McALLEN — Texas A&M Healthy South Texas will be hosting a first-of-its-kind regional community event in McAllen for expectant mothers, young parents and their families, according to organizers.
The Healthy Families, Healthy Communities Expo will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 16 at the McAllen Convention Center, 700 Convention Center Blvd., Exhibit Hall B. Admission is free.
It is one of the first events of Healthy South Texas, a program organizers say is an unprecedented effort to promote preventive health across the region. Participants will be encouraged to sign up for programs that focus on reducing the highest impact diseases and their consequences, including diabetes, asthma and infectious diseases.
Luisa Colin, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service regional program leader for family and consumer sciences and 4-H youth development in Weslaco, said the event is designed to provide resources that will impact the well-being of South Texans for generations to come.
“This event will provide a full slate of health education and awareness, support and motivation that will help young families take control of their health,” Colin said. “The goal is a healthier lifestyle that will play out for years to come.”
Doctors Hospital at Renaissance and Driscoll Health Plan are top-level sponsors of the event, she said. Vendors from area organizations will be on hand to provide resources in wellness, nutrition, physical activity, parenting, safety, health education and more.
Special guests include Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and McAllen Mayor Jim Darling.
“We’re reaching out specifically to young families because they hold the future,” Sharp said. “When their children are given a healthy start, we can look forward to a more vibrant community for generations to come. This event is just the beginning of that journey.”
Healthy South Texas combines the expertise of the Texas A&M Health Science Center with AgriLife Extension’s statewide reach to promote preventive health at the most local level of the community, coordinators said. It is the pilot program of Healthy Texas, designed to engage families, enhance education, promote behavior change and improve the quality of medical care and health outcomes across South Texas.
The first 750 families through the door of the event will receive diaper bags loaded with infant essentials, and the first 300 families will receive diapers, Colin said. Every hour door prizes will be given away, including a crib complete with mattress, sheets and a mobile, a car seat, a pack-and-play playard, a toddler bed activity table, toys and more.
Hinjosa said a strong and successful future for Texas is possible only if the next generation of Texans is healthy and well-educated.
“It’s wonderful to see so many community members and organizations in the Rio Grande Valley coming together at events such as this one with a shared vision of creating a culture of better health in South Texas,” he said.
Starr Flores, regional director of Healthy South Texas, said, “Lifestyle habits developed during the early years often become lifelong habits and we want to perpetuate a healthy lifestyle for all. This event will begin to provide many young families with the tools they need to help them take control of their health and serve as an example for future generations.”
For more information, contact Colin at 956-968-5581 or lgcolin@ag.tamu.edu.