Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus | Clinical, Research, and Academic Excellence

HCI Overview

HCI Project Update: Year 2

Community Design

Implemented neighborhood pedestrian improvements.
• Completed Neighborhood Action Plans: a template for streetscape improvements in Allentown, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC), and Fruit Belt
• Launched the Buffalo Blue Bike Program: a community bike lending program and weekend workshop.

Public Policy & Work Sites

• Drafted legislation for the creation of a city-wide Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. (adopted)
• Drafted legislation requiring bicycle accomodations in new city parking lots and structures. (adopted)
• Launched the Healthy Worksites Program and a campus-wide wellness committee on the BNMC.

Communication & Education

Completed a communication and education strategy.
• Registered BNMC employees in the America on the Move program culminating with a campus-wide celebration with over 200 attendees taking the AOM pledge.
• Launched Walking on Wednesdays (WOW), a weekly campus-wide walking group.

Healthy Eating by Design

Healthy Eating by Design is based at the Bennett Park Montessori Center, a pre-K-8 public school located near Buffalo’s downtown. The project will implement the following activities to promote healthy eating and active living among school children:

FARM-TO-CAFETARIA PROGRAM: A free salad bar in the school cafeteria will provide children with organic, fresh, produce from local farms, the school’s own garden and locally-owned businesses.

AFTERSCHOOL GARDENING PROGRAM: An after-school gardening program will teach children about the connection between healthy growing and healthy eating.

HEALTH EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM: Food and nutrition education will be integrated with school curriculum to support a school wide focus on healthy eating for students and families.

ART AND HEALTH: ‘Healthy eating in the school’ will be celebrated through mural painting by children and local artists.

CELEBRATE FOOD AND FAMILY: Weekly community dinners will feature ‘local and healthy food’ for children and their families.

PROMOTE ACTIVE LIVING BY DESIGN: Children will design a community ‘Healthwalk’ to promote walking to school.

HCI Project Update: Year 1

Community Design

Completed comprehensive infrastructure assessment for entire project area.
• Developed and conducted the Active Living Road Show for neighborhood stakeholders.
• Created a "shared" vision statement for Allentown, BNMC, and Fruit Belt.

Public Policy & Work Sites

• Completed a comprehesive policy assessment on the federal, state, and city levels.
• Began developing an Urban Design Template for new infrastructire for Allentown, BNMC, and Fruit Belt.
• "Heart Check" was completed by BNMC institutions.

Communication & Education

• Completed draft of our communication and education strategy.
• Alternative Transportation Day and Active Living Week held on the BNMC.
• Created 3 working groups of the partnership: community design, policy, and communications.