A Message from our new Executive Director

This is my first article for the Rural Matters Newsletter. On June 3rd, I began my role as Executive Director of Rural Health Network of South Central NY. I come to the agency from a position with New York State as a Resource Management Specialist. I worked in Albany for the Integrated Eligibility Systems Program which is focusing on streamlining and creating a “no wrong door” approach to applying for needed services such as HEAP, Medicaid, and others.

Prior to my work with New York State, I spent almost 25 years working in the Non-Profit sector assisting vulnerable populations. I live and raise my family in Delaware County and I’m very familiar with the barriers that rural communities face in upstate New York. I spent 8 years at Delaware Opportunities Inc. overseeing Community Services including Transportation, Domestic Violence, HEAP, Emergency Assistance, and Food Insecurity. In many of the programing I was involved in, I collaborated a great deal with the programs at Rural Health Network. While I knew some of the staff and the assistance they offered, it wasn’t until I came to this position that I have seen the amazing work they do on a daily basis.

The services at Rural Health Network and the populations we serve are vast. I am honored and excited to be a part of this team and cannot wait to see what the future holds for this organization and the communities we serve. 

Demetra Alberti

Executive Director

Community Health

Meet our Community Health team, a dynamic group dedicated to improving rural health and wellbeing through a variety of projects and activities!

L to R (Back) Mary Maruscak, Alex Castro, Erin Wank, Emma Nalin, Megan Arenas-Cardoso, Julianne Lee. (Front) Bolanle Olatunji, Vandya Kamagere, Karli Jeavons, Denise Blackwell, and Brianna Wynne

Led by Mary Maruscak and Emma Nalin, pictured in Washington DC in May, the Community Health team is the largest department at RHN! We will grow again in the fall when we're joined by two MSW interns from Binghamton University!

Community Health Worker Services

Since 2022, Rural Health Network has partnered with Guthrie Lourdes hospital on a project to house Community Health Workers (CHWs) within Primary Care Practices. Erin, Alex and Denise currently support patient populations at Robinson St, Endicott, Chenango Bridge and Whitney Point, assisting to meet Social Determinants and cancer screening care gaps. Since 2022, they (along with our former CHW Stacy) have served more than 600 people in the Southern Tier. Click here or contact Mary to learn more!

Evidence-based

Health Education

Rural Health Network has long been known as an agency providing education to people chronic health and chronic pain concerns.

Currently, Jules, Mary, Erin, Vandya, and Megan offer the evidence-based Chronic Disease Self-Management Program; the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program; the Walk With Ease program; Adult Mental Health First Aid, MHFA for Members of the Military, Veterans and their families, and individual, person-centered health coaching.

Click here or contact Mary to learn more!

Northern Broome CARES

Northern Broome CARES is one of only two NY State Office for Aging funded NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities) operating in Upstate NY. Megan and Karli, with support from Emma and Binghamton University MSW interns during the school year, offer support for people aging in Northern Broome County. Services include friendly home visits and phone calls, shopping assistance, health education, transportation coordination, and so much more. Click here or contact Megan to learn more!

Support our Community Health Activities

Like all Rural Health Network programs, our Community Health activities have funding gaps that would benefit from individual and community donations. If you would like to support Community Health please visit our donation page and select "Community Health Services" from the drop down menu next to "Please use my donation to support."

Quotes from previous participants of Health Education programs:

“I feel that if this program ever disappears I don’t know what we would do. I think we will all get set back because we don't have the program to help us keep us motivated.”  

"...this is my family, and my friends. At the end of the program, we always exchange numbers to be in contact with one another to come back to the program together."

"I like the action plan [activity] because it challenges me...I’m the kind of woman who thinks she is Super Woman, when I’m not. I tend to carry all my loads together on my shoulder thinking I can take care of it all. But I’m now learning to carry a little bit [at a time]."

"One thing that keeps me coming back is all these folks [other participants] that are right here before you. Each and every one of them brings something to the table and that is what keeps me coming back."

“... I think it is very important for everybody to know how to talk to a doctor, to express their issues and what they’re going through.”  

Bolanle, who just completed her Masters in Public Health at Binghamton University, leads a data collection project in partnership with Guthrie Lourdes hospital's Community Health Improvement Plan work group, assessing health care access needs of rural people.

Vandya, who will begin to pursue her Masters in Health Policy and Management at NYU this fall, provides invaluable support to our Health Education work, overseeing ongoing engagement and data collection with current and previous program participants, and helps out with supporting seniors in Northern Broome County through our Northern Broome CARES project.

Brianna, who will begin their PHD program at Binghamton University in the fall, is leading our Ready for Weather project (see more info below)! This is the first time Rural Health Network has delved into Environmental Health work, and we're so excited to provide community-facing education to help individuals and families prepare for and respond to extreme weather events. Join us; you won't believe the beautiful slides and materials Brianna has created!

All three of these amazing people will leave us in August for their next big adventures...and we're recruiting to fill their shoes! If you know anyone who would be interested in joining our Community Health team, contact Mary Maruscak or Emma Nalin. More details about all Public Health AmeriCorps and VISTA positions are listed here, on our website!

The program will be at 1:00pm every Tuesday in July at Rural Health Network's 455 Court St. Binghamton office. Everyone who attends will take home free items to help stay safe in extreme weather along with valuable information and materials to share with others. Everyone who attends ALL FIVE trainings will earn their choice of a gas or grocery gift card! Contact Brianna at bwynne@rhnscny.org for questions or to register!

