CalAg staffed a booth at the annual Child and Family Resource Fair in Orland, CA. Staff spoke to about 100 farm worker families about osteoarthritis and recommended tips on how to facilitate work tasks. Staff was also able to network with the agencies present and gather resources for consumers in Glenn County. Staff also had a booth at the first Native Women's Wellness Conference in Chico, CA, sponsored by Northern Valley Indian Health. Staff also conducted an arthritis exercise class as one of the conference workshops. A total of 100 women attended the event.
Eight bilingual, English and Spanish, "Get Moving" Arthritis Exercise classes were conducted in the month of April. Classes at R.I.S.E. INC in Winters, CA have come to an end, with a total of 17 participants in the 12 week program. Staff members were invited to conduct a class at the Mujeres Ayudando la Raza (MAR) yearly outreach to Yolo County Migrant Centers. This year’s event was held at the Dixon Migrant Center; a total of 25 farm working women attended the class and were very interested in learning more about arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Staff has completed the six-week training, "Tomando Control de su salud" (Taking Control of Your Health) sponsored by Dignity Health and Woodland Healthcare. Staff are now better prepared to talk to consumers about healthy choices and managing emotional health by using "I" statements instead of "you." More staff development included attending a grant writing class targeted for non-profit organizations. Staff were taught that the program narrative has to mirror the budget and budget narrative as well as about the importance of having a plan for sustainability after the grant money runs out.
Submitted by Martha Stiles