Sodexo Sponsored Photo Competition
Sodexo Sponsored Photo Voice Competition Yields Powerful Insights into the Challenges Faced By Latino Youth in Living a Healthy and Active Lifestyle
Reflejos de mi Comunidad project, supported by the National Council of La Raza, Alivio medical Center and Gads Hill Center seeks to educate and empower communities in combating childhood obesity.
Gaithersburg, MD – (NCLR (National Council of La Raza), Alivio Medical Center and Gads Hill Center recently undertook a project, sponsored by Sodexo, called “Reflejos de mi comunidad: comida y estilo de vida” (Reflections of My Community: Food and Lifestyle) to assess the barriers that prevent low-income, inner-city Latino youth from eating healthy and living an active lifestyle. On Saturday, November 10, 2012, the contributions of local youth who participated in the photo essay project were showcased at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, Ill.
The contest asked participants to portray their own eating and lifestyle habits. The photo collection will be used in conjunction with parent engagement classes designed to teach parents how to promote behavior change that can result in improved nutritional habits among Hispanic children, families and communities.
“Young Latinos are the future of this nation, but that future is at serious risk if the Hispanic community continues down the path of unhealthy lifestyles and eating habits,” explained Lourdes Diaz, vice president of diversity relations at Sodexo. “As one of the nation’s largest foodservice providers, we at Sodexo are tackling the issue of childhood obesity head on working closely with many partners to provide education and resources to the communities most affected.”
The images and essays provided an important perspective that highlighted the difficulties faced by Latino youth in living a healthy active lifestyle including access to healthy foods due to limited grocery stores and the dangers posed by crime in some areas.
“The reality is that health disparities among youth in this country have left Latinos at a disadvantage and we need to take a more thoughtful approach to help our youth eat healthy and lead active lives,” said Delia Pompa, senior vice president of programs at NCLR. “This program is designed to help Hispanic parents become more aware of the risks that developing poor nutritional habits as a child pose in the long term. We hope that by using pictures actually taken by children, these health problems will become that much more real and present for parents, who can then make a conscious effort to make positive changes to their families’ lifestyle habits.”
Sodexo and NCLR are bringing the “Reflejos de mi Comunidad” program to San Antonio with an exhibit planned in January.
For more information on Sodexo’s Office of Diversity, Visit Sodexo Diversity and Inclusion on Facebook and follow on Twitter @SodexoDiversity
Here is a link to a photo gallery of the event: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sodexousadiversity/sets/72157632009283086/
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About Sodexo
Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 45 years of experience: from reception, safety, maintenance and cleaning, to foodservices and facilities and equipment management; from Meal Pass, Gift Pass and Mobility Pass benefits for employees to in-home assistance and concierge services. Sodexo’s success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 420,000 employees throughout the world.
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Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Life services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On-site Services in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $17 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.