Southeast Raleigh Minority Faith-based Health Promotion Initiative

Abstract

Faith-based organizations are a powerful resource for addressing health issues within the African American community. In this paper, we describe two projects led by volunteer faith-based leaders and community residents who collaborated with public agencies to design programs to combat obesity. The first project, the Southeast Raleigh Community Garden Project, involved the construction of a community garden and the delivery of educational programs on healthy eating among youth. The second one, Project FACT (Faith-based groups Addressing health issues through Community outreach Together in the community), implemented church-based nutrition education programs and community walking programs led by church volunteers. The purpose of the two faith-based health promotion projects was to increase opportunities for physical activity and to encourage consumption of more fruits and vegetables. These projects resulted in the construction of a walking trail with the community garden as its destination, implementation of education programs to increase nutritional awareness, the initiation of multiple walking programs, and policy changes within the church to encourage a healthier lifestyle. The projects demonstrated the feasibility of collaboration among faith-based organizations, community residents and government agencies to promote physical activity and healthful eating among families by creating physical changes in the environment and implementing educational and walking programs in low income communities.