Meet Kate Castro, Healthy Communities Coalition’s Healthy Aging Program Coordinator. Kate has a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from UNR, and previously interned with Healthy Communities, helping to develop our Healthy Food Pantry Initiative. Today she’s part of our SNAP-Ed team administering the Stay Strong, Stay Healthy senior exercise program and the Seniors Eating Well Program in Yerington, Silver Springs and Dayton.

The Stay Strong, Stay Healthy Program is a 9 week program for older adults that meets the recommendation for healthy muscle strength. It’s an evidence-based strength program for older adults developed by University of Missouri Extension researchers and specialists with the goal of improving health and quality of life for seniors.

Seniors Eating Well is a curriculum intended to improve the nutrition and health status of middle-aged and older adults through nine lessons focused on important nutrition topics for seniors.

Kate is working with senior service providers and agency partners to establish both programs at three senior centers in Lyon County. Kate assists with class scheduling, recruiting class participants, delivering program curriculum, training senior volunteers as instructors, developing partnerships and relationships with partner agencies and participants, and providing healthy snacks for program participants.

Kate also collaborates with other SNAP-Ed staff to provide program enhancements such as gardens and intergenerational learning opportunities.