WESTAMPTON – The Burlington County Commissioners invite residents to attend a special resource fair to learn more about improving their health and remaining housing secure.
The Bring Health Home Resource Fair will be held April 26 from 1 PM to 4 PM at the Burlington County Human Services Building, 795 Woodlane Road in Westampton.
The event is organized by the Burlington County Commissioners, Burlington County Department of Human Services, Burlington County Health Department and Burlington County Minority and Equality Rights Task Force. It features free health screenings, fitness classes, mindfulness activities, a COVID-19 vaccine clinics, lead screenings and testing of household items and information tables. It will also offer case management resources about rental and mortgage assistance, Burlington County’s first-time homebuyer program, emergency home repair program, utility assistance and more.
Virtua’s Mobile Health and Cancer Screening vehicle will be present to offer free mammograms and cervical cancer screenings on site to uninsured women, Prevention Plus of Burlington County will lead a wellness exercise.
There will also be free boxed meals and produce from the Food Bank of South Jersey and free entertainment during this family-friendly event focused on health, housing and making sure residents know about available resources.
“Good health starts at home and Burlington County prioritizes programs and resources that help all residents live healthy lives, including those related to sufficient, stable housing,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson, the liaison to the County Department of Human Services. “The Bring Health Home Resource Fair brings together a variety of health and housing resources in one location so residents can easily access information. It’s a free, family-friendly event that helps empower residents to get screened and learn more about the benefits of proper nutrition, exercise and other healthy lifestyle choices.”
In addition to the health screenings and information tables, the event will feature the unveiling of the Hope One for Youth, a new Burlington County Department of Human Services mobile van that will specialize in education, mental health and substance use prevention. This van will travel to schools, houses of worship and community events to distribute age-appropriate educational materials, make presentations and educate with interactive activities.
The Hope One for Youth van was created as a companion program to the Hope One Mobile Outreach Unit run by the Burlington County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Department of Human Services, Health Department and staff from Virtua Health, Maryville Addiction Treatment Center and the Deborah Heart & Lung Center. Hope One regularly travels to different communities in the county to offer training on overdose antidote use, referrals to recovery services and other resources to individuals and families struggling with substance use disorders.
Last year more than 4,100 people were aided by the Hope One unit.
“Since its launch in 2019, Hope One has been a gamechanger in our fight against substance use by bringing resources to where people live and work. We expect Hope One for Youth will have the same kind of impact with our county’s children and teens,” said Hopson. “This unit will focus on education and substance use prevention to give kids, parents and teachers resources related to mental health. We’re very excited about it’s launch.”
In addition to the Hope One and Hope One for Youth units, the resource fair will also feature staff and volunteers from more than three dozen agencies and providers. Among the departments, agencies and providers participating are: the Burlington County Department of Human Services, Burlington County Health Department, Burlington County Housing Hub, Burlington County Division of Community Development, Burlington County Office on Aging, Burlington County Women Infants and Children program, Burlington County Board of Social Services, Burlington County Division of Behavioral Health, Soldier On, New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, Aetna Better Health of NJ, Oaks Integrated Care, Prevention is Key, New Jersey Office of New Americans, Senior Citizens United Community Services, Food Bank of South Jersey, Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative, Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers, Virtua Health, Cooper Health, Jefferson Health, Volunteers of America, Samaritan Hospice Center for Family Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture and more.
U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Congressman Andy Kim, and State Senator Troy Singleton will all have staff on-site to assist with constituent services and outreach.
“Building healthy communities takes all levels of government working in partnership and my office is pleased to partner in this event, which gives residents opportunities to learn more about their health and resources that can assist them and their families,” said Senator Singleton.
