Welcome to the Communities4Health Blog! The blog will feature bi-weekly posts on topics related to the work of the Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge and interviews with members of the Challenge community.
Social media’s health equity potential proving powerful during the pandemic
by Arianne Noorestani, Jan. 14, 2021
Dive into how the pandemic has changed the ways we "internet" and the new opportunities present on social media for both HCCC and other public health initiatives.
Taking a look back on 2020
by Arianne Noorestani, Dec. 10, 2020
2020 has been quite a year. Challenge project teams faced circumstances no one expected or imagined. With all that has occurred, it’s easy to lose focus on the incredible achievements of the Challenge community. This blog posts takes a look back on the year and some of what HCCC grantees have accomplished.
The Importance of Post-Election Advocacy in Public Health
by Arianne Noorestani, Nov. 13, 2020
Learn more about how the Challenge project teams are incorporating advocacy into their work and how anyone can push for change for various public health priorities.
A Discussion on Domestic Violence with Bridgette Stumpf
by Arianne Noorestani, Oct. 22, 2020
Bridgette Stumpf, co-founder and executive director of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC, discusses her perspective on how domestic violence intersects with access to food and health services and how Challenge communities can partner with local domestic violence organizations.
Domestic Violence in the Age of COVID-19
by Brittany Perrotte, Oct. 8, 2020
Read up on the intersection of food security and health care with domestic violence and how the power of collaboration can help people in our community who are experiencing domestic violence.
Rural Health Preparedness and Response: A Q&A with Alan Morgan
by Arianne Noorestani, Sept. 24, 2020
Join us as we conclude our discussion on preparedness by connecting with advisory council member Alan Morgan of the National Rural Health Association. In this blog post, Morgan discusses pandemic and disaster preparedness and response in rural health systems.
What can we learn from the nation's healthiest communities?
by Arianne Noorestani, Sept. 22, 2020
Learn more about how the 2020 Healthiest Communities Rankings by U.S. News and World Report, with support from the Aenta Foundation, provide essential data to support community organizations, leaders and residents pushing for better health.
Lessons from COVID: Preparing Food Systems for Future Emergencies
by Arianne Noorestani and Brittany Perrotte, Sept. 10, 2020
Part one of our two-part blog series, this piece explores how our food system can be restructured to remain resilient in it's response to future emergencies.
A Health Equity Q&A with Lamond Daniels
by Arianne Noorestani, Aug. 27, 2020
Join us as we conclude our discussion on health equity by connecting with Challenge Advisory Council member Lamond Daniels. In this blog post, Daniels reflects on the lessons learned from his work with the first cohort of the Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge and his new role as the Chief of Community Services for the City of Norwalk, Connecticut.
Redefining Community Engagement for Health Equity
by Arianne Noorestani, Aug. 13, 2020
Continuing the conversation on health equity, this blog post explores what authentic community engagement looks like and how the Challenge will work to engage community members in crafting solutions to food and health care access.
A Window of Opportunity Emerges in the Midst of COVID-19
by Arianne Noorestani, Aug. 3, 2020
This first blog post marks the start of the HCCC's health equity series. It focuses on the long-standing health inequities that have been brought to light by COVID-19, and how the Challenge project teams will work to change them.