Population: 22,347
Project focus: Access to foods that support healthy eating patterns, access to health services
Goals:
- Improve health for Doyle residents by promoting healthy eating
- Reduce policy and systems barriers that create inequities
- Increase community engagement and resident leadership through system/policy changes
Partners and Approach
The Hope4Health Collaborative at the Doyle Community Center, established as a part of a community collaborative led by New Hope Counseling Center, in partnership with Light on the Hill at Mount Wesley, Peterson Regional Medical Center, Texas Department of Health Services-Region 8, City of Kerrville, the Glory Community Garden, and Schreiner University, along with several additional area organizations, the Doyle Center serves residents of color in downtown rural Kerrville. The Hope4Health Collaborative pushed for a community approach to systems change by developing a food pantry located in the Doyle neighborhood, an on-site health clinic for both primary and mental healthcare, and newfound partnerships with major community stakeholders, such as the San Antonio Food Bank.
Successes (as of September 2022)
The team developed the Doyle Center to serve as a food pantry and an access point for health, wellness, and nutrition education. The center also established partnerships with dental clinics to provide referrals to residents who had gone years without preventive care. Due to the strong relationships the team built with members of the community, Doyle residents feel welcome and safe at the Doyle Center, they attend meetings to participate and let their voices be heard and they volunteer for food pantry and community events. Thanks to 1.2 million dollars in funding and a three-year commitment from Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc, the Doyle Center is set to continue their work. The project’s diverse network of established organizations and passionate individuals helped pave the way for health equity in Kerrville!
Snapshot 1 (July - December 2020) | Snapshot 2 (January - June 2021) | Snapshot 3 (July - December 2021)
Resources: