Involved Residents Accomplish Change in the City

The City of Baldwin Park has a "healthy shopping" supermarket guide, healthy-food vending machines, and is about to adopt a safe street resolution and a smoke-free policy.

All of these benefits are a result of the work done by members of the Baldwin Park Resident Advisory Committee (BP-RAC), who meet regularly to discuss topics of interest for the community and to provide recommendations to pertinent authorities.

According to Christina Cárdenas, Regional Advocacy Manager at the California Center for Public Health Advocacy in Baldwin Park, the BP-RAC was originated in 2006 as a community organization to advice the "People on the Move" committee in policies and programs to improve children's quality of life.

People on The Move includes representatives from the Baldwin Park School District, City of Baldwin Park, the county's Health Department, and Kaiser Permanente, among other organizations.

As a result of the work done by the Committee, some measures and policies have already been put in place, such as access to healthy food for students in local schools.

There has also been a cap in the number of fast food establishments in the city, as well as the requirement that such businesses must include nutritional information on their menus, among other actions.

If you have seen a "Healthy Choice" logo at the place where you purchase your food, it is thanks to the work of the BP-RAC.

The committee has also supported the approval of legislative measures in Sacramento that will have a positive impact in the health of communities.

"If we don't get involved, other people will make decisions for us", said Alicia Escalante, a resident of Baldwin Park who has been attending the meetings for three years. "The more of us that put pressure on authorities, the faster things will get done", she added.

According to Cárdenas, the BP-RAC is open to all residents who are interested in participating.

Eve though there will not be a meeting in June, a large group will be present at the City Council meeting on June 20 to present the Street Manual and Tobacco Policy.

For more information about the BP-RAC, call (626) 962-5900 or visit www.publichealthadvocacy.org.

The California Center for Public Health Advocacy is located at 14135 Francisquito Ave., Suite 202.

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