Latest news with #BlueZonesProject
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Blue Zones Project Citywide Kick-Off Event in Banning
BANNING, Calif., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Zones Project invites the community to their free Kickoff this Saturday, June 7th at the Banning Repplier Park Aquatic Center from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. This free celebration marks the public launch of Blue Zones Project in Banning, the exciting initiative working to transform the city into a place where healthy choices are easy. Guest Speakers:Nick Buettner, Producer of the original Blue Zones expeditions to Okinawa, Japan; Costa Rica; and Ikaria, GreeceReuben Gonzales, Executive Director of Blue Zones Project Banning and Former Banning City CouncilmemberDr. Raul Ruiz, U.S. Representative for California's 25th Congressional DistrictYxstian Gutierrez, Riverside County Supervisor for the Fifth District Free fun for all ages:Have FUN with live music, entertainment, games, and giveawaysEXPLORE the Blue Zones Power 9 throughout the eventLEARN about local resources, services, and programs available in your communityENJOY free tasty and healthy bites throughout the eventCONNECT through art, music, and other free family-friendly activities RSVP and learn more: Blue Zones Project is a community-led initiative designed to help people live better, longer lives with lower rates of chronic disease by implementing permanent and semi-permanent changes to policies, systems, streets, surroundings, and social networks so it's easier for residents to eat wisely, move naturally, and connect more with others as they move throughout their day. Blue Zones Project Banning is led by Executive Director Reuben Gonzales, who will lead the rollout and implementation of the Project in the region. Gonzales is a Banning native, community leader, and entrepreneur. He previously served as the Executive Director of the Banning Chamber of Commerce from 2021 to 2024, where he led business development initiatives and community engagement. He was also a Banning City Councilmember in 2022 and 2023, contributing to local governance and policymaking. Learn more about Gonzales and his full-time team: To learn more about Blue Zones Project Banning visit About Blue Zones in Riverside CountyBlue Zones Project® is brought to Riverside County by Blue Zones and leading organizations Riverside University Health System - Public Health, Inland Empire Health Plan Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, and Eisenhower Health. In collaboration with the County of Riverside and the Cities of Riverside, Banning, Palm Springs, and Coachella, this innovative partnership brings together private and public organizations under a shared vision to support, build, and measurably improve community well-being across the County. Blue Zones Projects have launched in Riverside, Banning, Coachella, and Palm Springs, while Mead Valley begins a policy-focused Blue Zones Activate. Over five years, local leadership and the local Blue Zones Project teams will implement the Blue Zones Life Radius® model to make healthy choices easier throughout the region through permanent and semi-permanent changes to the built environment, food environment, public policies, and social networks. About Blue Zones ProjectBlue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city's environment, policy, and social networks. Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner's findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Blue Zones launched the first pilot community in 2009 in Albert Lea, MN with groundbreaking results. Directly and also in partnership with Sharecare, the model has since been applied to more than 80 communities in the United States. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs. For more information, visit CONTACTS:Ashley Radkeashley@ Naomi Imatome-Yunnaomi@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Blue Zones
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
IEHP Mission Conference highlights community achievements in compassionate, quality care
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Inland Empire Health Plan's (IEHP) annual Mission Conference on May 9 recognized community initiatives, physicians, organizations and individuals committed to providing high-quality care in the region. Now in its fifth year, the conference welcomed hundreds to the health plan's Rancho Cucamonga headquarters to hear inspiring stories from communities impacted by compassionate care leaders. "Our goal for the Mission Conference is to share our strengths and insights so that we can all better serve our communities in the Inland Empire," said IEHP Chief Executive Officer Jarrod McNaughton. "This year's theme, 'Our Collective Call to Community,' reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. We are stronger when we partner together in the pursuit of a shared vision." Highlights included a conversation about the IEHP Foundation and the Riverside Blue Zones Project with Foundation Chief Executive Officer Greg Bradbard, Executive Director of the Riverside Blue Zones Project Erin Edwards, Executive Director of the Banning Blue Zones Project Rueben Gonzales and Executive Director of the Coachella Blue Zones Project Angela Zepeda. The initiative aims to advance population health, economic vitality and well-being within targeted communities in Riverside County. "The Inland Empire has faced many health challenges over the years, but collectively we have the ability to make the healthy choice the easy choice for local residents," said Bradbard. "Through this collaborative project across the County of Riverside, we will make improvements in schools, worksites and community areas to enhance health outcomes for generations to come." The conference concluded with IEHP leadership announcing five recipients of the 2025 Living the Mission Awards, which honor community organizations and providers nominated for meeting quality care standards. Recipients were: Optimal Care Award: For the first time, two Optimal Care Awards were awarded by the health plan, selecting one provider and one hospital care organization to receive the honor. Recipients were: Corona Regional Hospital Medical Center, a 259-bed facility