In celebration of “National Nutrition Month”, the HealthFirst Family Care Center  and the Fall River WIC Nutrition Program sponsored a legislative luncheon on Friday, March 7, 2008, at the 102 County Street location. This collaborative event was held to promote the benefits healthy eating has on our overall health. “With more than half of HealthFirst’s employees participating in the Fall River Fitness Challenge, celebrating National Nutrition Month by encouraging everyone to focus on healthy eating helps to keep us motivated to achieve our individual health and fitness goals. This will help us be a good example for our patients” says Gina Lombardi, RD, HealthFirst’s Registered Dietitian. Many working families qualify for WIC but don’t know they are eligible. Carol Weber states, “As a Nutritionist for the Fall River WIC Program, I often hear the frustration of moms and dads who face the daily challenge in providing their families with healthy foods due to ever-rising food costs.  Families often have to decide what is most important: heat, fuel, medicine?  It is unfortunate that the food budget is the last on the list”. For more information services offered by HealthFirst, call Paula Harrison at 508-679-9376, Ext. 204.
 

(Top row, left) Mayor Robert Correia greets Ashok Kota, DMD, one of the dentists on the staff of the HealthFirst Family Care Center. (Top row, center) WIC Senior Nutritionist Carol Weber, breast-feeding counselor and nutritionist Nancy Matheny and HealthFirst dietitian Gina Lombardi enjoy some of the dishes prepared by the staff. (Top row, right) Medical assistant Betty Nunes and front office manager Dorothy Szulewski, LPN, enjoy the chance to talk at the gathering. (Middle row, left) Carol Weber joins Senator Joan Menard and Gina Lombardi in sampling the healthy dishes. (Middle row, right) Medical Director Uma Kolli, M.D., pediatrician Nidhi Koul, M.D., and Julie Almond, HealthFirst CFO, enjoy a laugh during lunch. (Bottom row, left) Mayor Correia talks with Senator Menard over lunch. (Bottom row, left) HealthFirst Director of Community Relations and Development Paula Harrison and WIC Nutritionist Sheng Herr join Fall River Herald News Living Well editor Lynn Sullivan.