Family Resource Center opens in Inglewood
By Jason Lewis
Sentinel Staff Writer
L.A. Care Health Plan opened the new Family Resource Center in Inglewood. The new center will provide free health education and exercise classes for the community.
The center will provide information on eating healthy; pregnancy; healthy babies; arthritis; controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes; free cancer screenings; controlling asthma; and drug and alcohol prevention.
This center is vital to the Black community, as 35.7% of Blacks are obese. Women in the Black community suffer from obesity at a higher rate. Life expectancy for Black women in the United States is 75 years, compared to 80 years for White women and 83 years for Latina women. Black women have the highest rate of low weight babies, which leaves those children with a lifetime of problems.
Many members of the community do not know that they are suffering from certain illnesses. Better access to education and health care, which the center will provide, will reduce the health issues that the Black community faces.
The center will have fitness and nutrition classes. Lula Dance studios will instruct a weekly dance class. There will also be Pilates classes.
“There was once a fast food restaurant here (corner of Crenshaw and Century),” Inglewood City Councilman Danny Tabor said. “We need to talk about healthy living and healthy cooking. Inglewood needs to have that conversation.”
In addition to free health education and classes, the center will inform the public about the health care system, and will provide screenings for blood pressure, weight and vision.
The center will offer workshops on healthy cooking, parenting, and weight management. A Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) worker will be available by appointment at the center to help visitors with applications for WIC, Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and Healthy Kids programs.
L.A. Care Health Plan (Local Initiative Health Authority of Los Angeles County) is a public entity and community-accountable health plan-serving residents of Los Angeles County through a variety of programs. L.A. Care is a leader in developing new programs through innovative partnerships designed to provide health coverage to vulnerable populations and to support the safety net.
Supporters of L.A. Care include Blue cross, CHP, Kaiser, Great beginnings for Black babies, weight watchers, Women alive coalition, Uplifting our future, Black women for wellness, and A Plus nursing network.
The center is located at 3111 W. Century Blvd in Inglewood. The center is open from 10 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday, and 9 am to noon on Saturday. More information can be found on the center’s website at www.lacare.org, or by calling the center at 1-888-213-9384.
