Free health fair offers wellness services and resources in New Orleans
WELCOME BACK. WE ARE JOINED NOW BY KEVIN FERGUSON, VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND MEMBERSHIP AT NEW ORLEANS AND COMPANY. KEVIN IS HERE TO SHARE DETAILS ABOUT A FREE COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR HAPPENING AT THE FILLMORE, OFFERING EVERYTHING FROM MEDICAL SCREENINGS TO WELLNESS SESSIONS AND EVEN GROCERY GIVEAWAYS. SO THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE, KEVIN. STARTING OFF, TELL ME MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THIS FREE HOSPITALITY HEALTH FAIR THAT BASICALLY ANYONE CAN COME TO. RIGHT. BRITTANY. YES, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. WE’VE GOT A TON OF SERVICES THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE TOMORROW. THIS IS OUR THIRD TIME DOING THIS. EXCUSE ME ON TUESDAY. THIS IS OUR THIRD TIME DOING THIS EVENT. AND I WAS JOKING WITH SOMEBODY. IT’S LIKE GETTING THE AVENGERS BACK TOGETHER. WE’VE GOT SO MANY GREAT PARTNERS AND SERVICES THAT ARE GOING TO BE OFFERED. SO EVERYTHING FROM YOUR BASIC HEALTH CARE CHECKS, BLOOD PRESSURE, GLUCOSE, BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, DIABETES SCREENING, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS ARE GOING TO BE THERE AS WELL. PSA TESTS FOR THE GENTLEMAN, DENTAL AND VISION. THIS IS ACTUALLY WHERE I FOUND OUT LAST YEAR THAT I NEEDED READERS, SO YOU CAN GET YOUR VISION CHECKED WHILE YOU’RE THERE TODAY. ON TUESDAY, WE’LL ALSO HAVE MEDICAID ENROLLMENT, WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALTIES. ALSO, MASSAGE THERAPIST WILL BE ON SITE TOO. THAT’S AMAZING. AND IT’S FREE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO OFFER THIS TYPE OF EVENT TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND TO THE PUBLIC? SO WE’VE GOT GREAT PARTNERS IN THIS 504 HEALTH NET HAS REALLY LED ON TRYING TO ENGAGE HOSPITALITY WORKERS IN LIVING HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I IDENTIFIED, THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS TO ENTRY FOR HEALTH CARE, NOT JUST COST AND PERCEPTION OF COSTS, BUT ALSO TIME AND ALSO TRANSPORTATION. AND SO WITH THIS EVENT, WE TRY TO ELIMINATE ALL OF THAT. THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, BUT WE’VE GOT A SPECIAL FOCUS ON OUR HOSPITALITY WORKERS. SO THAT’S TUESDAY, 11 TO 4 AT THE FILLMORE. WE’VE GOT FREE PARKING IN THE HILTON WELL LOT AND THEN SHUTTLES THAT BRING PEOPLE OVER TO. I LOVE THAT. SO CAN YOU TELL US HOW MEANINGFUL THIS HEALTH FAIR HAS BEEN IN PAST YEARS? FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ATTENDED PREVIOUSLY? OH, IT’S BEEN INCREDIBLE, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS WE’VE HAD OVER 200 FOLKS ATTEND EACH HEALTH FAIR AT ONE OF THEM. I’LL TELL YOU A STORY. WE ACTUALLY HAD THREE FOLKS THAT WERE DIAGNOSED WITH LIFE THREATENING GLUCOSE LEVELS. SO DO NOT GO BACK TO WORK. DO NOT GO HOME. GO MEET LEE TO GET MEDICAL TREATMENT. SO IT JUST REALLY SHOWS THE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. FOLKS ARE WORKING HARD. THEY’RE TRYING TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY. THEY’RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FRIENDS. AND SOMETIMES WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES, TOO. YEAH, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, SO THIS IS A WAY THAT THEY CAN KIND OF COMBAT THAT. SO THERE IS MORE THAN JUST HEALTH SCREENINGS HAPPENING, LIKE WELLNESS SESSIONS, MASSAGES AND FINANCIAL WELLNESS LITERACY INFORMATION. