Health Equity Team

Northwest Center’s Health Equity team was formed in June 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. During that time we partnered with city, state, and foundation-supported initiatives to provide direct cash assistance, meals, supplies, and vaccinations to our community members in need. As we move forward, the Health Equity team’s objectives will continue to evolve as they work to identify and respond our community’s most urgent needs.

Health & Wellness Workshops

Roughly one-third of Belmont Cragin’s census tracts are considered medically underserved, and our community experiences higher rates of heart disease and childhood obesity than the citywide average. To respond to these needs, we provide health and wellness workshops to youth, parents, and older adults. We partner with local schools to facilitate Charlas, a series of workshops that provide nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, an opportunity for physical fitness, and connections to healthcare professionals and resources.

Follow us on our social and check back to our events page for upcoming health workshops.

Healthy Chicago Equity Zones

What is HCEZ (Healthy Chicago Equity Zones)?

After declaring racism a public health emergency in June 2021, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health allocated $9.6 million in COVID-19 relief funding from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop targeted strategies to improve community wellness and close the racial life expectancy gap.

The City of Chicago is divided into six geographic zones, which have awarded Regional Leads who will work collaboratively alongside community leaders to identify and confront the social and environmental issues contributing to health and racial inequity.

We are honored to share that Northwest Center has been awarded the Regional Lead for the Northwest Zone, which encompasses 15 of Chicago's 77 community areas. The Northwest Region is the most diverse region in the City.

The first phase of our work with HCEZ was the focus group stage, where the community leads North River Commission, Metropolitan Family Services, Palenque LSNA, and Northwest Center communicated health equity concepts to their communities. Feedback was collected during NWC community events, including Playstreets, housing events, and other community gatherings, on topics such as the critical health equity challenges residents face, identifying available resources, and assessing gaps in needed programs and services. Focus groups with non-profit leaders, block club members, school principals, houses of worship, community residents, youth, older adults, and others helped these leads contextualize the data. They dispelled misconceptions about health equity in the Northwest Region, and when disaggregated, it shows that communities like Belmont Cragin are misrepresented. Belmont Cragin is a community with several health inequities in areas such as public safety and housing.

Awards

Dr. Martha Clare Morris Community

Champion Award 2021

Mayor's Medal of Honor 2022

Work to date

Diabetes Prevention Program - Restuarant Pilot

Healthy Homes Asthma Pilot

Lead Poisoning Prevention

Vaccine Outreach

Trauma-Informed Learning Cohorts

The Community Resilience Initiative (CRI) focuses on creating a community conversation about Adverse Childhood experiences (ACEs) and Resilience and aims to provide community members with science-based insights to promote and cultivate resilience. CRI embeds these principles into action through multiple organizations, like Northwest Center.

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The History of the Health Equity Team

In April and May of 2020, the 60639 ZIP code, which encompasses the majority of the Belmont Cragin community, emerged as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shockingly, at one point, approximately one in three individuals tested within the 60639 area had contracted the then novel coronavirus. The circumstances compelled us to swiftly respond to the pressing challenges brought about by the pandemic. In the absence of funding, we established the Rapid Response team, leveraging community-led solutions that were informed by real-time needs.

Our primary focus was to secure resources for direct assistance to those most affected. Through our dedicated efforts, we diligently knocked on 500 doors every week, distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) and, once available, engaging in COVID-19 vaccine outreach. Thanks to our meticulous preparation and strong relationships within the community, we achieved a remarkable 794% increase in vaccinations.

Recognizing our exceptional accomplishments, we were honored with the prestigious Medal of Honor in April 2022. This recognition highlights the tireless dedication of our Health Equity team in bridging critical gaps in COVID-19 outreach to Latinx communities. Building upon this success, the Rapid Response team formed into the Health Equity team and since then has seamlessly transitioned into fully trained Community Health Workers (CHWs). As the Healthy Chicago Equity Zone Regional & Community Leads, we continue to champion health equity and serve as advocates for our community. By leveraging our expertise and deep understanding of the unique needs of the Belmont Cragin community, we strive to foster a healthier and more resilient future for all.

Reports & Studies

As part of our work to advance health equity in northwest Chicago, we continue to work with Lurie Children’s Hospital and Belmont Cragin community members to research and build strong families and healthy communities.

Click on a report to read about the outcome.