VNA Community Outreach Day Returns 9 am to 2 pm Thursday
Free event features health screenings, music, food and health vendors
From 9 am to 2 pm Thursday, the local Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey branch in Asbury Park will host a free community outreach day.
The event is an opportunity for area residents to learn about the varying services offered at the Main Street branch, which includes primary and prenatal care, nutrition, dental, chiropractic, and behavioral helath care.
Free mammograms, colorectal and prostate cancer screenings will be offered, said Carmelle Zephirin, a social worker and patient navigator. Those who attend the event but are unable to participate in a screening will be added to list for a future visit and offered a free voucher for a screening administered at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
The local VNA served over 12,800 people last year, branch manager Abdul Crenshaw said. Their nurses also travel to shelters and pantries to adminitister outreach in the community.
The fifth annual event is also aimed at focussing in on early prevention initiatives. A number of vendors will be on hand to discuss health and nutrion options.
“We welcome everyone, especially those who are a part of the immigrant population,” Crenshaw said.
On staff are Creole, French and Spanish speaking caregivers. The VNA accepts all insurances and offers a sliding scale for those without insurance.
“We never turn people down,” Zephirin said of the walk-in facility. “We are here to serve them and help them have a better life, and to empower them.”
The rain or shine event also features a DJ and food. For more information, visit their website.
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