Inland Empire Health Plan launches free summer series for families with young children

Inland Empire Health Plan’s (IEHP) Community Wellness Center in Victorville launched a new Family Summer Camp series to connect families to fun, safe activities in a welcoming environment.

From June through August, the center opens its doors to families with children ages 5-11 to discover activities offered at the space year-round, such as Zumba for Kids, nutrition workshops and arts and crafts classes. Camp curriculum came naturally to program organizers who are utilizing center space and already established resources to host activities.

“We’ve always noticed the need for a program like this, especially in the High Desert,” said Wellness Center Supervisor Cristal Enriquez. “There’s not a lot for kids to do out here, at least that’s not free. So how do we remove barriers and add fun, engaging things in this space where they can participate with their families and be part of the community?”

The new series joins a growing list of family-related activities offered at the center:

• Family Summer Camp from noon-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday through August.
• An all-new Family Game Night Series that meets from 3:30-5:30 p.m. the second and third Friday of each month.
• Ongoing Family Movie Nights where youth-friendly movies are screened twice a month.

Light snacks are provided at each activity while supplies last.

“Our hearts are so full and so grateful to see families coming into such a quality wellness center,” Center Coach Letha Coughlin said. “For me personally, as a single mom in the past, I needed places like this where it’s clean, safe, fun and didn’t have to break my wallet to provide my children with an experience.”

Added Enriquez, “By bringing something new to the area—especially for the little ones—it gives me hope that the community will be able to live healthier, more sustainable lives through the services we are able to provide our members and the community at large.”

To learn more about center programming, visit the space at 12353 Mariposa Road, Suites C2 and C3, call 866-228-4347 or go to iehp.org.

With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans, the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid public health plan in the country, and for the third year in a row, certified as A Great Place To Work®. In its 27th year, IEHP supports more than 1.5 million Riverside and San Bernardino County residents enrolled in Medicaid or IEHP DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). Today, IEHP has a growing network of nearly 6,800 providers and more than 3,000 team members who are fully committed to the vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health. To learn more, go to iehp.org.