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WILL BE OFFERED? I THINK ANYTIME YOU’VE GOT A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE TOGETHER LIKE THIS, IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO TAKE CARE OF THIS, THIS CRITICAL NEED OF HEALTHCARE, BUT ALSO ADDRESS OTHER THINGS. SO FROM FINANCIAL LITERACY, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, WE’VE GOT HURRICANE PREP. WE KNOW WE’RE GOING INTO HURRICANE SEASON RIGHT NOW. SO HAVING THOSE RESOURCES THERE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE, BUT ALSO FREE GROCERY GIVEAWAY. SO OUR PARTNERS AT TOP BOX ARE GIVING AWAY 200 BOXES OF GROCERIES. THE FIRST FOLKS THAT COME THROUGH THE LINE WILL ALSO HAVE A RAFFLE FOR ROUSES, GIFT CARDS FOR FOLKS THAT COMPLETE AT LEAST FIVE SCREENINGS WITH OUR PARTNERS. SO LCMC OCHSNER INCLUSIVE CARE VERITÉ NEWS. SO MANY INCREDIBLE PARTNERS ON THIS THAT ARE HELPING US BRING THIS TOGETHER. I JUST LOVE THIS. SO BENEFICIAL FOR THE COMMUNITY. HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN DOING THIS? SO THIS IS OUR THIRD ONE. I THINK WE STARTED IN 23 OR 24 AND WE SEE THE NEED THERE. WE SEE THE SUCCESS OF THESE. AND I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND AND SEE THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESSES AND GROUPS THAT WANT TO PARTNER WITH YOU TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, IT REALLY TELLS YOU YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING IMPACTFUL. ABSOLUTELY. VERY IMPACTFUL. WELL, FOR ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THIS HEALTH FAIR AND HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE AGAIN, IT’S HAPPENING ON TUESDAY. JUST HEAD OVER TO OUR WEBSITE, WDSU.COM TO CHECK OUT THE FULL ARTICLE ON THAT EVENT. AND AGAIN, KEVIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. AND YOU JUST HAVE A WEALT
Free health fair offers wellness services and resources in New Orleans
Updated: 7:30 AM CDT Jun 23, 2025
Editorial Standards
A free health fair at The Fillmore, located at 6 Canal Street in New Orleans, is providing a variety of medical screenings, wellness sessions, and community resources. The event will run from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on June 24, 2025, and is open to everyone, aiming to support health and wellness with services including blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, vision, dental, and mental health checks.Organizers are partnering with 504HealthNet, InclusiveCare, Ochsner Health, University Medical Center New Orleans LCMC Health, and Verite News to offer these resources. This is the third year for the event, which also features harm reduction care, Medicaid enrollment assistance, hurricane preparedness information, smoking cessation support, financial literacy, and voter registration.Attendees can receive free massages and join wellness sessions by Footprints to Fitness. There will be 200 free grocery boxes available on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants who complete at least five health checks or services are eligible for a raffle to win Rouses gift cards.Free parking is offered at the Hilton Riverside Whale Lot, with shuttle service to and from The Fillmore.This health fair, while geared toward hospitality industry workers, welcomes anyone interested in receiving free health services.
A free health fair at The Fillmore, located at 6 Canal Street in New Orleans, is providing a variety of medical screenings, wellness sessions, and community resources. The event will run from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on June 24, 2025, and is open to everyone, aiming to support health and wellness with services including blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, vision, dental, and mental health checks.
Organizers are partnering with 504HealthNet, InclusiveCare, Ochsner Health, University Medical Center New Orleans LCMC Health, and Verite News to offer these resources. This is the third year for the event, which also features harm reduction care, Medicaid enrollment assistance, hurricane preparedness information, smoking cessation support, financial literacy, and voter registration.
Attendees can receive free massages and join wellness sessions by Footprints to Fitness. There will be 200 free grocery boxes available on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants who complete at least five health checks or services are eligible for a raffle to win Rouses gift cards.
Free parking is offered at the Hilton Riverside Whale Lot, with shuttle service to and from The Fillmore.
This health fair, while geared toward hospitality industry workers, welcomes anyone interested in receiving free health services.
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