Newsletter to the Community - SEPTEMBER 2026 | | Our Full Team is Back Together! | | |
We’re excited to welcome Bonnie back from maternity leave just in time for a busy fall! We also recently said goodbye (for now!) to our intern, Hannah, who headed back to school — but not before helping us complete several important projects that will have a lasting impact on our work. We’re incredibly grateful for her contributions and the energy she brought to CHCC.
New initiatives, returning staff, and a full team — there’s a lot happening at CHCC this fall, and we’re excited to share it with you!
| |
A Message From Bonnie:
I’m so happy to be back after a very special few months at home with my new baby girl, Colette, who arrived in May! It’s been such a wonderful summer filled with lots of precious moments, beach days, and walks together.
As I return to work, I’m also excited to begin a new chapter as the Senior Nutrition Program Coordinator with Nourish ME. I’m grateful for this time with my family and excited to be back doing work I’m passionate about. I look forward to reconnecting with the community and seeing what this next chapter brings!
| |
NourishME:
Getting Ready to Grow Across York County
| | |
Our team is spending September building partnerships with healthcare providers, schools, community organizations, and food programs throughout York County to bring nutrition education and resources closer to where people live, learn, and connect.
Beginning in October, we'll start offering nutrition education classes in communities across York County, with practical information and tools to help people eat well, prevent and manage chronic disease, and make healthy choices that work for their lives and budgets.
We're also exploring opportunities to connect nutrition education with healthcare, food access programs, and other community resources — because improving health takes more than simply telling people what to eat.
Want to bring NourishME to your community?
We're looking for organizations interested in hosting classes, referring participants, sharing resources, or partnering with us in other ways. Contact us at chcc@une.edu to get connected.
| Healthy Fall Treat: Apple Wraps | |
Looking for a quick, healthy snack the whole family can enjoy? These Apple Wraps come together in just 15 minutes, combining crisp apples with simple ingredients for a delicious snack or after-school treat.
Try the Apple Wraps recipe here.
| | |
Healthy Homes: How Do We Prevent
Lead Exposure Before It Happens?
| | |
Preventing childhood lead poisoning isn't only about identifying lead after a child has been exposed. It's also about creating communities where families have greater access to homes that are safe from the start.
That means looking upstream at the policies and practices that can help prevent exposure — from maintaining older housing and supporting property owners with lead hazard reduction to strengthening local systems that help identify and address housing hazards.
Over the coming months, CHCC will be working with residents, property owners, community partners, and local leaders to explore practical ways we can increase the availability of healthy, lead-safe housing in our communities. We'll share opportunities to learn more and be part of the conversation.
| | |
Free Community Celebration:
2nd Annual Recovery Revival of York County
| | Prevention and recovery are both community work — and everyone has a role to play. | | Know What You Have & Take Inventory | | Do you know what medications are in your home right now? Regularly taking inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications—and storing them securely—can help prevent accidental ingestion and reduce the risk of misuse. Parents and caregivers can also make a difference by starting age-appropriate conversations about medication safety early and continuing those conversations as children grow. Knowing what’s in your home is a simple but important step toward keeping your family safe. | | Make Time for What Matters | | |
As schedules fill up with school, work, activities, appointments, and everything else life brings, it can be easy to lose something surprisingly important: time to simply connect with one another.
For children and teens, everyday conversations with caring adults help build connection and a sense of belonging. Those connections are also important protective factors that can support healthy choices as young people grow. But connection matters at every age.
One simple place to start is around the table.
Research has linked regular family meals with a range of benefits for children and families, including stronger relationships, healthier eating patterns, improved well-being, and a lower risk of substance use among young people.
| |
And dinner doesn't have to be elaborate. The Family Dinner Project offers practical tools to make connecting easier, including:
- Quick and budget-friendly recipes
- Conversation starters for different ages
- Games and activities for the dinner table
- Tips for busy families
-
A free 4 Weeks to Better Family Dinners program
This fall, consider making a little more room for the people in your life. The meal doesn't have to be perfect. The conversation doesn't have to be perfect. What matters is making time for each other.
| |
There’s a Place for You at the Table
Healthy communities are built by people who care about them. Whether you're interested in nutrition, healthy housing, substance use prevention, youth, recovery, or simply making your community a better place to live, there are ways to get involved with CHCC.
Volunteer at an event, join a workgroup, share your perspective, or become a community partner. Contact us at chcc@une.edu.
| | |
Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition
207-602-3589
chcc@une.edu
| | | | | |
