Information about...

1. Commercial Agriculture
2. Environment & Natural Resources
3. Fisheries & Aquaculture
4. Food, Nutrition & Health
5. Home, Lawn & Garden
6. Youth, Community & Economic Development

State Resolution to designate March as 'New Jersey Living Well Month'

March 9, 2005

New Brunswick, NJ--Senator Nicholas P. Scutari and Assemblywoman Linda Stender are sponsoring a state resolution designating March as New Jersey Living Well Month and March 13 through 19, 2005, as New Jersey Living Well Week. The resolution will be accepted in front of the Senate by members of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station's (NJAES) Department of Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS) on March 21, 2005. The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station launched its New Jersey Living Well initiative in June 2004. The initiative is delivered through the FCHS department of Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension (RCRE). "This initiative was designed to enhance FCHS programs and services that are having a tremendous positive impact on all residents of New Jersey," says Karyn Malinowski, dean of outreach and extension programs. "We are pleased that the legislature is recognizing the value of this New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station initiative and formalizing it with the designation of New Jersey Living Well Month and Week." The New Jersey Living Well initiative promotes making healthy lifestyle choices. "Staying healthy, raising healthy kids, and eating right are all part of ‘living well,'" says Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, chair of the FCHS department. "New Jersey Living Well programs encourage people to take action: Whether it's eating more healthful foods or being more active. Even small changes, like eating less fat or more vegetables or losing a few pounds can improve health." Family and Community Health Educators offer educational programs in nutrition, improving healthy lifestyles, food safety, health finances, and environmental health which enable New Jersey citizens to gain knowledge and skills to lead full and productive lives. Their educational programs are delivered through educational workshops, seminars, publications and a website. Additional information about the New Jersey Living Well initiative can be found on their web site at http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/livingwell/. RCRE is part of a nationwide network of educators working through the land grant universities, funded cooperatively through the Department of Agriculture, state governments and county governments. In New Jersey, RCRE is part of the nationwide Cooperative Extension educational system of university educators, researchers, and staff who work through the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers. RCRE is funded cooperatively through the local County Boards of Chosen Freeholders, the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Contact: Michele Hujber
Office of Communications
848-932-7000