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August 2025 Public Health E-Newsletter 

Digging Into Wellness: Gardening and Mental Health

We all know that a well-tended garden can provide us with fresh produce that tastes amazing, beautiful flowers and fragrant herbs. But can it also deliver mental health benefits? Spending time tending to plants, getting your hands dirty and breathing fresh air provides stress relief our minds and bodies need. A 2021 study in the journal Cities reported that significant improvements in well-being, reductions in perceived stress and greater physical activity were all strongly associated with more frequent gardening.

There's still plenty of summer left to reap these benefits! Looking to up your gardening game? Here are a few resources in Oak Park:

• The Village's Office of Sustainability and Resilience encourages Oak Parkers to plant native species on their property and the parkways. Learn about the benefits of and resources to support native gardening here.  
• The Oak Park Conservatory hosts several gardening programs, including lectures, a plant and tool exchange and a seed swap. 
• The Oak Park Public Library frequently hosts gardening events and lectures, including several upcoming lectures on composting and fall vegetable gardening. Check the Library calendar for gardening-related events.
• Check out the Illinois Master Gardener's webpage for research-based gardening education.
• Connect with other local gardeners through the Garden Club of Oak Park and River Forest. Members meet once a month to share their knowledge, skills and advice related to flower, vegetable and herb gardening, landscape design, floral design, container gardening and sustainability. 
• Deep Roots Project is a local non-profit that aims to connect community members and provide information to support organic gardening. Check out their website to find educational resources and their local events.

Catch Us in the Community

The Public Health Department's opioid overdose trainers have been popping up at popular local events this summer, including the Sunday Concerts in the Park series hosted by the Park District of Oak Park. Your next chance to enjoy a local band, chat with our trainers about harm reduction and get free Narcan will be at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24 at Scoville Park. 

Annual Corn Roast this Weekend

It's time again for the Oak Park Farmers' Market's annual corn roast. This Saturday, Aug. 9, come to the Market at 460 Lake St. for fresh corn, optional butter and guaranteed deliciousness. Make sure to bring cash - it's $3 per year - and plan to be in line as early to get an ear or two or three!  

Get school-ready this August, including routine immunizations for a healthy year ahead

It's almost time for the kids to head back to school! That means that it's also time to ensure the kids are up to date on vaccines. Why are childhood vaccines important for a great school year for our community? Not only do routine vaccinations protect your children from preventable illness that can spread more easily in schools, but they also protect community members who are not able to be fully vaccinated, like babies and individuals with certain medical conditions. To receive childhood vaccines, talk to your child's pediatrician. There are also a couple of clinics in Oak Park that are good options for children who have Medicaid or are uninsured: The Children's Clinic of the Infant Welfare Society - Located at 28 Madison St. in Oak Park, 708-848-0528 PCC Community Wellness Center - Located at 14 Lake St. in Oak Park, 708-383-0113 If you need help finding vaccinations, call the Public Health Department at 708-358-5480.

Number of measles cases highest since declared eliminated in the U.S.

Image from the New York Times

This year, measles cases in the U.S. have reached their highest level since the virus was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, according to the CDC. There have been 1,288 confirmed cases reported so far, with 92% of these cases occurring in unvaccinated individuals, or those whose vaccination status is unknown. Why the spike? Most cases are linked to a major outbreak that began this past spring in a Mennonite community in West Texas and spread to New Mexico and Oklahoma, though cases have been reported in 38 states. Experts warn the country risks losing its elimination status if the spread continues. This measles outbreak highlights broader concerns about declining childhood vaccination rates and the potential resurgence of other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Building breastfeeding support this August We support all the various ways parents feed their babies, whether formula, donor milk, pumped breastmilk, breastfeeding or combination of different methods. This Breastfeeding Awareness Month, we are cheering on parents on their breastfeeding journey. Though many think of breastfeeding as intuitive or natural, it is a learning process that can be quite a lot of work! If you or someone in your life are experiencing trouble with breastfeeding, there are resources to help. Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. Most parents just need help to start or to overcome a problem. Connect with a lactation consultant or certified lactation professional. This person has received training and has a certification in lactation. Their knowledge is special and can help you in situations, like breastfeeding a preterm baby or one with special needs. You can seek lactation consulting services through your health provider or your hospital, or visit www.ilca.org. Work with a lactation support and advisory professional. They have training in breastfeeding, but not all of them have certification. This professional can help you and your baby learn to breastfeed. They can also help you establish a good supply of milk for your baby and help you with positioning, and expressing and storing milk. You can find advisory services through a local WIC (Women Infant and Children) nutrition program at fns.usda.gov/wic. Join a breastfeeding support group. This is a group of people who help and support each other about breastfeeding issues. Ask your provider to help you find a group in your area, search local Facebook groups, or visit La Leche League at www.llli.org. Get online support. Visit womenshealth.gov or call the National Breastfeeding Helpline at 800-994-9662.

Spotlight on: Emergency Preparedness 

A vital part of the public health field is emergency preparedness, and the Village of Oak Park has its very own Division of Emergency Preparedness housed within the Public Health Department. This division often does the unsung work of making extensive plans and conducting drills and trainings for potential disasters and public health emergencies. When disaster strikes, the role of the Public Health Department depends greatly on the nature of the emergency, but might include activities like situation evaluation, response guidance in matters of public health and orchestration of the community's medical resources, such as hospitals and medical staff.

This past month, our Department's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator organized a family reunification tabletop exercise that included representatives from the Village's police and fire departments, the Office of Communications and Engagement, and local counterparts from school districts, public safety agencies and Rush Oak Park hospital.  Participants worked through the logistics for a scenario based on the reunification of children and parents after a school emergency.