Making New Friends in The Community
People & Approach

Community Health Builders

On-the-ground leaders and influencers putting research into practice to address local inequities

In every community, there is a group of individuals whose voices are locally well-known and well-respected. Their unwavering dedication and passion serve as catalysts for positive change. This diverse group includes representatives from national organizations, government institutions, grassroots faith, health, community, and activist groups, as well as small business owners. Their invaluable first-hand knowledge of the specific social and cultural conditions that influence their community’s health outcomes, spanning education, employment, housing, and food security sets them apart.

In 2022, the Make Well Known Foundation recognized that its work could be amplified if it could pair its National Minority Health Alliance with these local, on-the-ground leaders and influencers, and began to develop the Community Health Builders network. Much like our Alliance members, Builders are tapped individually to participate in Foundation programs that require their specific area of experience. Additionally, they meet as a group to exchange ideas and insights, and convene annually with Alliance members to ensure that national insights are effectively translated and applied at the local level.

Quote

We learned from and with officials there while simultaneously doing so with our own community’s leaders and population.

Jewell Cooper, PhD
Community Health Builder

Communities

Cities, towns, and neighborhoods across the country that can become models of change

The communities in which we are developing our Builders network have been selected for a variety of factors that both define need and determine success. These include a relatively high proportion of underserved residents, recent research identifying significant local health disparities, and historical relevance to Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American communities.

Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
Greensboro, NC
Skyline of downtown Tampa on the Hillsborough river under a blue sky
Tampa, FL
Philadelphia skyline with the Schuylkill River
Philadelphia, PA
community_comingsoon
Atlanta, GA
community_comingsoon
Detroit, MI