DIGEST Newsletter
August 2023
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HCLHIC Quarterly Meetings
Register for the next LHIC Quarterly hybrid meeting on October 19, 2023 at 8:30am to 10:30am.

Check out previous meeting minutes. Any questions, email lhic@howardcountymd.gov,
or call 410-313-6204.
HCLHIC Community Corner
Community Garden Project Provides Fresh Produce and Nutrition Education Opportunities for Students and Residents
The Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC) has provided $4,150 to the Community Ecology Institute to build and maintain community gardens at Bryant Woods and Talbott Springs elementary schools. These gardens, which are already flourishing, will allow the schools to pilot the implementation of interactive nutrition education activities for all grade levels starting in the Fall of 2023. Photos of the gardens can be found by accessing Dropbox here. Read the full press release.

Join the LHIC's food and nutrition security efforts by participating in our collaborative Food Security Committee meetings. The next meeting is Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 11:00am. If interested in attending, please email lhic@howardcountymd.gov.
Elkridge Midway Mobile Home Park Health Fair
The LHIC works to improve health outcomes in Howard County. We offer a variety of information and resources so that all of Howard County can have access to achieve optimal health and wellness. For more information, visit our website at https://www.hclhic.org/.

In the photo on the right, Ashton Jordan, Community Engagement Coordinator for the LHIC, manages the table at the Midway Mobile Home Park Health Fair in Elkridge on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
Funding Opportunity
Tobacco/Chronic Disease Grant Opportunity
The Howard County Health Department (HCHD) seeks to fund faith-based organizations and community-based organizations to reach populations identified as having a known health disparity related to tobacco/vape use, diabetes, and chronic disease; and to advance health equity efforts. Applications are due on September 1, 2023.
 
Healthy Beginnings
August is National Immunization Awareness Month!
Join The Howard County Health Department (HCHD) on August 12th from 9:30am to 1:30pm for JustLiving Advocacy, Inc. Back-to-School Backpack and CommUNITY Resources Fair at Elkridge Landing Middle School! HCHD will be offering back-to-school vaccines to help your student start the school year off healthy. Register for vaccination times.

For information on additional immunization clinics go to: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/health/childhood-immunization .
Walk to School Staples: Make It Healthy. Make it Social. Make it Safe!
It's that time of year again! Kids are heading back to school either by car, bus, bike or feet. Walking and/or biking to school can benefit your physical and mental health. Use these resources to learn how walking can improve your child's fitness, help them socialize, and keep parents moving too! Also, find tips on how you can help your kids walk to school safely.
Pop-Up Farmer's Market on August 11th!
WIC of Howard County is having a Pop-Up Farmer's Market on Friday August 11th at Howard County Health Department's Ascend One Building (8930 Stanford Blvd. Columbia) from 11am to 1pm. Stoecker Farms will be selling fresh, local, organic produce! Accepting cash, cards, SNAP, eWIC, and WIC FMNP coupons. Come out and buy local! To get additional food and nutrition resources head over to LHIC's Healthy Eating webpage.
Healthier Choices Coalition School Food Survey
The Horizon Foundation's Healthier Choices Coalition is interested in learning what you think of the the school meal services currently provided to your child/children in the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS). Your responses will help inform the Coalition's work to ensure that students have access to healthier, better tasting food at school. Take survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HJ9RMBH. For questions contact, Jennifer White at jwhite@thehorizonfoundation.org.
Healthy Living
CAREAPP is Now an APP!
CAREAPP is now a phone app: “CAREAPP Howard County” CAREAPP has always been mobile-friendly and this new mobile app provides a more seamless user experience. CAREAPP connects community members to over 2,500 Howard County programs for food, health, housing, transportation, education, employment assistance, and more. 
  • Download the FREE “CAREAPP Howard County” app on your Apple or Android mobile device(s). 
  • Explore how the app works (same features as findhcresources.org)
  • Search by zip code to browse service programs
  • Connect to programs that fit your client’s needs
  • Free, private, easy to use, and translatable!
For more information please contact Natalie Hall at nhall@howardcountymd.gov.
Pop-Up Free Food Pantries in Howard County
The Harriet Tubman Foundation of Howard County and the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission invite you to their monthly Pop Up Food Pantry at the following locations on August 14th from 10am to 11:30am: Hopkins Methodist Church at 13250 Highland Road in Highland and Ridgely Run Community Center at 8400 Mission Rd in Jessup. Call 443-386-0405 or 443-280-1935 for more information. To find additional food pantries and hot meal locations, please check out the Howard County Food Connection Map.
Walktober 2023: Walkinars and Walk Maryland Day is Oct 4th!
Maryland State agencies and non-profit partners are ready to share walking resources with you, including offering four Walkinars, to celebrate Maryland's official state exercise in October. Walkinars are a series of informational webinars hosted by Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) and are free and open to all. This year’s Walkinars, will be held each Thursday in October and will address four main topics of interest: Perspectives from National and State Levels; Infrastructure Safety; Maryland Pedestrian Safety Initiatives; and Equity. 

To learn more check out the Maryland Department of Transportation's (MDOT) official Walktober webpage, the Walk Maryland Day website, and the Howard County Walktober 2023 website for a calendar of walk and move events!
Healthy Minds
Howard County 50+ Centers Nutrition and Fitness Programs
Howard County Office on Aging & Independence offers a wide range of services to promote healthy aging, improve the health and quality of life for older adults and adults with disabilities to include exercise, nutrition programs and evidence-based programs. Choose from a wide variety of in-person or virtual fitness classes, explore your passion for flower arranging, fashion or birding, or join lunch at a center near you to reconnect with friends. Check out the August lunch menu.
Suicide Prevention and Behavioral Health Services
The Howard County Health Department's Behavioral Health team will help you access mental health resources including the following: Mental health & substance use screenings, referrals, intervention of youth suicide, support for teen pregnancy and teen parents, and parenting groups. For specific information about the Suicide Prevention Plan or to request materials, community presentations/ trainings, or to join the Healthy Minds and Suicide Prevention Coalition, please contact Jessica Fisher, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, at jefisher@howardcountymd.gov.
Opioid Overdose Response Training
The Howard County Health Department offers FREE Opioid Overdose Response Program monthly virtual trainings. In-person training and Narcan distribution also available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-2pm at the Harm Reduction RV in the Health Department parking lot. Call Bureau of Behavioral Health at 410-313-6202, orpresponse@howardcountymd.gov.