New Haven Independent

In May of 2008, Job Corps corporate staff realized a need for staff and students to trim down their weight and get healthy. Cherida Ekpunobi, Human Resources manager for the New Haven Job Corps Center said “we put our heads together and developed program to promote healthy lifestyles for staff and students.” It was during their brainstorming session that they coined “The Biggest Loser Contest” and implemented the plans for a health initiative through diet and exercise. All of the participating employees added their own cash to a jackpot which will be distributed
next month in September.

For Job Corp Manager John Richardson, the best part was not only losing the weight and eating healthy, but looking like he might win the $400.00 jackpot. Since the inception of the program, Mr. Richardson has lost 20 lbs. and knows the weight will stay off because h completely changed his eating habits. Richardson said ” In the first two weeks of my diet I eliminated all of the bad carbohydrates from my diet. I increased cardio exercises by walking three miles a day.” His photographs bear out that losing big can be a good thing.