For the past 10 years, the Health & Wellness Village Festival held in various New Jersey cities has been a gathering of health resources, live entertainment and recreational activities to serve children, families, seniors and veterans, with an extra focus on providing health equity for Black and Brown families.
CareSparc Community Connections’ Annual Sustainable Health and Wellness Village (SHWV) Festival Tour includes family activities, local and regional artists, primary care providers and specialists, free eye exams and eyeglasses, health screenings, vaccinations, fresh produce, representatives from federally qualified community health centers, and physician-led education and resources on maternal, infant, child and senior health.
“Advancing health equity is critical to building healthier, more resilient communities,” says Keith DaCosta, co-founder and executive director of CareSparc Community Connections. “Celebrating its 10th year, this festival is not just an event; it’s a movement towards ensuring that every individual, regardless of their background, has access to the resources and knowledge they need to lead healthy lives. We are grateful to our partners and sponsors who have been longstanding health equity advocates; together, we remain committed and energized to take more steps toward closing the health disparity gap and fostering a more inclusive future.”
You may have known of Newark’s Lincoln Park Music Festival back in 2014, but it has since evolved into the state’s largest and only comprehensive wellness fest, focused in cities where there are underserved populations, with the support of presenting sponsor Johnson & Johnson. There’s also a big push for artistic expression so that anyone attending can feel a sense of community and well-being.
“At Johnson & Johnson, we have seen firsthand the SHWV Festival’s longstanding impact across our home state of New Jersey,” says Isha Williams, global lead of Healthcare Workforce Strategy, Global Health Equity, for Johnson & Johnson. “We are proud to support this important community-based approach to health that empowers individuals to advocate for their health and supports our shared ambition to close health equity gaps that persist across our state.”
Also heavily involved in the festival are three statewide ambassadors: Mariana Diaz Nagore, Consul of Mexico in New Brunswick, at Gobierno de Mexico; Marybeth Boger, vice president for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, NJIT; and Jackie Atkins, president and founder of New Jersey Give A Kid A Dream.
The dates are:
September 14, 10 am to 6 pm, Alice Jennings Archibald Park, New Brunswick
September 21, 10 am to 6 pm, Branch Brook Park at the Prudential Center Concert Grove, Newark
October 5, 10 am to 6 pm, Showboat Hotel, Atlantic City
Admission is free.
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