ST. HELENA ORGANIZATIONS EMBRACE WELL-BEING TRANSFORMATION, ACHIEVE BLUE ZONES PROJECT UPPER NAPA VALLEY APPROVED STATUS
Local Worksites, Restaurant Recognized For Engagement With Innovative Community-Led Well-Being Transformation Initiative
Upper Napa Valley, Ca., November 1, 2023 - Leading St. Helena organizations are playing a critical role in transforming the well-being of the Upper Napa Valley community, as Blue Zones Project® - Upper Napa Valley announced that Adventist Health St. Helena (AHSH) and UpValley Family Centers have achieved Blue Zones Project Approved™ worksite status, while Clif Family Bruschetteria Food Truck is now a Blue Zones Project Approved restaurant and is working toward becoming a Blue Zones Project Approved™ worksite. AHSH is the first worksite in the Adventist Health System to achieve Approved status. In addition, the City of St. Helena has made significant progress towards becoming an Approved worksite.
Based on research on the world’s longest-lived communities by National Geographic Fellow and best-selling author Dan Buettner, Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative focused on changing the built environment to address social determinants of health while making healthy choices easier, and helping people live longer, healthier and happier lives. Blue Zones Project came to Upper Napa Valley in 2021 through an innovative sponsorship with Adventist Health and in partnership with the St. Helena Hospital Foundation and Blue Zones, LLC.
About one-third of our waking hours are spent at work, and fewer jobs today require moderate physical activity than in the past. Employers are in a powerful position to help us move more, eat better, and connect, and AHSH and UpValley have earned Approved worksite status by adopting employee well-being improvement initiatives to address these and other areas of opportunity.
“It excites me to see the growing opportunities for impact that exist with the latest additions of approvals in the Upper Valley. It continues to be my hope that we can make the healthier choices easier for everyone, and I am especially proud that we can serve the healthcare team at the St. Helena Hospital in this way,” said Steven Herber, MD, President, Adventist Health St. Helena.
“It has been so much fun incorporating the Blue Zones Power 9® into worksite well-being at Adventist Health St. Helena. The employees have been incredibly open to exploring this approach for their own well-being, and the enthusiasm I have witnessed for Purpose
Workshops, moais, and volunteerism is enhancing a culture of well-being that will benefit the patient experience as well,” added Trina Justman, Director of Associate Well-Being, Adventist Health St. Helena Blue Zones Campus.
In a similar fashion, colleagues at all levels of UpValley Family Centers have come together to create a cultural shift and environmental change to make healthy choices easier and have achieved great results.
“For 24 years, our work has centered on providing people of all ages and backgrounds with access to resources and skill-building opportunities to create a more inclusive and healthier community,” said Jenny Ocon, Executive Director for UpValley Family Centers. “In helping people live longer, better lives by improving their surroundings, Blue Zones Project well-being practices are in total alignment with our values - supporting our staff and clients alike, and we are thrilled to be approved as a Blue Zones Project worksite.”
“We are very proud to have accomplished this goal for the employees of UpValley Family Centers,” added Alejandra Cruz and Claudia Samuels, chairs of the UpValley staff Wellness Committee. “Our employees are local residents who help our community and do so with much care and compassion. Our goal is to advocate for them and prioritize their well-being while we continue to help others.”
“Through Blue Zones Project Upper Napa Valley, Clif Family Bruschetteria has proudly adopted well-being practices that further our commitment to providing our customers with a healthy experience. I am proud of our efforts and our team members who serve this community every day,” said Linzi Gay, president of Clif Family Winery & Farm.
“Local employers and businesses play a huge role in improving the overall well-being of the community, both within their organizations and beyond. By embracing the Blue Zones Project approach to elevating well-being, AHSH, UpValley and Clif Family are leading the charge here in Upper Napa Valley and are well-positioned to continue to advance the well-being of this community," said Joaquin Razo, Executive Director of Blue Zones Project Upper Napa Valley. “We applaud these organizations for their hard work and dedication and encourage other local organizations to follow their example as we continue on our journey to transform the well-being of Upper Napa Valley.”
To learn more about Blue Zones Project, contact the Blue Zones Project team in the Upper Napa Valley by email at BZPUpperNapaValley@sharecare.com or visit unv.bluezonesproject.com. To follow upcoming events and happenings follow us on facebook and Instagram @bzpuppernapavalley.
