LEFT: Rancho Cucamonga residents create a decorative mural during a recent CommUNITY Paint Day. (Photo provided) RIGHT: Community members admire their finished work on the CommUNITY Paint Day mural. (Photo provided) development to Los Amigos Park, to the city’s overall priorities. “Healthy RC came out of a council priority to create an environment where health is an accessible opportunity for all,” Marrufo said. Community Programs Coordinator Clarence de Guzman described Healthy RC as collaboration of community stakeholders from schools, faith-based organizations, nonprofit groups and businesses. “Really, we invite everyone to be a part of it,” he said. “Even if you’re not affiliated with these community-based organizations, you’re welcome and we encourage you to be a part of it.” Healthy RC has identified eight focus areas, including healthy eating and active living, community connections and safety, mental health, economic development, clean environment, healthy aging and disaster resiliency. “We really tried to address the whole gamut, not just your traditional sense of healthy eating and active living,” de Guzman said. “We were really looking at the holistic view.” Mental health Marrufo oversees Healthy RC’s mental health subcommittee, which offers tools and resources and raises awareness. An example is the “Your Mind Matters” campaign, a bilingual program that encourages conversation on a number of mental health topics, like resilience, coping skills, stress and anxiety and suicide prevention, which are often otherwise avoided. “These are all stigmatized issues in all cultures and all generations,” Marrufo said. The campaign also ensures residents are connected to mental health resources, information and training through support groups, self-care workshops and symposiums. Marrufo recalled feedback one resident gave on a speaker who shared resiliency skills.
A teen summit was held by Healthy RC, and it focused on mental health topics. (Photo provided)
“She wrote, ‘Being able to practice the coping skills was so impactful because, as a mother, I don’t have time to do this on my own, but now I have the skills I need to know what to do,’” Marrufo said. Healthy RC has also hosted grief and loss groups. “One person said they feel they’re not alone in their struggle, hearing people’s perspectives helps them realize that there are other folks going through grief and it brings them peace,” Marrufo said.
Healthy eating, living Access to fresh, locally grown produce is another concern for Healthy RC. Several neighborhoods were identified as “food deserts,” meaning there were no grocery stores within walking distance of where residents lived. “So we collaborated with planning to change the zoning of the city so we could reduce the barriers for farmer’s markets to come into the city and increase community garden zoning,” Marrufo said. JUNE 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 61
