the positive impact on his health and life.”
Mi Salud staff, on their partnership with The Food Trust:
“When we first opened we reached out to The Food Trust, particularly for the Farmers Market program. We have since collaborated on various initiatives, including nutrition education, pop-up events, and even receiving a HIGI station at our site that is open to the community! We’ve even been able to provide resources in Spanish, reaching our community members more effectively.”
Looking forward, Mi Salud aims to include more workshops around mental and social health, focusing on whole-person health: mind, body, and spirit. They also plan to start a support group around mental health to connect community members, especially the large immigrant population they serve, with necessary resources addressing issues like trauma.
The Food Trust is incredibly grateful for our partnership with Mi Salud and we look forward to watching their continued success, and supporting in whatever way we can!