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Community Corner

$75,000 Awarded To Program Combatting Obesity In Hispanic Community

Vive en Forma is a program geared toward educating the Hispanic community about making healthier food choices and becoming physically fit.

A check for $75,000 will help the program Vive en Forma continue its efforts in fighting obesity among the Hispanic communities in Chicago and the suburbs.

The money awarded to Kildeer-based Vive en Forma was just a part of the $2 million in grants awarded by the Coca-Cola Foundation to support education and youth development; community programs; diversity and inclusion programs; active, healthy living; water stewardship; and community recycling.

Vive en Forma was part of the active, healthy living group, which garnered $165,000 of the $2 million.

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“It was a long process, but worth it,” said Roula Crews, president of Brillante Multiculutral Marketing Group in Mundelein. “I flew to Atlanta and met with the vice president of Latino affairs at Coca-Cola’s headquarters, and we submitted our grant request for $75,000 shortly after.”

Brillante Multicultural Marketing Group started Vive en Forma three years ago after realizing that obesity has become an epidemic in the Latino community.

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“Two out of three Hispanic children are either overweight or obese, and that is an alarming statistic,” said Crews.

The idea and purpose behind Vive en Forma is to promote a healthier lifestyle for the Hispanic community, Crews said. They get the word out by attending health fairs and festivals throughout the year.

“The grant money will help us pay for the booths at the trade shows and health fairs, marketing materials, staffing, and overall costs,” said Crews.

Vive en Forma has enlisted the help of America’s Next Top Model winner Jaslene Gonzalez and actor Erik Gonzalez to spread the word on talk shows and at events. Well-known nutritionist Sylvia Mendes Klinger and trainer for the stars Rob Garcia offer their tips and advice on behalf of Vive en Forma, educating the Latino community about better food choices and ways to get fit.

“We teach them how to prepare their cultural food in a better way,” said Crews. “An example would be to use corn tortillas instead of flour.”

They also provide complimentary health screenings for blood pressure, diabetes and body mass index.

If an individual signs up on Facebook and for the Vive en Forma newsletter, he or she will receive exercise tips and recipes for healthier versions of cultural food like enchiladas suiza and turkey tacos.

The $75,000 check was presented to Vive en Forma at state Sen. William Delgado’s 18th annual Health and Wellness Fair on Aug. 5 in Chicago.

For more information on the next health fairs and festivals where Brillante Multicultural Marketing Group will promote Vive en Forma, or to learn more about combating obesity, visit www.viveenforma.com.

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