Every week, Creekside Village Community Center and Sacramento Neighborhood Center, both operated by United Community, host a Wellness Series for children as part of their after-school activities. The Wellness Series helps children learn about the importance of physical and mental health and well-being through engaging lessons and hands-on activities.

The Fairfax County Health Department provides a variety of different health topics, lessons, and presenters for the weekly program agenda. 

Breon Blount and Tamara Cobb, directors at Creekside Community Center and Sacramento Neighborhood Center respectively, and Health Department community health specialists collaborate with parents to identify health topics that children might engage with and will hold their interest. 

“The Wellness Series is engaging and interesting for the children, while also being informative and relevant to them,” said Roberto Carrasco Alcantara, community health specialist. “Embedding in community and bringing health education to our youngest members is one thing we do to help build generational health.” 

Wellness Series lessons have covered violence prevention with the Fairfax County Police Department, nutrition and healthy food choices with a Health Department Family Assistance Worker, and handwashing and personal hygiene with Hispanics Against Child Abuse & Neglect Inc. and Anthem Healthkeepers Plus. 

During a recent Wellness program, Andy Lima, member of Disease Carrying Insects Program team at the Health Department joined community health specialists Roberto Carrasco Alcantara and Lady Nwadike for a lesson all about bugs. The children examined and learned about a variety of insect specimens and participated in a hands-on activity on the importance of bug spray and how to apply it correctly.

This collaboration with United Community, Creekside Village Community Center, and Sacramento Neighborhood Center has enabled the Health Department to bring public health into the community and to foster lasting healthy habits for children.