mission

Catalyst Cares is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that promotes social mobility through anti-obesity initiatives that improve health outcomes in underserved and vulnerable New York City communities. Catalyst Cares employs a collaborative model that leverages the expertise and resources of key community stakeholders to simultaneously improve the supply and demand for affordable fresh and healthy foods, while decreasing the community obesity rate through innovative and fun nutrition and health education and physical activity initiatives.

The initiative’s convening organizations (Catalyst Cares and Restoration Corporation) are working together to erase the food desert status, and decrease the obesity rate in Central Brooklyn by 3 percentage points in 3 years.

track record

In less than 18 months, the organization and its partners have identified 4 full-scale supermarkets in Central Brooklyn, which if successfully opened, would completely erase the food desert status for these inner city communities. We need your financial support to make this happen!

campaign overview

Launched two years ago, Catalyst Cares has made impressive strides toward improving health outcomes in food desert communities. In 2011, we assembled a community-based, multi-disciplinary steering committee to create an anti-obesity strategic plan that is currently underway. At present, our two major initiatives are:

1. Healthy Retail Task Force: a collaboration of community organizations, government entities and food justice non-profits focused on increasing the number of supermarkets and affordable fresh food grocers in high-need areas throughout Brooklyn and NYC. The steering committee includes the DOH Brooklyn District Public Health Office, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, NYC Economic Development Corporation, and the NYC Food and Fitness Partnership.
2. Let’s Move! Brooklyn: a fitness and nutrition initiative that partners with existing community organizations to deliver fun and engaging events and programs for residents of Brooklyn. The fitness and nutrition community engagement plan will be developed through a knowledge-sharing partnership with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! team and the Harlem Children’s Zone. The conveners of this project include the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office. The Launch event, "Visioning a Healthy Brooklyn" will take place on July 18th at Brooklyn Borough Hall, with closing remarks delivered by NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn.