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Past Sessions

March 31, 2025 | Lac Hong Adult Day Care

On March 31, 2025, Health Education for Life (H.E.L.P.) hosted its first-ever community workshop, “The Sweet Truth: Balancing Sugar for a Vibrant Life,” at Lac Hong Adult Day Care. This milestone event united youth leadership and senior-centered care to foster meaningful health, nutrition, and community support conversations.

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As the founder and workshop facilitator, I was proud to deliver an interactive, bilingual session in both English and Vietnamese, ensuring that language was not a barrier to learning. The goal was to empower our senior participants with practical knowledge about sugar intake and its role in overall health without overwhelming them with medical jargon.

What We Covered

The session focused on making nutrition easy to understand and apply. Our topics included:

  • How sugar works in the body

  • Reading nutrition labels to identify hidden sugars

  • Recognizing the difference between natural and added sugars

  • The relationship between sugar and Type II diabetes

  • Easy sugar substitutes and healthy swaps

  • Daily sugar limits and how to stay within them

We encouraged open discussion and offered space for participants to reflect, ask questions, and share their own tips and challenges.

Pink Shopping Bag

A Personal Touch

To create a warm and welcoming environment, I prepared goodie bags for each participant. These included:

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  • Herbal tea and low-sugar snacks

  • A sugar facts handout for easy reference

  • A card giving more information about what the Health Education for Life Project does
     

  • This gesture was designed to show each individual that they are valued and supported, beyond just the lesson content.

Words That Moved Us

The feedback we received was both affirming and emotional. One of our community partners, Steven Lee, shared a testimonial that truly resonated:

Our seniors always enjoy seeing new faces and do appreciate you all taking the time to share your knowledge with them. Many of them don’t have much family (or family that cares) so when young folks like yourself take the time to show them you care, they enjoy it a lot!

- Steven Lee

This reminder of the deeper social impact of our work reinforced why H.E.L.P. exists—to educate, connect, and care.

What We Learned

  • Health education is most impactful when it’s culturally relevant and easily digestible.

  • Thoughtful design—like colorful visuals and relatable examples—makes learning engaging.

  • Small, personal touches go a long way in creating meaningful experiences.

  • Above all, showing up with empathy can be just as powerful as any curriculum.

Image by Patrick Perkins

What’s Next for H.E.L.P.

This workshop was just the beginning. Our next steps include:

Expanding workshops to additional senior care facilities

Developing sessions on heart health, hydration, and medication safety

Collaborating with fellow youth leaders for intergenerational outreach

Continuing to produce bilingual and accessible health education materials

Thank you to everyone who made this day so special. We’re excited to continue this journey toward health equity—one conversation at a time.

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Interested in partnering, volunteering, or learning more?
Visit our Contact page or follow us on Instagram for updates on upcoming programs.

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