Healthy Savannah Provides $2,450 in REACH Grants to Healthy Equity Events on Aug 26

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Aug. 15, 2023 - PRLog -- (SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah is providing $2,450 in grant funding to support health equity education and awareness at two upcoming Savannah area events.

• Back-to-School Youth Health Fair is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26 at Historic First Bryan Baptist Church, located at 575 W. Bryan St., in downtown Savannah.
• Back-to-School Community Block Party 2023 is planned for 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug 26 at Greater Gaines Chapel AME Church, located at 1006 May St. in downtown Savannah.

The funding was made possible through a supplemental grant awarded in 2021 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to broaden initiatives of the five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant awarded in 2018. The overall goal of the supplemental grant initiative is to focus on elevating COVID-19 and flu vaccine access, awareness, and acceptance, in certain low-wealth communities. The funds are administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.

The individual mini-grants awarded were in the amounts of $1,200 for the Back-to-School Youth Health Fair and $1,250 for the Back-to-School Community Block Party. To date this year, grants totaling $3,200 have been awarded to three other faith-based events, including Community Connection Friend and Family Day, presented in July by Spirit-Led Ministries at Feiler Park; #HealthyMe #HealthyUs held in May at True Light Church Savannah; and The 6th Annual Love & Soul Family Festival in June at Tanger Outlets in Pooler.

Prior to the most recent awards, the program administrators have provided 20 mini-grants from $500-$2000 for similar faith-based events in the greater Savannah area, totaling $23,200. The mini-grant program is also administered in conjunction with Healthy Savannah's Faith and Health Coalition, which has championed health equity programs in the local faith community since 2016.

For more information about First Bryan Baptist's Back-to-School Youth Health Fair, contact Cecelia Kurtz at ceceliakurtz1@gmail.com or 240-274-0047.

For more information about the Back-to-School Block Party at Greater Gaines Chapel, contact Jasmine Williams at (404) 858-1586 or jazzwilliams1522@gmail.com; or contact Jeanell Rhodes at (912) 441-1274 or blackrose.nell@gmail.com; or contact Rev. Tammie McFadden at (478) 538-9972- or tmcfat@me.com.