Our Programs
My Block
My Block partners with community-based organizations to increase access to healthy lifestyles through built environment projects (public art, community gardens, streetscape improvements, vacant lot revitalization) and public space activation (community-building events, sports programming, play streets). My Block projects are guided by neighborhood-specific working groups that bring together community leaders with the shared mission of creating safe and joyful public spaces to connect, play, and exercise.
Washington Heights Youth Connections - Mural
CHALK Jr.
CHALK Jr. partners with early childhood centers to increase access to nutritious food and physical activity for young children and their families. Each project is tailored to the unique needs and strengths of our partners. Activities include implementing screening for food insecurity, providing nutrition workshops and cooking demonstrations, and purchasing toddler gym equipment. In 2023, CHALK Jr also began collaborating with community-based organizations supporting migrant families in NYC.
Youth Market
Youth Market is a paid summer internship opportunity for youth aged 16-22. Youth Market interns gain experience and mentorship in nutrition, food access, public health, and health justice. Our aim is to increase economic resilience and representation in public health and nutrition careers among youth across NYC and Westchester. Youth Market activities include running farm stands outside of primary care practices, supporting CHALK’s community events, and attending field trips to see food justice initiatives in action.
Community Advocate Program
The Community Advocate program is a paid opportunity for community members recruited from CHALK activities to join our team. The program aims to amplify the voices of past program participants and increase representation in the community health field. Our first two community advocates have since joined the CHALK team as full time Program Coordinators.
Social Determinants of Health & Culinary Medicine
The Social Determinants of Health and Culinary Medicine Workshop is offered to all Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) Residents in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and Family Medicine. Residents participate in a vegetarian cooking workshop and engage in a discussion on how the Social Determinants of Health affect our community. The session highlights CHALK’s programs to connect our clinicians and their patients to the resources and partnerships in the Division of Community and Population Health.
FVRx
The fruit and vegetable prescription program (FVRx) is a partnership with GrowNYC farmers’ markets. Patients receive $20 vouchers at clinical nutrition visits which they can then redeem for free, local produce.
Food FARMacy
Food FARMacy started in 2019 in collaboration with West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH). From 2020-2022, the program grew rapidly to respond to increasing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with community-based organizations, we supported emergency food distributions at more than 10 sites across NYC and Westchester County. Since 2023, our focus is NYP patients screening positive for food insecurity. Eligible patients receive home delivery of free, nutritious groceries every two weeks for six months from WSCAH and Feeding Westchester, and are connected to social services, such as SNAP and WIC.