Community centers across the San Diego region partnered with the County of San Diego to offer free blood pressure screenings in support of the Love Your Heart campaign.  These community centers hosted colorful Valentine's Day events with activities and festivities that helped to promote community involvement and better health.

Lakeside Community Center's event included the Lakeside Fire Department offering free blood pressure screenings to people of all ages, including children and seniors, and performances by community members dressed in costumes and twirling colorful parasols.

City Heights put on an engaging health fair.  A group of Somali women wearing bright and colorful clothing, known as a "hijab," talked about all the resources available at today's Love Your Heart event at the East African Community and Cultural Center.  Sahro Nor came for free health checks such as blood pressure, blood glucose level, and vision testing and to receive information on the Affordable Care Act, voter registration, and mental health resources. She was very happy that community organizations worked with the County to bring these resources to City Heights residents.  Another resident, Kadra Hassan, discussed how it is important for her that family and friends come together to take advantage of these opportunities to learn about staying healthy.  She shared a phrase in Somali, "Nolol wa cafimad," which means "Life is health." 

Young people also attended and shared how important this type of resource fair is for their community.  Fatuma, an 11th grade student from Hoover High School, said that today's Love Your Heart event is critical because members of the community can do something now to stay healthy instead of waiting to go to the hospital.  Several of the organizers added that these collaborative efforts also show residents that the County HHSA Central Region Public Health Center and community partners, such as the United Women of East Africa Support Team, faith-based organizations, UCSD Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Branch, La Maestra Community Health Center, Copley YMCA, and UCSD EyeMobile Clinic, UCSD-Ladaan Project all offer numerous resources in City Heights that the community can access.