Community Health AmeriCorps Member Attends

Brooklyn Service Summit

Recently, our Community Health AmeriCorps member, Vandya Kamagere (pictured on the far right), attended the 2024 AmeriCorps Service Summit. She was accompanied by six other Rural Health Service Corps members to the Summit which was an AmeriCorps 30th anniversary celebration. The Summit was held on Thursday, May 30th and Friday, May 31st in Brooklyn, NY and drew over 600 AmeriCorps members and staff from all over New York State.

Day one was marked by an inspiring and energizing summit ceremony. The keynote speaker, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, discussed the importance of volunteer work and giving back to communities. Several other speeches were given before the final roll call. During roll call, each and every program that was in attendance was recognized.

Day two was marked by service projects in multiple locations across Brooklyn. Vandya and her team worked on, and learned about, street trees near Sunset Park. This entailed picking up trash, weeding, tilling and mulching. They contributed to the beautification of the street and helped improve the overall health of each tree they cared for. There are over 750,000 street trees that need attending to across the city and volunteers truly make a difference. A fun and rewarding time was had by all.

Open AmeriCorps Position with

our Community Health Department

We are currently looking for a Public Health AmeriCorps Education Member who will advance the health and well-being of rural people and communities by supporting several public health projects within the Community Health team at Rural Health Network. From an office in Whitney Point NY, the PHA member will work directly with rural older adults in Northern Broome County to deliver food, assist with shopping, and foster social connection through various group activities (book club, craft club, walking group, etc.).

The PHA member will have the opportunity to promote the services available in Northern Broome through community presentations. In addition, the PHA member will also be responsible for sending regular mailings of educational materials on relevant health topics and coordinating survey data collection with participants in community health education workshops.

This position will require a valid license, personal vehicle and for the member to be in Whitney Point, NY at least three days per week.

For more information about this position and others within our program, please visit our website or contact Haley Desilet or Alexis Sankofa.

2024 School Garden Grant Awards

Food and Health Network celebrates another successful year of the South Central NY School Garden Grant Opportunity. This year, 20 schools and early care and education sites have been selected to receive grants totaling over $9,000. These funds will enhance existing gardens or establish new garden programs, supporting the purchase of lumber, gardening tools, seeds, mature plants, soil, fruit trees and bushes, and compost bins.

Click to hear gratitude from grantees Oneonta High School and Smith School (TST BOCES).

Looking ahead, we are eager to expand this grant opportunity and collaborate with grantees in the upcoming school year. If you would like to support this work further, donate today!

 Schools and early care and education sites that have received grants this year:

Broome County:

• Donnelly Elementary School
• Fathimas Family Day Care
• Johnson City High School

Chenango County:

• Afton Middle/High School
• Greene High School
• Greenlawn Elementary School
• Norwich Middle/High School
• Sherburne-Earlville Elementary School
• Unadilla Valley High School

Cortland County:

• Cincinnatus Secondary School

Delaware County:

• Downsville Central School
• Townsend Elementary School

Tioga County:

• Tioga Elementary School

Tompkins County:

• Dryden Middle School
• Newfield High School
• Smith School (Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES)

Otsego County:

• Cooperstown Elementary School
• Morris Central School
• Oneonta High School
• Oneonta Head Start (SUNY Oneonta)

Health Heroes in Action

Enjoy this fun video showcasing the "health heroes" who contribute to our Farm to School and Early Care and Education activities.

Getthere recently attended the Chenango County Area Agency on Aging’s 50th Anniversary. Hundreds of Chenango County seniors attended this event in West Park where there were activities throughout the day. Many area organizations and agencies talked with people and gave out community information including Getthere’s own Assistant Director Megan Blenis. Getthere helps people navigate mobility and transportation needs in Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego and Tioga counties. 

Anyone can call 1-855-373-4040 for transportation needs.

West Park in Norwich, NY

Megan Blenis shared Getthere resources with attendees at the 50th Anniversary event held by the Chenango County Area Agency on Aging.

News, Articles of Interest, and Resources

Webinar: Rural Partnership Program

On June 24 at 3 PM, join Aspen CSG, colleagues from the Brookings Institution, and practitioners from the field to learn more about the proposed Rural Partnership Program, a capacity-building program. Learn More

Rural Assembly Everywhere to be held August 1, 2024

Save the date for the Rural Assembly virtual event focusing on nurturing thriving communities. More Information

Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group Thrive Rural Resource Center

A new platform hosted by Aspen CSG curates research, resources, and case studies from organizations dedicated to equitable rural development. The resource center was created with policymakers, philanthropists, and media audiences in mind and offers insights and strategies to inform policy development, philanthropic investments, and media coverage.

Good Food New York Bill

On June 6th, the New York State legislature voted overwhelmingly to pass groundbreaking legislation that removes barriers for municipalities to purchase values-aligned food. The first state-wide legislation of its kind, the Good Food New York bill (S.6955A /A.7264) allows municipalities to prioritize healthy food from vendors who promote community health, worker well-being, local economies, racial equity, animal welfare, sustainability, and transparency, rather than prioritizing the lowest cost. Learn More

Save the Date - Rural Health Network Showcase, October 21

Rural Health Network of SCNY will host our second annual fundraising event on Monday, October 21st. We hope you will join us in celebrating our Rural Health Awardees. Watch for more details on award nominations and the event in the coming months.

2023 Impact Report