HJNO Mar/Apr 2019

Healthcare Journal of New Orleans I  MAR / APR 2019 35 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com nervousness without reaching for a cigarette. Many major hospitals across the state of Louisi- ana offer cessation counseling; contact the Trust for a full list. Step 4: Remove Cigarettes and Other Tobacco from Home, Car, and Work Removing things that remind you of smoking will get you ready to quit. Step 5: Talk with a Doctor about Nicotine Replacement Therapy or Pharmaceutical Help Smokers should discuss cessation treatments with their doctor. The Smoking Cessation Trust provides access to all recommended cessation methods through their provider partners across Louisiana; knowing an individual’s medical his- tory, the doctor can suggest and prescribe phar- maceuticals or a nicotine replacement therapy that will work best for each smoker. Doctors can also talk about the benefits of quitting, and what to expect. Jacobs Presents $15K to American Heart Association In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the American Heart Association Capital Area Heart Walk to be held on March 30, 2019, Jacobs pre- sented a donation of $15,000 to the AHA to sup- port the fight against cardiovascular disease and stroke. “Jacobs is dedicated to employee wellness and building a culture of health. We are pleased to support the important mission of the American Heart Association which funds critical scientific research, educational programs, and life-saving CPR training. AHA’s work has an extraordinary impact locally and reaches 93 countries world- wide,” said Bryan Knost, Jacobs general manager, Construction, Maintenance, and Turnarounds. Brisk walking for as little as 25-30 minutes a day has proven health benefits, such as provid- ing increased energy and circulation, as well as reduced risk of heart disease. The Capital Area Heart Walk is designed to help participants understand this critical message. Louisiana Healthcare Connections Sponsors SNAP/ EBTMatching Program at Sankofa’s Fresh StopMarkets As part of an ongoing commitment to community health, welfare, and diversity, Lou- isiana Healthcare Connections is pleased to announce its sponsorship of the SNAP/EBT matching program at Sankofa’s Fresh Stop Mar- kets in New Orleans. The program offers a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $10 in purchases made with a SNAP/ EBT card at any of Sankofa’s Fresh Stop Markets, including its mobile market in the Lower Ninth Ward. SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assis- tance Program, offers nutrition assistance to eli- gible, low-income individuals and families. SNAP participants receive benefits on an EBT card, for- merly known as a food stamp card, which is then used to purchase eligible food items at SNAP- participating retailers. Sankofa, a non-profit organization founded in 2008, operates fresh produce markets three days per week, including the mobile market in the Lower Ninth Ward, where SNAP benefits are accepted. In addition to operating these fresh produce markets and a 24,000 sq. ft. urban farm, Sankofa offers healthy cooking and gardening classes, a fresh food pantry, SNAP enrollment support, and community program planning sessions. As part of the sponsorship, Louisiana Healthcare Connections will underwrite Sanko- fa’s 2019 Healthy Heartbeats classes, which pro- vides healthy eating and nutrition education through collaborative, communal food prepara- tion workshops. “We share Louisiana Healthcare Connections’ commitment to ensuring access to fresh food and nutritional education to help families become healthier,” says Rashida Ferdinand, founder and executive director of Sankofa. “In the Lower Ninth Ward, access to healthy, affordable food is very limited. Our partnership with Louisiana Health- care Connections will help to strengthen our community-based food system by linking local families with fresh food grown by local farmers, and to the education and resources they need to improve their nutritional habits.” “Access to healthy, fresh foods is one of the most important social determinants of health,” says Louisiana Healthcare Connections Chief Operating Officer Kendra Case. “We are proud to partner with strong organizations like Sankofa Jacobs presented a donation of $15,000 to the AHA to support the fight against cardiovascular disease and stroke. Pictured at the presentation, left to right, are Bryan Knost, Jacobs general manager, Construction, Maintenance, and Turnarounds (CMT); Donna Ashcraft, AHA, senior regional director; Leslie Dozier, AHA Capital Area, Heart Walk director; Heather Erickson, Jacobs Material Control; Michael Authement, vice president of operations, Jacobs.