news
Event Focused on East County
H
ighland Christian
Center hosted ‘Are
You Ready?’ last
Saturday Oct. 15, an event
showcasing services for res-
idents of East Portland. Dr.
Cheryl Neal, founder of the
MIKE healthy living pro-
gram; Multnomah County
health Equity staff; Steve
Bullock, an emergency pre-
paredness specialist with
the county, and Pastor
Hardy were among the
speakers.
Pastor Hardy said the
Neal said that kidney fail-
ure has risen sharply among
youth along with diabetes
and high blood pressure.
The toll is worst for African
Americans, particularly for
men. Yet 70 percent of kid-
ney failure is preventable,
through changing your diet
and eating healthy foods
like fruit, vegetables, grains
and beans. The MIKE pro-
gram takes healthcare stu-
dents into schools to work
with high schoolers on proj-
ects about healthy eating.
Bullock explained that in
a crisis, local governments
are the first-line responders.
But when emergencies
strike, thousands of people
are affected and most of us
will have to rely on our
families and friends. That’s
why the county asks every-
one to prepare in advance
and have some water, food
and other items stored.
Bullock also urged city resi-
The Multnomah Healthgroup
linda Hornbuckle and
Barbara Willer
Chrystal Wabnum and
Anna Madden
James Morris with Ted
McCauley
neighborhoods.
Mariotta Gary Smith, a
health educator with the
African American sexual
communication is the key to
protecting teens and young
adults from the negative
consequences
of
sex.
Program specialists will
offer talks to parents, teach-
ers, church groups and
adults who mentor teens as
well as directly to high
schoolers and young adults.
James
Morris
of
Northwestern
Mutual
Financial discussed the
value of financial planning
ladies learn about the
sex equity program
and how to make sure you
are getting good advice
from your financial advisor.
the Skanner Publisher
Bernie Foster held a draw.
Pastor Hardy
event was just the start of
what organizers hope will
be multiple events designed
to help link East Portland
residents to resources. East
Portland has seen a rise in
population and is now home
to 40 percent of the city’s
school age children. It also
has become one of the most
diverse areas in the city. Yet
transportation and social
service provision still lags.
Residents of East Portland need
better transportation, services
dents to get trained in the
Neighborhood Emergency
Training program or get
involved in mapping your
neighborhood, a program
that
identifies
what
resources exist in your own
Jedidiah Ibe won the draw for a quilt made for the
MIKE program
health equity program, said
disparities in Sexually
Transmitted Diseases and
teen pregnancy are rarely
discussed in Portland’s
Black community. They
should be, she says, because
Jeri Williams
Elijah & Sayvion Springer
Prizes included: a quilt
made for the MIKE pro-
gram and several pounds of
coffee.
october 19, 2011 The Portland Skanner Page 9