Annabelle Faveron is sold on eating healthier, feeling better and volunteering with CATCH Healthy Habits.

“As a volunteer, I’ve learned a lot about nutrition,” says Annabelle. “It has helped me make changes in my diet. Amazingly, once I started eating healthier, I began to feel better.”

Feeling better was a must-do for Annabelle, who struggled with considerable nerve damage after an automobile accident. Pain medications and therapies were not helping, but she found something much more fun that really worked: the Oasis CATCH Healthy Habits program at Bronx House in New York City.

Annabelle’s experience is something that many CATCH Healthy Habits volunteers across the country report: teaching children about good nutrition and the benefits of physical activity actually has a positive impact on their own health. It’s CATCHing and its fun!

Oasis CATCH Healthy Habits is the nation’s largest evidence-based, intergenerational health program. It unites caring volunteers age 50+ with children to inspire healthy eating and physical activity habits for a lifetime. Volunteers meet weekly with children after school and in summer camps, providing healthy snacks, a lesson and fun, active games.The program is active in 11 cities and has benefited more than 25,000 children and 12,000 adults.

Volunteers are needed to work with kids!  Learn more about where you can volunteer.

Anthem Foundation supports the program nationally.  In the Bronx, CATCH Healthy Habits is supported by Empire BlueCross BlueShield Foundation.

Teaching adults is just as fun and rewarding

As a volunteer leader for Oasis Healthy Habits for Adults, Jean MacDonald knows she has helped older adults arm themselves with the information they need to eat healthier and get more physical activity into their daily routines.

“We provide a real service,” says Jean, of Portland, Maine. “It’s so important to know what’s in the food you eat and to stay active. A lot of exercises can be done sitting down in a chair. We encourage participants to try something new each week to build stamina and flexibility.”

The one-hour sessions are based on information in the Oasis Healthy Living Guide for Adults, a free resource full of tips, recipes and suggestions for simple exercises that adults can do at their own pace. The guide is available in English and Spanish.

“When we start each class, we try to share the progress we’ve made during the week with diet and exercise,” says Jean. “I have been blown away to hear them list what they are accomplishing. Many seem proud to report to someone what they are doing.”

Training and materials are available for volunteers interested in teaching Healthy Habits for Adults.
Choose a city to learn more.

These volunteers are featured in the 2015 Oasis Annual Report.