The Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo and WNY has been working diligently to establish Buffalo as a healthy community. Their work has encompassed many aspects of civic life in the supporting people and organizations in pursuit of this goal.

The Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo has been a champion of community health initiatives for over 20 years. This non-profit continues to address a broad range of health challenges from "Falls Prevention" school health, physical activity and wellness at the workplace, senior health prevention to name a few.
The main strength of the Wellness Institute is that it brings health organizations together to work in partnership for added success and coordination.

As a professional health coach, I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the path Phil Haberstro blazed nearly a quarter of a century ago to "Create Healthy Communities" through the creation of The Wellness Institute. This organization has an enviable passion for and commitment to achieving better health in WNY and they've built a solid brand to back it. Their work is done by empowering people through the shared, common vision of making our communities better, healthier places to live. My colleague and I are honored to partner with Phil, The Wellness Institute, and its affiliates by providing a whole new approach to well-being that's based on creating Optimal Health via a thoughtful, physician-developed, long-term program for weight loss, weight management, and healthier living.

We were not sure whether to become a non profit on our own. But with The Wellness Institute as our fiscal sponsor we don't have to decide on that today. We can fulfill our mission to empower women and raise monies to support raising awareness to our causes.

It has been my pleasure working with Phil Haberstro of the Wellness Institute for over 25 years. Phil is well known for his expertise and passion for the field of Workplace Wellness. He lives it! Buffalo, New York is lucky to have someone so involved in making the community healthier, one individual, one employer at a time!

As a partner, I have collaborated with the Wellness Institute to engage the employers of the Buffalo area in the Eat Well, Live Well Challenge - a program that encourages employees to lead healthier, better lives by following the four Eat Well, Live Well principles. Without the Wellness Institute, the program would not be reaching success and continued growth in Buffalo.

If you need help in any aspect of workplace heatlh, you can dependon the Institute to provide the support you need!
Marcie Bartolotta, MS

Phil Haberstro is Mr. Wellness of Buffalo and Western New York. For many years he has led this great organization and has held the flag high for a healthier community. He also led the initiative that resulted in Buffalo being named an All American City. You can see him riding his bicycle, while wearing his helmet, throughout the streets of WNY advocating a healthy lifestyle.

The Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo & WNY (WI) has been a valuable partner working with the Buffalo Public School's Health Related Services Department. Mr. Haberstro has dedicated a great deal of time, over the past 9 years, providing guidance, support, mentoring, meeting facilitation, and strategic planning expertise. He has participated on a variety of school health committees, shared resources and his strong knowledge of community and workforce wellness. The WI is a strong advocate of the BPS District Wellness Policy. I look forward to ongoing collaboration!

I work on the Medical Campus and I participated in the weekly walking on Wednesdays Program. It is great and it is offered during your lunch break, so you could get exercise as well as learn more about the surrounding neighborhood.

Also, they sponsor once monthly lunchtime lectures, with guest speakers during the Winter season. The topics are relevant and interesting.

It is a very good program, professionally run and very popular.

The Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo and Western New York, Inc. was founded in 1989 by Philip L. Haberstro. It will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2014.
The work of the Wellness Institute is health promotion - individual, social and community health.
1. The institute works closely with the Buffalo Public Schools on student health issues and was instrumental in developing the District Wellness Policy
2. Works with various community partners, such as Wegmans, whose "eat well live well" Challenge is a very effective, proven and low cost workforce wellness program
3. Sponsors various wellness programs/events for older adults, and is currently spearheading a major falls prevention initiative in the City of Buffalo
4. In all of its activities, the Institute stresses the importance of good health habits, and focuses on wellness rather than sickness. Physical activity is strongly promoted, especially in light of the obesity epidemic among both adults and children in the United States.

Please visit our website www.HealthyCommunityNetwork.com to learn more about this very progressive and visionary 22 year old community serving non profit. The Institute manages a portfolio of environmental , economic, human and social capital enhancing initiatives in support of its mission to build healthy communities. Thank You!