As we all know that obesity continues to be a major public health problem with even higher obesity rates found among ethnic minority youth compared to white youth; especially in urban low income and rural communities where food deserts exist. One factor that contributes to this obesity problem is the lack of resources and access to fresh healthy food; other factors include: lack of medical assessment/care, inactivity to physical exercise, lack of communication to value good health, and transportation to food oasises. Immediate interventions are needed at the local level to improve physical activity and nutrition, reduce obesity, and prevent and control diabetes, heart disease, and stroke but all prior efforts have been on a paper-base/research level and not on the grass-roots level. Measurable results matter that will change behaviors to a healthy lifestyle. Our community-level approach will focus on the basics by providing: medical assessments/care (Sunrise Clinical Health Services) for each participant, each participant performance will be tracked throughout the project program; healthy cooking classes/meals will be provided by our Community Kitchen program {Jericho Plaza Cafe), transportation services to food oasises (Red Ball Express Transportation) and paid walking exercise programs. These collaboration of resources will set the tone for healthy lifestyles and help develop local obesity solutions through identification of barriers, and the creation and tailoring of additional interventions.

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