specializing in acute hospital and rehabilitation care. Dr. Sushil Anand, co-founder of American Pediatrics and a board-certified pediatrician, with offices in Eastvale, Corona and Upland. Vibrant Health Award: Cedar House Life Change Center, a Bloomington-based residential treatment program for individuals battling addiction. Creativity & Innovation Award: Renewing Hope Family Counseling Center, Inc., which offers mental health and therapeutic support and treatment services for all ages. Inspire Award: Dr. Pardis Amirhoushmand, a board-certified clinical psychologist with more than 25 years of experience, and her Ontario practice, The Autism Center. For additional highlights of the 2025 Mission Conference, go to or follow IEHP on social media. About IEHP With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans, the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid public health plan in the country, and for the fourth year in a row, certified as A Great Place To Work®. Founded in 1996, IEHP supports more than 1.5 million Riverside and San Bernardino County residents enrolled in Medicaid or IEHP DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). As of 2024, IEHP also offers Covered California plans, further ensuring health care access for even more IE residents. Today, IEHP has a robust network of quality doctors throughout our two counties and nearly 4,000 team members who are fully committed to the vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health. To learn more, go to View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Blue Zones Project Riverside Kick-Off Festival
Celebrating Community, Connection, and Well-Being RIVERSIDE, Calif., May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Zones Project Riverside invites the entire community to a one-of-a-kind well-being event on Saturday, May 17 from 9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Riverside Municipal Airport. This free family-friendly festival marks the public launch of Blue Zones Project Riverside, the exciting initiative working to transform the city into a place where healthy choices are easy and accessible for everyone. Guest Speakers: Dan Buettner Jr., Blue Zones EVP and Chief Development Officer Patricia Lock Dawson, Mayor of Riverside Steven Robillard, Riverside Councilmember for Ward 3 Erin Edwards, Executive Director of Blue Zones Project Riverside and former Riverside Councilwoman Ward 1 Leimamo Taylor, Owner of Riverside Airport Café, the first Blue Zones Approved restaurant in Riverside Kickoff Activities: AIRPLANE SPOTTING for kids of all ages SALSA DANCING by Tierra Collective MARIACHI PERFORMANCE by Riverside Arts Academy Mariachi Juvenil de Riverside BALLET FOLKLORICO de Chemawa performance COMMUNITY YOGA by Ms. Maggie Cosner TAEKWONDO DEMO by Aguila Taekwondo Association FAMILY ZUMBA by Riverside Community Health Foundation OUTDOOR STORYTIME by the Riverside Public Library COOKING DEMOS & FOOD SAMPLES MEET the Blue Zones Project team and community partners FOOD VENDORS and much more! To RSVP, volunteer, or learn more: Blue Zones Project Riverside Kickoff Festival Tickets, Sat, May 17, 2025 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite Blue Zones Project is a community-led initiative designed to help people live better, longer lives with lower rates of chronic disease by implementing permanent and semi-permanent changes to policies, systems, streets, surroundings, and social networks so it's easier for residents to eat wisely, move naturally, and connect more with others as they move throughout their day. Blue Zones Project Riverside is led by Executive Director Erin Edwards, who is leading the rollout and implementation of the Project. Edwards, the former Riverside Councilwoman of Ward 1, is a Riverside resident and champion and brings nearly two decades of professional experience to the role. As Councilwoman, Erin represented 45,000 residents; created Riverside's 6-pillar Homelessness Action Plan; sparked the Riverside Nonprofit Resilience Fund and Affordable Housing Trust Fund; and championed Riverside's Community Engagement Policy, Street Outreach Nurse program, Wildlands public safety teams, and Parks & Neighborhood Specialists program. Erin also served as Chair of the Riverside City Council's Housing & Homelessness Committee; on the Governing Board of Riverside County's Continuum of Care; and two terms as Riverside's Mayor Pro Tempore. Prior to her role as a Riverside Councilmember, Erin served with The Equality Fund, the United Way, and the Northside Anti-Hunger Network, as well as two terms with AmeriCorps. Learn more about Edwards and her full-time team: To learn more about Blue Zones Project Riverside visit About Blue Zones in Riverside CountyBlue Zones Project® is brought to Riverside County by Blue Zones and leading organizations Riverside University Health System - Public Health, Inland Empire Health Plan Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, and Eisenhower Health. In collaboration with the County of Riverside and the Cities of Riverside, Banning, Palm Springs, and Coachella, this innovative partnership brings together private and public organizations under a shared vision to support, build, and measurably improve community well-being across the County. Blue Zones Projects have launched in Riverside, Banning, Coachella, and Palm Springs, while Mead Valley begins a policy-focused Blue Zones Activate. Over five years, local leadership and the local Blue Zones Project teams will implement the Blue Zones Life Radius® model to make healthy choices easier throughout the region through permanent and semi-permanent changes to the built environment, food environment, public policies, and social networks. About Blue Zones ProjectBlue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city's environment, policy, and social networks. Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner's findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Blue Zones launched the first pilot community in 2009 in Albert Lea, MN with groundbreaking results. Directly and also in partnership with Sharecare, the model has since been applied to more than 75 communities in the United States. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs. For more information, visit Contact:Erin EdwardsBlue Zones Project Riverside, Executive Directorerinedwards@ Naomi Imatome-Yunnaomi@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Blue Zones Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Axios
