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CHICAGO and TAMPA, Fla., June 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Nearly 50 percent of sixth graders in Chicago Public Schools are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. To help physicians reverse this trend, Harmony Health Plan of Illinois, Inc., a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

A 2013 study released by the Chicago Department of Public Health and Chicago Public Schools showed that obesity rates can be even higher in predominately black and Hispanic communities.

Heartland Health Centers on Devon Avenue in Chicago, the Erie Family Health Center on Division Street in Chicago, and Erie Family Health Center in Evanston-Skokie will participate in the pilot.

As of March 31, 2016, WellCare and Harmony Health Plan serve approximately
207,000 members in Illinois, including 164,000 Medicaid members, 15,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 28,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members.

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. Primary activities include advocacy on behalf of children, families, and health professionals in Illinois; the provision of continuing medical education and other resources for pediatricians, pediatric specialists, and other child health care providers; and collaboration with other state organizations and agencies on programs and projects that improve the health and well-being of children.

The 15thbirthday of the organization is full of celebration with kudos and connections in the community for the recent works of the Community Foundation.

Donna Kassens wasn’t actively looking for a new job.

But when she heard about the open director of development position at the McHenry County Community Foundation, she jumped at the opportunity.

She has three decades of experience in development, most recently serving as director of Planned Giving for JourneyCare Foundation in Barrington.

In January, Kassens began with the McHenry County Community Foundation in a role she calls “joyful.”

“I meet with people who are sincere and caring,” she said. New role a “joy” for McHenry County Community Foundation‘s director of development June 6, 2016 – 7:26 am

McHenry County group hosting Maker Movement roundtable in Crystal LakeJune 6, 2016 – 12:21 am

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CARE partners with Techstars to give students entrepreneurial experienceCARE partners with Techstars to give students entrepreneurial experience

This partnership between CARE and Techstars gives students entrepreneurial experience they otherwise would not get.(Photo: Mike Ewen/Democrat)

Florida State is a university dedicated to empowering students of all backgrounds.A Recently, FSU and its CARE program recently partnered with Techstars, a company dedicated to helping young entrepreneurs start their own businesses.A With this partnership, students from FSUas CARE program are being sent out to different Techstar locations throughout the world to serve as interns and learn more about how to begin and maintain their own businesses.A From there, the students will come back to FSU and be hired on to lead and teach other students what theyave learned while away at their internships.

aThis program will be a way for students who thought their backgrounds were a disadvantage to make them an advantage,a says Chris Markl, Social Entrepreneur in Residence with the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement.

The program is designed specifically for those in the CARE program, and is being used as a tool to empower students whose backgrounds didnat allow them to have opportunities like this growing up.A The point of the program is to let students know that where they come from does not have to have an affect on where they are going or where they want to go.

Another unique part of the program is Techstaras code of conduct, which requires all of those interning and participating within the company must help each other, the company and treat each other with respect.

aThatas not something you see too often in entrepreneurship,a says Markl.

DOVER Dover SEED took a gamble to raise funds for more good works.The Seacoast Educational Endowment Dover (SEED) provides grants to local educators.This past weekend at the Hellenic Center, the nonprofit held its annual fundraiser Casino Night All In For Education.Stepping in to the cavernous building on Long Hill Road was like being teleported to a Las Vegas gambling emporium. One of the main attractions of the evening was the roulette table, where it appeared all set down a few bets and watched and hoped for the ball to drop on their selection.The guest list, as well as an overall listing of sponsors, donors and contributors, read like a veritable who’s who in the Garrison City.SEED’s fundraising efforts award grants to Dover public school teachers for innovative programs, practices and resources.Outgoing President Stuart Kahl, also one of the organization’s founders, gave welcome to all and introduced his SEED successor, Angela Carter who thanked all for their concern and dedication to the SEED effort, specifically mentioning the evening’s organizing committee, saying “you rocked this one.”In addition to the various games of chance, all of which were available with SEED Bucks which came as part of the entry fee, more than 50 attractive silent auction items were available for bidding.Many names were seen on bid sheets items like “An Ice Cream Party for Dover Middle Schoolers,” vacation time in the North Country, and vacationing on the New Hampshire Seacoast.In a nod to one of Dover’s most popular educators, “Lunch with Boody” (Patrick Boody, Woodman Park Elementary School) garnered many bids.Dover High teacher Stephanie DeMatteo has been a recipient of several SEED grants which have assisted DHS teachers in project based learning.”Thanks to SEED,” said DeMatteo, “it has allowed many DHS teachers to extend their classrooms.”By the end of 2016, eight different grant periods will have benefited the community by funding, among other things, online guided literary programs, a leadership camp for DHS student ambassadors, and a disabilities awareness program in conjunction with the University of New Hampshire’s Northeast Passage organization. SEED has awarded more than $30,000 in that period.Board member Sue Vitko, in reflection on SEED’s process which allows local teachers to submit their grant requests, said, “all of this goes towards giving teachers the resources to think outside of the box.”Dover parent and soccer coach Ronan O’Doherty was impressed with the evening. mainImageContainerInnerHTML += ”+htmlencode(mainImageData_caption)+”; mainImageContainerInnerHTML_sm += ”+mainImageData_credit+”; mainImageContainerInnerHTML_sm += ”+mainImageData_caption+”; $(‘#art-main-image-credit-container_sm’).css(‘width’,smimgwidth).css(‘padding’,’3px ‘+(mainImageData_leftPadding – 3)+’px 0 0’); $(‘#art-main-image-caption-container_sm’).css(‘width’,sm_img.width).css(‘padding’,’5px 0 0 ‘+(mainImageData_leftPadding + 3)+’px’); $(‘#zoom-handle’).css(‘padding-left’,(mainImageData_leftPadding + 3)+’px’); $(‘#art-main-image-caption-container’).css(‘width’,img.width).css(‘padding’,’5px 0 0 ‘+mainImageData_leftPadding+’px’); $(‘#art-main-image-credit-container’).css(‘width’,img.width).css(‘padding’,’5px ‘+(mainImageData_leftPadding)+’px 0 0’);

