Southbridge Fitness, through the Addo Foundation, began an intergenerational wellness program rooted in health, social connection, and community economic development. Through coordination with the Myrtle Avenue-Brooklyn Partnership and other Age-friendly Neighborhood Organization Convening members, they were able to increase participation from 10 to 25 registrants. Phase I included detailed assessments using FIT-3D, a health metric tracker, and began the daily exercise routine which focused on strength training, flexibility, and balance. The grant funding also supported Phase II which facilitated educational grocery shopping trips for older adults and adolescents to learn where to find fresh, healthy produce in their community.

The Addo Foundation is one of the programs part of the Cancer Equity Lab and Center for Spirituality and Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In collaboration with M.I.C.A.H. Project HEAL, the Addo Foundation introduced evidence-based health workshops at Southbridge Fitness Center's Brooklyn location on diabetes prevention and lifestyle medicine. Led by Rev. Zorina Costello, Director of Community Engagement, and a team from the Department of Population Health and Sciences and Policy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Subject matter medical experts from the Mount Sinai Health System have contributed to evidenced-based robust teaching materials on topics such as mental health, diabetes, heart disease, smoking cessation, lifestyle medicine, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, cognitive decline, and oral health, and COVID-19. Monifa Maat and Martin Addo are both Certified CHA's (Community Health Advisors).

Martin Addo and Monifa Maat have received two citations from Brooklyn Borough President for their work in health and wellness in addition to their commitment to provide free online fitness classes to seniors and older adults during the 2020 COVID Pandemic.

Since 2017 Southbridge Fitness Center has conducted a CDC approved diabetes prevention program in Manhattan and Brooklyn locations. The program is part of The National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP), a partnership of public and private organizations working to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. The program is offered both onsite and online with each cohort being 22 sessions over the course of 1 year. Monifa Maat is the Program Director of this program at Southbridge Fitness Center, and Certified Diabetes Prevention Lifestyle Coach (NDPP), author, speaker and Certified TRX Fitness Instructor.

In partnership with Columbia University researchers, the Addo Foundation is working on a pilot project to better understand the reasons people do or do not get colon cancer screening. Colorectal cancer screening rates are lower in communities of color and in various neighborhoods across NYC, including in Brooklyn. Previous and current ongoing efforts to increase screening have primarily been through medical centers and/or faith-based initiatives. We are interested in exploring alternative and new approaches to reach the community. In particular, fitness centers may reach community members who are not connected with medical centers and/or churches but are interested in their health. Our community partners, Monifa Maat and Martin Addo of the Addo Foundation, collaborate closely with the Southbridge Fitness Center, whose membership spans many ages and Brooklyn location neighbors public housing. Leveraging the Addo Foundation’s growing expertise in community health outreach and fitness, combined with the academic partners expertise in cancer genetics research (Alison Taylor) and outreach (Kazeem Abdul and Kimberly Burke of COE), here we will explore why members of communities of color in Brooklyn choose to complete or forgo colon cancer screening.

We’ve been blessed and proud to host several interns through NYC’s Summer Youth Employment program. Not only do our interns develop a deep understanding of fitness and what it means to lead a healthy life, they also learn leadership skills, the ins-and-outs of running a small business, and interpersonal skills. We are so thankful to our past interns - they’ve made Southbridge Fitness Center the success it is today!