A retired nurse and avid tennis player, Terri Sullivan has always believed in daily exercise and good nutrition, but she readily admits that by volunteering several hours each week with the OASIS CATCH Healthy Habits program she is learning even more ways to improve her healthy lifestyle. OASIS CATCH Healthy Habits is the nation’s largest evidence-based, intergenerational health program. It unites caring volunteers age 50+ with children to inspire healthy eating and physical activity habits for a lifetime.

“I am definitely looking at food labels more carefully,” TSullivan notes. “Teaching young children the benefits of staying active and eating healthy can introduce you to something you might have not considered. You can just be involved with creating snacks or get involved with teaching exercise and increase your own exercise routine.”

Sullivan has volunteered with the program at Juniper Elementary as well as other afterschool sites in San Marcos and Escondido.

“Opening children’s eyes and minds to food choices outside what they see at home or at school and helping set them on a lifetime of staying healthy into the future is very rewarding,” she says. “When people are healthy they have a better outlook on life, are more content, more creative, and more productive. It’s an investment in the future to do this now.”

OASIS is a national nonprofit organization that promotes healthy aging through lifelong learning, health programs, and volunteer engagement. San Diego OASIS serves 40,000 members through programs throughout the metro area. 

Article written by Jennifer Navala, Intergenerational Coordinator, East & North Central Regions, County of San Diego HHSA

Community Service & Youth