If you would like to have more information please contact:
The JPC Office at (315) 734-9608 or e-mail at info@johnsonparkcenter.org
American Heart Association and Johnson Park Center Work Together to Increase Access to Blood
Pressure Screenings and Education through the Mohawk Valley Blood Pressure Initiative
Over 100 million Americans – nearly half of all adults – are living with high blood pressure or
hypertension. When left untreated, the damage that high blood pressure does to one’s
circulatory system is a significant contributing factor to heart attack, heart failure, kidney
failure and stroke. Hypertension often has no obvious symptoms, which is why it is called
the “silent killer.” In Oneida County 32.7% of adults reported having high blood pressure
(CDC BRFSS 500 Cities Project 2019) and we see those numbers increase within the City of
Utica 34.2% (CDC BRFSS 2019). These rates are higher than both the New York State (29.9%)
and National (32.6%) average for adults with high blood pressure.
With common priorities and interests around improving the health of all community
members, Johnson Park Center and the Mohawk Valley American Heart Association (AHA)
launched a community blood pressure screening, education and referral program on April
5, 2022. This program was made possible through the Mohawk Valley Blood Pressure
Initiative with the goal of improving cardiovascular health for all community members who
are disproportionately affected by high blood pressure. The initiative is supported by
funding from NYCM, Utica National Insurance, Community Foundation of Herkimer and
Oneida Counties and the Ron and Shelia Curraro family Fund.
Happy Easter to All of our JPC Supporters! On behalf of the Johnson Park Center (JPC) CEO & Founder, Board of Directors, Staff, Program Participants, and Volunteers, we congratulate the Rev. Ursula Meier, JPC Chief Operations Officer. She received the 2022 Women of Distinction Award. The pictures below from right to left: Nominated by Ms. Rebecca Simonds with her son; the Citation Certificate of the Award Presented by Assembly member Marianne Buttenschon, Assembly District 119. Acknowledgment of Service and Gratitude gave by the NYS State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli to the Awardee, the Rev. Meier.
WKTV, UTICA, NY – It’s an all too familiar sight these days.
People lining up in front of Johnson Park Center to receive assistance from the JPC Food Pantry. Starting Monday however, those standing in line got a little something extra. Ready-to-eat meals.
It’s all part of New York’s Restaurant Resiliency Program. The program provides New York’s regional food banks with the funding to source meals from qualified restaurants. Jonson Park Center has teamed up with American Grill to provide a wide variety of ready-to-eat meals to those in need.
“We got 600 ready-to-eat meals that we are able to hand out, and that will happen 3 times a month”, says Reverend Ursula Meier, Johnson Park Center’s Chief Operating Officer. “We’re going to be blessed with good quality meals. Vegan, meat, chicken, you name it. Everything will be available”.
Meier says they expect to see more and more residents needing to take advantage of the food pantry and the new program couldn’t have come at a better time. “The food costs have gone up tremendously and the people can’t afford a piece of meat no more because it’s $3, $4 higher. People are going to need to depend on the food pantry. I predict that in the next few months the numbers will go up because the food prices have gone up so much.”
Rev. Meier says to check out the Johnson Park Center’s Facebook page to find out what ready-to-eat meals are going to be available. The meals will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.