Press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 12, 2006
Media Contact:
Vivian Muzyk
(919) 828-1819

NC Healthy Start Foundation Honored for Latino Outreach

The Foundation's pregnancy, infant and child care campaign receives Health Award

December 12, 2006 - (Raleigh, NC) - Today, the North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation will receive the "Impulso a la Comunidad Hispana" Award for its state-wide Latino outreach campaign for women, infants, and young children. The award, given by
La Conexión Spanish-language newspaper, will be presented to Gloria Sánchez, the Foundation’s Latino Outreach coordinator tonight at a ceremony at Jibarra restaurant.

The Impulso Awards recognize individuals and organizations who have worked to make a difference in the lives of Latinos in North Carolina. The Foundation received the health-category award for its Ana María Campaign - the state's first public education campaign developed solely for Latinos in North Carolina. Launched in 2000, the Ana María Campaign features Spanish-language materials, for Latinos and by Latinos, that convey health messages and give information about available services in Spanish.

The Ana María campaign includes pamphlets, posters, public service announcements, radio advertisements, a video, a website and more, featuring a young North Carolina Latina and her family. In keeping with the Foundation's mission, the campaign instructs women how to maintain a healthy lifestyle before, during and after pregnancy for a health baby. The materials combine familiar images with credible information to reach this audience. Ana María addresses issues such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk reduction, the benefits of folic acid and connects Latinos with the Health Check (Medicaid) / NC Health Choice child health insurance programs.

"We are so honored to receive this award," says Sánchez. "Promoting healthy habits and helping Latinas have healthier babies is a great benefit for future generations of North Carolinians."

All materials refer Latinos to the North Carolina Family Health Resource Line, a toll-free, bilingual, statewide telephone information and referral service. Twenty-five percent of the more than 30,000 annual callers are Spanish-speaking.

In addition to the Ana María campaign, the Foundation addresses the needs of Latinos across the state by getting into the community. Foundation staff network with Latino leaders, exhibit at local community fairs, and contract with Latino-owned businesses for professional marketing, graphic design, and writing/translation services.

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The N.C. Healthy Start Foundation, a nonprofit organization established in 1990, conducts ongoing public education campaigns, advises state and local policy makers, and provides technical assistance and professional training focused on reducing infant death and illness and improving the health of women and young children in N.C.

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