CENTER FOR CLOSING THE HEALTH GAP IN GREATER CINCINNATI

CITY OF CINCINNATI GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION MODEL TO ELIMINATE HEALTH DISPARITIES - CLOSING THE HEALTH GAP RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF CINCINNATI FOR OUR GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION MODEL TO ELIMINATE HEALTH DISPARITIES, WHICH EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE NUTRITION AND INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR BETTER OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES. THE MODEL PROMOTES COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AWARENESS, AND EDUCATION TO COMBAT OBESITY THROUGH HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, ADVOCACY, AND POLICY CHANGES. THE CITY'S FUNDING PARTIALLY SUPPORTS CLOSING THE HEALTH GAP'S STAFF, OUR ANNUAL HEALTH EXPO, DO RIGHT CAMPAIGN, BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH MOVEMENT, AND THE DO RIGHT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES INITIATIVE. THE OUTCOMES FOR THIS GRANT INCORPORATE ALL PROGRAMS.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH - CLOSING THE HEALTH GAP SUPPLEMENTS COMMUNITY OUTREACH FROM GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF HEALTH DISPARITIES FACED BY AFRICAN AMERICANS, LATINX, AND APPALACHIANS. COMMUNITY OUTREACH INCORPORATES THE DO RIGHT CAMPAIGN, AN INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI REGION. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE DO RIGHT KIDS, DO RIGHT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES INITIATIVE EMPHASIZING DIABETES, MENTAL HEALTH, NUTRITION AND HEALTHY COOKING, THE BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH MOVEMENT, AND OUR MULTIMEDIA AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. COVID-19 CONTINUED TO IMPACT CLOSING THE HEALTH GAP'S SERVICE DELIVERY. WE USED BOTH IN PERSON AND AN ONLINE PLATFORMS FOR OUR PROGRAMS. THIS INCLUDED A WIDE RANGE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND VIRTUAL COMMUNITY HEALTH EVENTS. SOME OF THESE METHODS WERE VIRTUAL TOWN HALLS AND OUR COVID-19 RESOURCE WEBSITE. WE PROVIDED RELEVANT HEALTH EDUCATION INFORMATION RELATED TO COVID 19 TESTING, PRECAUTIONS, AND VACCINES THROUGH OUR CLOSINGTHEHEALTHGAP.ORG AND COVID19COMMUNITYRESOURCES.COM WEBSITES. THIS FISCAL YEAR WE DISTRIBUTED 1,271 COVID-19 TEST KITS; REGISTERED 401 PEOPLE FOR COVID-19 VACCINES; ATTENDED 33 VACCINE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EVENTS REACHING OVER 4,149 ATTENDEES; AND DISTRIBUTED 6,388 COVID-19 EDUCATION MATERIALS. OUR VIRTUAL AND ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS WERE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL THIS FISCAL YEAR. WE REPORTED THE FOLLOWING: 20,563 VISITS TO CLOSINGTHEHEALTHGAP.ORG WEBSITE 2,800 FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS; 71,400 REACH 1,300 TWITTER FOLLOWERS; 43,700 IMPRESSIONS 940 INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS; 23,700 REACH 15,262 USERS COVID19COMMUNITYRESOURCES.COM WEBSITE VIRTUAL TOWN HALL: 3,497 ATTENDEES DO RIGHT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES INITIATIVE - THE DO RIGHT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES INITIATIVE INCLUDES NUTRITION TRAIN THE TRAINER, HEALTHY STEPS, RELAX AND RESTORE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, WALKING CLUBS, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES ONE OFF WORKSHOPS. THE CURRICULA'S FOCUS IS AROUND THE KEY THEMES OF EAT RIGHT, MOVE RIGHT, AND LIVE RIGHT. THERE WERE 808 REGISTRANTS FOR THESE SESSIONS AND 398 ATTENDEES. NUTRITION TRAIN THE TRAINER (NTT) TEACHES PARTICIPANTS HOW TO CHOOSE AND PREPARE HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES AND HOW TO EXPAND THE REACH OF NUTRITION EDUCATION BY TRAINING PARTICIPANTS TO TEACH OTHERS. HEALTHY STEPS BUILDS THE CAPACITY AND CONFIDENCE IN PRE-DIABETIC AND DIABETIC INDIVIDUALS IN MANAGING THEIR CONDITIONS TO LEAD HEALTHIER LIVES. DO RIGHT RELAX AND RESTORE (R&R) EXPLORES HOW STRESS EFFECTS THE MIND, BODY, AND SOUL. PARTICIPANTS LEARN AND PRACTICE HOLISTIC SKILLS TO FREE THEMSELVES FROM UNPRODUCTIVE ANXIETIES AND UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS SO THAT THEY CAN EXPERIENCE PEACE AND JOY IN DAILY LIFE, RELATIONSHIPS, AND THE COMMUNITY. DO RIGHT KIDS & DO RIGHT HIGH SCHOOL COOKING CLUB DO RIGHT KIDS IMPROVES THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF DISADVANTAGED, OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE CHILDREN, AND CHILDREN AT RISK FOR OBESITY AND BECOMING OVERWEIGHT. THE PROGRAM EDUCATES CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY EATING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THE INSTRUCTION IS HANDS-ON, AND ACTIVITY BASED. THE PROGRAM HAS THREE COMPONENTS: IN SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL, AND FAMILY NIGHTS. DO RIGHT HIGH SCHOOL COOKING CLUB IS AN INTERVENTION EDUCATING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER NUTRITION AND HEALTHY MEAL PLANNING. INSTRUCTION IS HANDS-ON AND CONSISTS OF MEAL PREPARATION AND DIDACTIC INSTRUCTION. WE IMPLEMENTED THESE PROGRAMS IN 15 SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT HAMILTON COUNTY FOR 905 STUDENTS.