Community Health & Wellness Festival Brings Free Health Services, Education To More Than 800 New Orleans Residents

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Jul 13, 2018, 09:00 ET

BATON ROUGE, La., July 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Community Health & Wellness Festival, held at the Xavier University Student Center in New Orleans on July 5, provided free health screenings and education to more than 800 area residents, ranging in age from two to over 90 years old.

Presented by Louisiana Healthcare Connections and partnering organizations, Xavier University, Daughters of Charity Health Centers, and the National Minority Quality Forum, the free community event provided family-friendly activities and live music as well as free produce and nutrition education from the Crescent City Farmers Market.

"Bringing health services and education to the community is a key part of our mission," said Marcus Wallace, MD, MBA, Louisiana Healthcare Connections Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs. "We not only want to provide our members with access to quality health care, we also want to help provide Louisiana's families with the tools and information they need to be healthy in the communities where they live and work."

For many attendees, like New Orleans resident Lois Richard, the access to free health screenings and education was the biggest draw to the Community Health & Wellness Festival. She learned about the event from a flyer she received at her local farmer's market and came to have her blood pressure checked. "It was perfect, and I've had a wonderful time. I'm 90 years old, and every day is a party to me. I'm not always healthy, but I'm always active, and I've had a good time being active here today."

For Bridget Villegas, the inclusion of activities for children was a highlight of the event. "I love how many activities were just for the children. I don't see that very often at health fairs. It was wonderful to have the kids involved and learning about how to get healthy."

Many of the attendees came as part of a group, such as the Vietnamese Initiatives in Economic Training (VIET) from New Orleans East. Tran Tran, a VIET staff member, said the organization brought 87 seniors and teens to the wellness festival to receive health screenings. "We appreciate events like these because they are so important to the community. It was very well put together, and our group enjoyed it," she said.

In addition to health screenings and education, the Community Health & Wellness Festival featured a number of presentations on topics such as mental health, financial health and breast cancer prevention. Attendees had numerous opportunities to win prizes, participate in safe physical activities and learn about local resources and programs to help them improve their health.

About Louisiana Healthcare Connections
Established to deliver quality healthcare through local, regional and community-based partners, Louisiana Healthcare Connections is a Healthy Louisiana Plan headquartered in Baton Rouge, La. Louisiana Healthcare Connections exists to improve the health of its members through focused, compassionate and coordinated care. Because Louisiana Healthcare Connections believes healthy is a way of life, its members benefit from programs and services designed for personal well-being. For more information, visit www.LouisianaHealthConnect.com.

SOURCE Louisiana Healthcare Connections