29-04-2025
- Health
- Axios
Blue Zones photographer talks healthy lifestyle challenges
We all want to know the secret to living a longer, healthier life, but actually adopting a better lifestyle comes with its own challenges. State of play: David McLain, the photographer behind the global health movement the Blue Zones Project, is speaking at the Civic Center on Thursday evening. The big picture: Over the past two decades, National Geographic journalist Dan Buettner has identified five communities with the longest-living people. He took lessons learned from centenarians (people older than 100) there and established the "Blue Zone" model for longevity, which focuses on community change — like creating walkable neighborhoods and easy access to fresh vegetables — instead of individual behavioral change. These centenarians and their lifestyles were photographed by McLain and published in National Geographic in 2005 — catapulting the Blue Zones lifestyle worldwide, including with a Netflix series and even a five-year initiative in Iowa. Flashback: In 2011, then-Gov. Terry Branstad announced his goal of making Iowa the healthiest state in the U.S. through a partnership among the Blue Zones Project, Healthways, and Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which invested $25 million into the project. By providing health experts for selected Blue Zones communities, Branstad said the state could save $16 billion in health care costs over five years and improve Iowa's Gallup Well Being Index ranking, which was No. 16 in 2011. But by 2016, Iowa had fallen short of that goal and had slipped to No. 19 in the ranking. By then, Wellmark's contract had ended, including its funding for the program, and most communities had dropped the initiative. Between the lines: In 2021, Iowa ranked No. 30. We chatted with McLain about why states like Iowa struggled to become Blue Zones and the challenges of healthy living in a post-pandemic world. What makes it difficult for some places, like Iowa, to incorporate and execute the Blue Zones? McLain:"It is very important to recognize the importance of incremental, smaller change. We're so unhealthy that moving the needle even a little actually does have a significant impact." "There's a reason America's so unhealthy, and fighting that is a huge lift. Maybe he just overpromised a little, or maybe you have to overpromise a little to move things along." What is something you learned from documenting these centenarians that people have not read or watched in the Blue Zones documentary? McLain: "We tend to silo things in America, like, 'Oh, I'm going to change my diet.'" "But food — the Blue Zones — it never gets disconnected from having a garden, which gives you exercise and gives you healthy food, and then it's never, usually, cooked alone, so you're cooking with other people, and you're visiting and you're chatting and you're laughing. So you're never eating alone in front of your iPhone." Did you expect the Blue Zones concept to become so popular? McLain: "No, I didn't. In retrospect, it's obvious, right? Who doesn't want to know how to live a longer, healthier life?" "I always viewed my job for that story visually is to make old people aspirational. Like in Asian cultures, elder [respect] is a very real thing. It's just the way the culture is. America is like the opposite of that. Old people are invisible." The other side: There have been questions about whether Blue Zone designations are accurate or based on poor record-keeping in communities around the world.
CBS News
13-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
8th grade students open community fridge in Marysville after recognizing need
MARYSVILLE – A new community fridge is now open inside the Habitat for Humanity in Marysville. The Blue Zones Project Yuba Sutter helped make their youngest partners' vision come true to help those in need. The project is one year in the making. A couple of very determined 8th-grade students made the community fridge come to life after recognizing a need for it. "I thought it was such an amazing idea, such an effective way to help our community," said one of the community fridge creators, Mia Bumpus. Bumpus joins her friend Addalie Burns in the big reveal of their community fridge after a trip to New York City where Burns saw people using them. She wanted to bring that same idea back home to the Yuba-Sutter area. "While I was doing my research, I noticed that other places with community fridges, it's very walkable. So we thought let's try to find somebody that can help us," said Burns, the creator of the community fridge. With it being the first of its kind in the area, they wanted a good central location that would give the most access to the most people. They brought their research in front of the Blue Zones Project Yuba Sutter for some guidance. "And I said I think we can make this happen," said the executive director of the Blue Zones Project Yuba Sutter Marni Sanders. Blue Zones Project has an area of focus that connects healthy food with everyone in the community and this initiative lines up with that. With perseverance and hard work, the students partnered with Blue Zones, the Yuba-Sutter Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity provided the fridge and the space for it. "Our next steps are to find people that will come and adopt the fridge for a month. They'll come in and make sure it's being stocked and being cleaned out," said Burns. The community fridge is a community effort. But the masterminds say they'll be stopping by every two weeks to make sure things are running smoothly. "It restores my sense in humanity, in the next generation. We have some really exceptional young people," said Sanders. "As of right now it's located in Habitat for Humanity, but we are hoping to expand in different locations as well," said Bumpus, "an idea that's finally a reality." The fridge will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for anyone who needs it. The artwork on the fridge was done by another student named Lucas. Blue Zones Project Yuba-Sutter.
