The Duke Endowment Grants $750,000 to Enhance Health of Durham Residents: Progress Report on Utilization
Duke Endowment Awards $750,000 Grant to Enhance Durham Residents' Health and Well-being
chandni
Durham, NC - The Duke Endowment has granted $750,000 to Duke Health with the aim of improving the health and well-being of Durham residents. The grant, awarded in April, will support the Partnership for a Healthy Durham, a coalition of local organizations and community members dedicated to collaboratively enhancing the physical, mental, and social health of the community.
Over a span of five years, the grant will be utilized to address key areas such as physical activity, nutrition, and food access through community engagement, data collection, and education on food equity. The Partnership for a Healthy Durham, founded by Duke, will join the Healthy People, Healthy Carolina initiative alongside 24 other organizations working to combat chronic health issues in the Carolinas.
Bria Miller, coordinator of the Partnership for a Healthy Durham, expressed gratitude for the grant, emphasizing the importance of time, resources, and building strong relationships to achieve substantial impact. The funding has enabled the Partnership to hire a specialist focused on physical activity, nutrition, and food access, providing the necessary resources to forge connections and ensure progress in these areas.
The Partnership has also enlisted the expertise of race equality consultants from Communities in Partnership, organizing a four-part series that delves into racial equity and food justice. Miller highlighted the Partnership's shift towards sustainable systemic change rather than relying solely on charity efforts.
Looking ahead, the grant will support the operationalization of the Partnership's race equity principle, community engagement events, feedback collection, and implementation of new findings. This includes the planned hosting of future community cafes in English and Spanish, based on the County Durham Food Apartheid Map created by the Partnership.
Additionally, the grant aims to engage the community by promoting community-driven initiatives, such as providing leadership roles to more Durham residents within the organization and conducting hearings in public schools across the city. The current phase of the grant focuses on a one-year launch period, aiming to achieve its goals by December 2027, while also providing training and technical support to ensure the continuity of projects.
Michelle Lyn, assistant professor in family medicine and community health, emphasized the importance of ongoing support to sustain the progress of coalition efforts. The grant exemplifies the collaborative nature of organizations in Durham, with the Partnership actively working with Durham Government on the county's triennial community health assessment, which places significant emphasis on community involvement.
