Ironwill is Making a Difference in Health and Nutrition

For Low Income Families

New York - On January 21st 2010,  Ironwill Wellness Program was launched at The Mercy Center in the South Bronx.

" The Ironwill Wellness program is based on the principle that everyone deserves good health regardless of who you are or where you live. We want to give families in low-income communities the opportunity to learn about health and wellness from a team of experts," said Gary Salmirs, CEO and founder of Ironwill. 

This six week comprehensive course covers the fundamentals of nutrition for low-income families including hands on cooking classes and a focus on fresh produce.  Ironwill Wellness Program is led by a team of dedicated professionals; a pediatrician, a professor of health education and a chef and food supply expert, all donating their time to make a difference and reach people who often are not given an opportunity to learn about health and wellness. With an overwhelming response to this program, six women, with health issues and  concerns, were chosen to become the first group to benefit from the Ironwill Wellness Program.

Topics covered:

This program was designed to educate and build on what these women already know about the role nutrition and fitness play in overall health.  The program has been customized for this socio-economic group and a comprehensive manual is given at the start of the class with food logs and course information.  The manual was translated into Spanish and a Spanish translator is at each class to make sure all information is clearly explained. 

"We want the women to leave after six weeks armed with the tools to make healthy eating a part of their everyday lives," said Mark Scherzer, President and author of the program.

At the end of the six week class, the students of Ironwill graduate, but have an opportunity to continue on with the Ironwill Community program for as long as they want to participate. Ironwill Community program not only provides the new students with a support group but allows the graduates to stay involved and creates a family among them. This community of  families supports each other in their pursuit of healthy eating. Ironwill will offer monthly nutrition opportunities such as cooking classes and workshops so graduates of the program can further their education, stay motivated and involved.

This program will continue at The Mercy Center as well as other inner cities across the country.  The expansion of this program is already in planning stages with a focus for kids and teens.

One of the struggles with diets is that it is just that, a diet, not a way of life, but not Ironwill. Ironwill is a way of life and teaching fundamentals of cooking, health and wellness and understanding the importance of what we put into our bodies.  _____________________________________________________________
This program was founded by Gary Salmirs,  a private business owner dedicated to health and wellness and wanting to make a difference for people in low income neighborhoods. Ironwill Foundation was initially created in March, 2008 with the goal of raising money for diseases that don’t receive a lot of funding.  Ironwill sponsored two spinathons for The Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation and raised over $100,000.
Address of Ironwill:  910 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632