True to their appellation, the Riverside Community Health Foundation's Promotoras outreach team actively 'promotes' healthier behaviors and choices within the community. Exercise classes such as Arthritis Foundation Tai Chi and Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program instruct participants as to how to exercise within the comfort of their homes, maintain active lifestyles, and sustain flexibility in movement. The ensuing health impact is multi-layered. As one participant stated, "These exercises have helped me manage my arthritis, and now my spirit and self-esteem have improved." Additionally, walking clubs are being established throughout the City of Riverside. Nutrition and cooking classes, such as the Healthy Recipes Class, offer attendees the opportunity to share home prepared recipes as well as learn how to use healthier substitutes for their home cooked meals. Such are but a few of the ongoing workshops and classes in the Arlanza community. Other classes range from the dangers of substance use to self-defense workshops. Information gathered in such grassroots settings reaches far beyond the actual participants as they channel it back to their intimate circles of families and friends, share with other parents at area schools, thus increasing the momentum of continuous community health education. Fabiola M.'s experience is a classic story of rippling health effect: "Walking more frequently has given me the energy and enthusiasm to be more active during the day, and the conversations I've had with the Promotoras around nutrition issues have helped me take better care of my family." As one Arlanza resident puts it, "I appreciate with all my heart that you have these free programs for our community." Indeed, the Promotoras team remains a vibrant example of how to fulfill RCHF's mandate by promoting health through a holistic, culturally competent and effective model impacting some 2,460 residents annually.

M.A.S = Women Active in Health, Arlanza Advisory Committee.

Yet another exciting and busy year for the Mujeres Activas en la Salud Committee! A mix of local leaders, residents, and professionals, the group provides community-input to RCHF regarding health education needs in the Arlanza community. Every meeting draws new members who, together with those formerly involved, contribute to a strong community connection. Partner agencies make informative presentations and provide valuable resources on a monthly basis, thus enabling attendees to develop a more personal relationship with the presenters in a comfortable environment. As Maria N. states, "I learned a lot from the breast cancer presentation, I do my self-exam regularly because I know that cancer can be cured if detected early enough." Committed to community capacity building, health learning opportunities, resources and leadership development, as well as empowering women to be active in their communities, M.A.S is a vital instrument for the enhancement of Arlanza's social capital. M.A.S monthly meetings average 30 women participants who not only play key-roles in activities such as RHCF's annual community fairs and walking clubs, but also act as highly fluid conduits of information, facilitating clinic services and health education within Arlanza. In the words of one M.A.S. member, "I like the M.A.S meetings because we get to share with our families and friends the information we receive about the many services available in our community."

"To strengthen community programs and services for the prevention and management of diabetes in the City of Riverside."

Diabetes is a chronic disease that has reached epidemic levels across our nation. Two out of three people with diabetes die of heart disease or stroke. Diabetes is the #1 cause of adult blindness and kidney failure, and causes more than 60% of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations each year. More children are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which has severe implications for both their quality of life as well as their projected longevity. In 2003, Riverside County ranked 22 out of 58 counties in the US with regard to diabetes and one third of those suffering from it don't even know they have it!

In light of the above, the Riverside Community Health Foundation has identified diabetes as a key area of focus. As a result, the Riverside Community Diabetes Collaborative (RCDC) had its initial meeting in February of this year. The collaborative is a diverse group of dedicated individuals with a broad spectrum of expertise from some 38 agencies, and infused with the desire to work together towards a community solution to diabetes. By rallying in a united effort, RCDC seeks to impact the prevention and treatment of diabetes. By addressing access barriers to health services, such as cultural or language gaps, RCDC represents a golden opportunity to connect Riverside residents with much needed resources. The strength of the collaborative lies in that "No one agency is going to accomplish this task alone. The collaborative allows for agencies to work together and make connections that may not otherwise happen." Currently, RCDC is focusing on creating awareness and understanding around diabetes, helping individuals make and sustain healthy behavior change. In so doing, it will prevent or delay the onset of diabetes for many, increase self-management skills and access to resources, thus significantly reducing the impact of diabetes and its related complications.

A successful collaborative effort with Riverside Head Start, Follow the Leader is the newest RCHF program focusing on building parents' skills to empower them as leaders in their families' health. The program was launched in October around diabetes prevention within families, particularly with regards to their youngest children. The six-week pilot program was conducted at two sites with parents from Arlanza Elementary and Bobby Bonds Head Starts program. A high level of enthusiasm characterized the overall 25 participants who were deeply motivated to make the necessary changes towards a healthier life. After just the first week of class, participants modified their home meal preparation habits to include more fruits and vegetables. They were also inclined to reduce portion sizes and became more willing to add exercise to their daily routine. As one participant shared with us, "As of today my life has changed -- nutrition and exercise have brought happiness to my life."

Riverside Community Health Foundation strongly believes that the wisest health investment for a community is best done through education and prevention. Education can transform perceptions, attitudes and behaviors that affect the well-being of families and communities. RCHF offers two annual community fairs at the Eastside Health Center and the Mark T. Williams Family Health Center. Furthermore, RCHF is actively involved in 28 community health fairs throughout the City of Riverside geographically spreading from the Eastside neighborhoods to those of Arlanza. Ranging from Teen focused to Senior focused programs, Riverside Community Health Foundation plays a significant health preventive role for a significant portion of Riverside's population. During health fairs, RCHF provides free screenings for body fat, blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol, thus raising individual as well as collective awareness about health status. Health education materials are also widely distributed in order to jump start change towards an improved quality of life. When visiting the RCHF booth, health fair participants not only benefit from free primary screenings, but they also receive interpretation to screening results, individualized behavior change counseling, and specific health education pamphlets tailored to their individual needs, so as to maximize the health outcome for health fair attendees. As one participant stated, "Thank you for taking the time to listen to my health concerns and motivating me to get started on a fitness plan."

Riverside Community Health Foundation strives to provide pertinent health education to the diverse communities that make up the City of Riverside. Six health education seminars are offered to Riverside residents each year, covering varied topics such as Heart Healthy Dinners, Diabetes and Eating Disorders. Each seminar is highly anticipated by the public with reserved seating filled within days, and waiting lists stretched long for each event. Attentive seminar participants receive a nutritious meal and health education materials. They also have the opportunity to interact with first-rate physicians, nutritionists, and other clinical specialists over a wide array of health concerns. At the Bone Health Seminar, participants were able to personalize the material presented on bone health and risks for osteoporosis since a free bone density screening was offered to facilitate individual assessment. In the words of one participants, "Thank you for this opportunity--my insurance doesn't cover this screening and without it, I would not have known what my risks for osteoporosis really were."