Programa Puente finds home in Roosevelt Park neighborhood

Media sneak peek scheduled for Tuesday morning

September 12, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Spectrum Health’s Programa Puente, a free health-screening program for Kent County’s Latino population, has found a permanent home in Grand Rapids’ Roosevelt Park neighborhood. To showcase the space and discuss the program’s importance to the Latino community, Spectrum Health is inviting media to tour the building and speak to program participants and employees.

WHO: Media representatives
WHAT: Programa Puente sneak peek with director Jose Reyna
WHEN: 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016
WHERE: 1357 Grandville Ave. SW, Grand Rapids

Programa Puente, which is part of the Spectrum Health Healthier Communities initiative, aims to reduce diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Latino adults. After biometric screenings, participants are enrolled in a three-year program that teaches them how to manage their clinical numbers so they can improve or maintain their health. The program, conducted entirely in Spanish, incorporates education, nutritional wellness and physical activity.

Since its inception 16 years ago, Programa Puente has provided more than 7,000 Latino adults with health screenings and classes throughout Grand Rapids, including the YMCA, various Spectrum Health facilities and in participants’ homes.

“Offering all our services in an area with a large Latino population will provide Programa Puente with the presence that its participants have requested for quite some time,” said program director Jose Reyna. “We anticipate this free program will provide greater value as people learn about its permanent location, allowing Spectrum Health to offer additional services to even more at-risk adults.”

Anyone who would like to enroll in Programa Puente or refer an adult into the program may call 616.391.6199 or email programa.puente@spectrumhealth.org.

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

Contact:
Beth Cranson
Media Relations Manager
Office: 616.391.2603
Mobile: 616.540.0813
Email: elizabeth.cranson@corewellhealth.org