Bloom wellness event aimed to draw more Latinos to third session at Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank

This year's Bloom wellness event aimed to reach more Long Island Latinos, so the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County partnered with 100 Hispanic Women for Saturday's session at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center in Yaphank.

“We realized the Latino community may not have access to these types of resources on a regular basis,” said Vanessa Lockel, the cooperative's executive director.

Bloom was launched two years ago to get Suffolk residents outdoors and thinking about wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Lockel, who also serves on the board of the Long Island chapter of 100 Hispanic Women, a nonprofit designed to enrich the personal and professional lives of Latino residents.

Saturday's Bloom featured more than a dozen vendors and activities focused on wellness and other services for the Hispanic community, from eating healthy and getting exercise, to bilingual and immigration services.

As part of its involvement, 100 Hispanic Women wanted more Spanish-language resources available this year. Sessions in Spanish included a clinic on positive mind techniques, career credentialing, and a kids' dance and play activity.

Alicia McGrath, president of the Long Island chapter of 100 Hispanic Women, pointed to the Hispanic Counseling Center, formerly Project Hope, as an important participant.

“Mental health is a big issue for Latino communities, as far as not having the resources,” McGrath said.

Neuroscience, breast cancer prevention, stress management and diabetes education were among the other vendors present.

Lockel says she hopes families left Saturday’s event with a better sense of inexpensive ways to feel better.

“Where do you start on feeling better when you don't really know where to start?” she asked. “So to have a person come in here, grab resources and have a different view of what Long Island can be for them, I think is great.”

An added benefit to hosting the event at the Yaphank educational farm, which is operated by Cornell Cooperative Extension, is that guests could take advantage of the farm's resources, from feeding animals to goat yoga to hayrides.

“It's a free space for families to come visit and there’s not a lot of that,” said Brittany Naumann, 4H educational manager at the farm. “Our biggest hope is that people leave with an appreciation for nature and animals and want to do more to preserve farmland and open spaces in our communities.”

McGrath said Saturday’s event was all about expanding access and awareness.

“I want [Hispanic families] to be aware of what resources are available to them and also to have a feeling of a sense of community,” McGrath said.

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.