Eight North Carolina organizations have leveraged small grants from Duke to reach more than 2,000 people in local communities with efforts to improve health.
The Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) celebrated these awardees at an October 22 event. The eight organizations each received $7,000 from the Duke Advancing Health Equity Together Education and Outreach Grant Program. In less than a year, they have leveraged those funds to make outstanding contributions in education, health care access, food security, and community empowerment.
Five of the eight awardees, along with six team members, attended the gathering and received certificates of appreciation for their outstanding contributions. The evening’s highlight was a showcase of the collective impact achieved through their initiatives.
Together, the eight programs:
- reached more than 2,000 individuals,
- generated over 112,000 social media impressions, and
- hosted more than 100 educational events, amplifying health literacy and awareness.
Efforts to address systemic gaps included:
- distributing 351 food boxes, 50 bus cards, and 21 bicycles; and
- conducting 22 cooking classes and nine garden events.
In the area of health care access, the programs:
- conducted 938 vision screenings and 474 eye exams,
- distributed 555 pairs of eyeglasses,
- referred 27 individuals for specialty eye care,
- performed 80 blood pressure screenings, and
- held two mental health panels and advocacy trainings to support emotional well-being.
To strengthen social and community contexts, 52 Health Ambassadors were trained to serve as trusted messengers and advocates within their communities.
One of the programs, Hands-On Nutrition Education (HONE): Expanding Evidence-Based Nutrition Education for Health Equity, delivers transformative nutrition education through a four-week curriculum that integrates hands-on cooking experiences. It is run by The Church at Spring Forest.
“This grant created an experience that can be described in one word: ‘Empowered,’” said
Chef Shanetta Edwards from The Church at Spring Forest. “It enabled our organization to transform our vision into tangible impact.”
El Refugio, a Durham-based organization serving Hispanic/Latiné families, used its grant to launch a diabetes prevention and education initiative that built trust and strengthened connections across the community.
“If I were to describe this experience in one phrase, it would be ‘Bridges of Belonging,’” said Yanira Vanegas Scott of El Refugio. “This project connected families, health care providers, and community partners in a shared mission, showing that health equity begins with trust and flourishes when compassion meets culture.”
Duke CTSI manages the grant program in collaboration with Duke Health and Duke University School of Medicine.
Photos: Kevin Seifert, RTP.Studio | Photoendeavors, LLC