For Immediate Release: El Bravo Supermarket celebrated as newest "Healthy Corner Store" location in Patchogue by CCE-Suffolk, Cohen Children's Medical Center and Kohl's Keeping Kids Healthy Program

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, Cohen Children's Medical Center and Kohl's Keeping Kids Healthy celebrated El Bravo Supermarket in Patchogue as Long Island's most recent 'Healthy Corner Store' (HCS) in a kickoff event on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

“Many vulnerable communities on Long Island struggle with the cost of maintaining healthy eating habits” remarked Vanessa Pino Lockel, Executive Director of CCE-Suffolk, adding “It is through programs like SNAP-ED/EAT SMART NY and their Healthy Corner Stores that work with the community to bridge this gap and provide healthy options, particularly this holiday season.”

The HCS initiative has been part of SNAP-ED/EAT SMART NY policy, systems, and environmental change strategies for the last 5 years. Its mission is to improve heathy food access, selection and consumption of healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and beverages (water and low-fat milk) in underserved communities. The program steps include a physical needs assessment (store layout, setup and items stocked), assessment of the inventory/stock, identify strategies and develop a work plan tailored specific to the store with store owner and other staff input, collaboration and education on the health and nutrition benefits of this small but critical changes within the store environment.

Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri delivered a proclamation commemorating the event and commented “The strength of Patchogue has always been its diversity and the strength of El Bravo Supermarket is that owner Jose Bonilla serves and celebrates this diversity by providing access to healthy foods and promoting healthy eating and physical activity."

HCS program partner Cohen Children’s Medical added they are proud of the commitment of El Bravo Supermarket to "keeping our community healthy by expanding access to the amount of healthy food choices like fruits and vegetables within the store." adding "They provide increased access to healthful foods during this dire time and this has truly demonstrated the very best of our program’s efforts"

Kohl's Keeping Kids Healthy Program grant enable this initiative to provide signage and woven baskets to highlight and organize fresh fruits and vegetables, provide small shopping baskets, visibly posted EBT/WIC signage, and reusable shopping bags to about 300 customers. This collaboration will also be providing limited amount of $5 & $10 store coupons to be used toward the purchase fruits, vegetables, water, and low-fat milk.

More information available at http://ccesuffolk.org/

Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri delivers a procilation to El Bravo Supermarket owner Jose Bonilla, pictured with CCE-Suffolk Executive Director Vanessa Pino Lockel	SNAP-ED/EAT SMART NY nutritionist Marta Blanco speaks with Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri and El Bravo Supermarket owner Jose Bonilla at Healthy Corner Store kickoff event.
Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri delivers a procilation to El Bravo Supermarket owner Jose Bonilla, Long Island's most recent 'Healthy Corner Store' (HCS) in a kickoff event on Tuesday, November 24, 2020	El Bravo Supermarket celebrated as newest "Healthy Corner Store" location in Patchogue. El Bravo Supermarket owner Jose Bonilla and family.
Fresh produce at El Bravo Supermarket, the newest 'Healthy Corner Store' location in Patchogue.	El Bravo Supermarket celebrated as newest "Healthy Corner Store" location in Patchogue. $5 coupon for use on water, milk, fruits and vegetables at El Bravo Supermarket

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Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County (CCE Suffolk) is a non-profit community education agency established in 1917. We are affiliated with Cornell University as part of the national land grant university system. CCE Suffolk is a subordinate governmental agency with an educational mission that operates under a form of organization and administration approved by Cornell University as agent for the State of New York. We are educators, researchers, specialists and support personnel who are dedicated to making Suffolk County a desirable place to live and work. CCE's professional team helps preserve our county's vast heritage, protect our eco-systems, support families and provide our youth opportunities for community service and research-based education in science, technology, engineering and math. (STEM).