FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenspace to feature hearts painted within Cazenovia, Delaware and Riverside Park to provide special socially distant areas for park users to connect with the calm of nature.
PR CONTACTS
Sarah Larkin
Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
Sarah@bfloparks.org | 716.861.0716
Kristen Holdsworth
Molina Healthcare
Kristen.Holdsworth@MolinaHealthcare.com | 716.713.7332
With fall foliage starting to peak and temperatures cooling, The MolinaCares Accord and the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy are proud to announce Peace in the Parks, a new partnership that provides a safe, socially distant space for rest, respite and connecting with nature.
In honor of World Mental Health Day, October 10th, the Conservancy will spray paint hearts in three different locations in Cazenovia, Delaware, and Riverside Park for the community to enjoy. Channeling the spirit and legacy of Olmsted, these spaces are designed to provide a peaceful spot to rest and give respite to anyone who wishes to soak up the benefits of being in outside. The community is encouraged to step into a heart space for relaxation, reading, picnicking, cloud watching, listening to birds, meditating or any other activity that can support one’s mental wellbeing, especially during this time of social distancing.
Mental Illness Awareness week, October 4th – October 10th, was established to educate and increase awareness of mental health and wellness needs in the community. The week concludes with World Mental Health Day on Saturday, October 10th. The last few months have been challenging with COVID-19 and the need to quarantine and separate, which can add to levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. One of the most effective ways to improve mental health is to go outdoors. In fact, walking outside is proven to reduce depression and anxiety, while improving mood and self-esteem.
“The MolinaCares Accord in New York is honored and excited to partner with the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy on this meaningful initiative,” said Kristen Holdsworth, Associate VP – Marketing, Sales, Community Engagement, Molina Healthcare. “As a health plan, we are truly committed to improving the health, happiness, and well-being of our members and the communities we serve. Mental health awareness and understanding and providing support for those struggling with mental health challenges has never been so critical. Team Molina is dedicated to being at the forefront of this effort.”
“The Conservancy appreciates our partnership with The MolinaCares Accord in creating this special awareness opportunity for our community, especially as we enter another change of season together,” said Stephanie Crockatt, Executive Director. “For many, our Olmsted parks have been the go-to happy place these past few months, and we encourage all users to continue their personal diligence and care for one another during these complicated and sensitive times.”
To learn more about Peace in the Parks and view maps of the heart locations, please visit www.bfloparks.org/peace.
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About the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is the first nonprofit organization in the nation, through a unique public-private partnership, to manage and operate an entire urban park system consisting of more than 850 acres of beautifully designed historic parks, parkways and circles. The Conservancy is an independent not-for-profit, community organization whose mission is to promote, preserve, restore, enhance, and maintain the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks and parkways in the Greater Buffalo area for current and future generations. Since 2004 the Conservancy has held responsibility for the management and care of these nationally registered historic green spaces, and in 2019 the Conservancy and City signed a new 12-year partnership agreement with an approved update to its five-year plan for the Olmsted parks in continuing to assist the City in bringing recognition to its collective renaissance. Designed by America’s first landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted more than 150 years ago, these 25 iconic connective spaces represent the nation’s first urban park system. More than 2.5 million visits occur in Buffalo’s Olmsted Park system annually for recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation. Most recently, the American Planning Association recognized Delaware Park as one of the 2014 Great Places in America, The Guardian publication named Buffalo’s Olmsted park system as one of the best park systems in the world, and in 2018 the Conservancy set a Guinness World Record in historic Bidwell Parkway. www.bfloparks.org
The Buffalo Olmsted Park System includes:
Six parks: Cazenovia, Delaware, Front, Martin Luther King, Jr., Riverside, and South parks
Seven parkways: Bidwell, Chapin, Lincoln, McKinley, Porter, Red Jacket, and Richmond
Eight landscaped traffic circles: Agassiz, Colonial, Ferry, Gates, McClellan, McKinley, Soldiers, and Symphony
About The MolinaCares Accord in New York
The MolinaCares Accord (“The Accord”) launched in 2020 with a $150 million commitment to building stronger communities through improving people’s health and lives. The Accord invests in solving the many gaps that exist in health care today, particularly for disadvantaged populations. For more information on the Accord, visit MolinaCares.com. Since 2016, Molina Healthcare of New York has been providing government-funded, quality health care to low-income individuals. The Company serves members through Medicaid, Child Health Plus (CHP), Health & Recovery Plan (HARP) and the Essential Plan. Visit MolinaHealthcare.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
