[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 154 (Tuesday, December 4, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING MR. WADE NORWOOD OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, WINNER OF THE 
                       ``ROCK IN THE POND'' AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 4, 2012

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, it is my esteemed honor to recognize Mr. 
Wade Norwood of the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency (FLHSA) in 
Rochester, New York, who was today awarded the ``Rock in the Pond'' 
Unsung Heroes of Public Health Award by the Campaign for Public Health. 
I am immensely proud of Wade and the work that he and the FLHSA do for 
the citizens of Rochester.
  Wade has dedicated his life to ensuring long-term community change 
for today's families and future generations. When it comes to public 
health, he is a true ``rock in the pond''--advocating for the 
betterment of our community, with a keen interest for the underserved 
and the most vulnerable. He gives a voice to those who do not have one, 
and advocates health care equity for all, whether in his role as 
Director of Community Engagement at the FLHSA, as Pastor of the Holy 
Jerusalem Spiritual Church in Rochester, NY, or as a member of the New 
York State Board of Regents.
  At FLHSA, Wade plays a crucial role in convening programs that 
improve public health, such as the local Partnership for the Uninsured, 
the Rochester Area Task Force on AIDS, the Coalition to Prevent Lead 
Poisoning, the African-American Health Coalition and the Latino Health 
Coalition, and Healthi Kids, among others. He has been the face and 
voice of statewide health care improvement as he has led the FLHSA's 
effort to reduce health disparities, helping to shape the Agency's 
community engagement efforts and providing leadership to issues that 
have a tremendous impact on the health of the city of Rochester and the 
Finger Lakes region. He heads up a program called Healthi Kids, which 
advocates for policy changes that prevent childhood obesity, and which 
has resulted in returning recess into Rochester City School District 
(RCSD) elementary schools and working with the RCSD to provide 
healthier, more nutritional and culturally relevant meals during the 
school year and summer camps. As a result, approximately 30,000 
children and youth receive healthier school meals daily.
  Wade also convenes the Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning in 
Rochester, an education and advocacy organization composed of nearly 
100 individuals and community organizations dedicated to eliminating 
childhood lead poisoning in Monroe County. The program received the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Justice 
Achievement Award for its leadership in community-based efforts to 
prevent childhood lead poisoning. It has influenced major lead-related 
public policy changes, including a local lead ordinance requiring 
inspections for lead paint hazards.
  Under Wade's leadership, the High Blood Pressure Collaborative aims 
to reduce the incidence of hypertension and its devastating effects 
(heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke) through a collaborative 
approach and community engagement. The program includes working with 
employers to establish worksite wellness initiatives, collaborating 
with faith and community based organizations in inner city 
neighborhoods where residents find barriers in accessing care, and 
working with health providers to improve their practices' control rate 
of high blood pressure. In 2012 alone, the Collaborative provided over 
7,000 face-to-face blood pressure readings and consultations, and 
another 6,000 with kiosks strategically located in public facilities, 
such as libraries.
  Wade has expanded the roles of the Health Disparities/African 
American and Latino Health Coalitions to ensure there is a community 
table that is truly representative, and that all voices are heard. Wade 
and the members of the coalitions address diseases of deep impact to 
minorities, which include metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure. 
This effort included engaging 19 churches--including his own--with a 
membership in excess of 5,000 minority congregants, to engage in 
screening and health literacy programs.
  Wade also led the Partnership on the Uninsured in its evaluation of 
insurance coverage barriers, defining community-wide strategies to 
address these barriers, and implementing a strategic approach to 
diminishing the number of those without health insurance.
  Whether it is through his extensive work with FLHSA, on volunteer 
boards, in his parish, or in the many civic roles he holds, Wade 
embodies the ``Rock in the Pond'' award he has received. He makes a 
difference in the health and well-being of all in our community. I ask 
my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Wade Norwood for his 
commitment, his selflessness, and his passion to improve the health and 
lives of all those around him.

                          ____________________