Pittsfield Bridges gets $475K grant to aid in fight against poverty – Berkshire Eagle OnlinePittsfield Bridges gets $475K grant to aid in fight against poverty

PITTSFIELD >> A Pittsfield coalition will bring home $475,000 from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to fund an out-of-poverty program seeking to touch thousands of lives.

Pittsfield Bridges learned last week it would receive these grant funds, part of the Working Cities Challenge, a Boston Fed program to promote economic growth in low-income communities.

Stakeholders said they hope to fund broad-based training for employees of the dozens of participating city nonprofits, service agencies and, crucially, employers. Greylock Federal Credit Union, Berkshire United Way, Berkshire Bank and Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity plan to provide matching funds to push the program along still further.

Preparation of the grant application began last year.

Much of the work involved getting into specific neighborhoods on the West Side, Morningside and the rest of the city and talking to residents about what they perceive to be the most efficacious solutions to local poverty. It gives people the tools and the mindset to succeed.”

Another facet of the program will be based on certain individuals, called “Getting Ahead.”

Pittsfield Bridges’ core members include the city, Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, BRPC, Berkshire Community College, BerkshireWorks Career Center, Berkshire United Way, Goodwill Industries, Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Children and Families, the Berkshire branch of the NAACP and many more.

“We have to all rely on each other to make things work, and fortunately we have a very cohesive community,” Valli said.

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Photo of the Center for Community Philanthropy, home to Porter County’s new nonprofit conference center and the Porter County Community Foundation offices, provided by the Porter County Community Foundation.

The Porter County Community Foundation is hosting a public open house this month at their new home, the Center for Community Philanthropy, located at 1401 Calumet Avenue in Valparaiso. He says attendees can expect to see a conference center dedicated to the work the non-profits do, a mosaic tile map of Porter County that reflects the names of those who contributed to the project and be able to see art that was acquired, including a sculpture outside of a butterfly on a milkweed plant that was constructed by a Porter County artist using Indiana steel.

The open house will take place on Wednesday, June 15th, from 12pm-to-6:30pm, and those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by contacting the Foundation at 219.465.0294.

To hear more about the open house, click News Audio On Demand at regionnewsteam.com.

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Brooklyn school penalized after multiple students opt out of state testing | New York’s PIX11 / WPIX-TV

SOUTH SLOPE, Brooklyn New York City officials promised parents there would be no consequences if their child opted out of state testing.

But now parents are finding out that there are.

“I am alarmed that my school isn’t getting the rewards because people chose to opt out because of the tests,” parent Theresa Westerdahl told PIX11.

Westerdahl was shocked to find out that even though her daughter did not opt out of state testing, her South Slope school is being penalized by the New York State Education Department because 12 percent of her classmates did.

P.S. 10 is one of 16 schools who have lost their reward school status since they didn’t have 95 percent of their students taking the state tests. And that means they may lose out on up to $75,000 in grant money.

“It’s a shame and it’s very unsettling, Tyndall Arrasmith,” co-president of the PTA told PIX11.

NYC Public Advocate Letitia James wrote a letter to families in April saying there would be no consequences if they opted out, so now she is asking state educational officials to explain themselves.

“Parents when they opt out, it’s a personal choice,” NYC Public Advocate Letitia James told PIX11. “Their schools should not be penalized.”

New York State education officials say to be eligible for the grant money, schools must meet all applicable participation rate requirements, which includes 95 percent of students taking state tests.

The state hasn’t made public the list of schools that lost reward schools status, but it is believed many are in Brooklyn’s District 15, including P.S.