Eskenazi Health and community partners will host the second health equity zone public meetings in May and June. During the meetings, community members and organizations are invited to continue conversations with initiative leaders and begin implementing the collaborative health equity zone plans focused on improving and addressing the health and well-being of local Indianapolis residents.w

• Northeast Indianapolis: Eskenazi Health and United Northeast Community Development Corporation (UNEC) invite residents and community organizations to join the Health Equity Zone public meeting on Wednesday, May 31 at 6 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. for dinner. The meeting will take place at Avondale Meadows YMCA in Conference Room A/B, 3908 Meadows Dr. Childcare will also be provided for event attendees.
• Far Eastside Indianapolis: Eskenazi Health and Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE) invite residents and community organizations to join the Health Equity Zone public meeting on Thursday, June 1 at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place at CAFE located at 8902 East 38^th St. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for dinner and childcare will be provided for event attendees.
• Northwest Indianapolis: Eskenazi Health and International Marketplace Coalition invite residents and community organizations to join the Health Equity Zone public meeting on Monday, June 12 from 6 – 7 p.m. The meeting will take place at Global Village Welcome Center, 4233 Lafayette Rd., Suite A with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. for dinner. Childcare will also be provided for event attendees.

Last year, Eskenazi Health announced the launch of the health equity zone initiative at three Eskenazi Health Center sites; Eskenazi Health Center West 38^th Street — International Marketplace, Eskenazi Health Center East 38^th Street (under construction) — Northeast Corridor and Eskenazi Health Center Grassy Creek — Far Eastside. The initiative will focus on improving social determinants of health affecting the overall health and well-being of neighborhood residents including:

• Food as medicine - Eating healthy and nutritious food
• Mental health wellness - Fostering resilience and healthy mindset
• Health lifestyles - Creating the conditions for healthy living
• Transportation and connectivity - Connecting to health, education, and employment
• Housing - Supporting quality affordable and safe housing
• Community connectedness - Building social capital and connection
• Safety - Living free of violence, including intimate partner violence and child abuse
• Economic opportunity - Creating pathways to economic self-sufficiency

“The second public meeting will allow us and Eskenazi Health to begin implementing a collaborative, community focused health equity zone plan to improve the health and well-being of our neighborhood. We were encouraged by the participation and excitement of Northwest Indianapolis residents and look forward to continuing these important conversations as we move forward with the health equity zone initiative,” said Mary G. Clark, executive director, International Marketplace and Coalition and Global Village Welcome Center.

“We look forward to continuing the conversations with Northeast Indianapolis residents and community organizations and begin implementing a collaborative plan to improve the health and lives of our community,” said Ashley Gurvitz, CEO at United Northeast CDC (ANU/UNEC).

“We are excited to meet with community members and organizations again and continue productive conversations as we look to improve our community’s health and well-being. The public meetings will play an integral role in developing a collaborative community plan and overcome barriers affecting our community,” said Kendra Nowell, CEO at CAFE.

For more information about the public meetings, please contact Dr. Kimberly McElroy-Jones, director, community partnerships for community health at kimberly.mcelroy-jones@eskenazihealth.edu or Tedd Grain, director, social determinants of health at theodore.grain@eskenazihealth.edu.

Eskenazi Health has continued to support communities for over 160 years by offering and transforming quality health care in an effort to improve our patients’ and surrounding neighborhood residents’ quality of life. To learn more about available Eskenazi Health resources and programs, please visit https://www.eskenazihealth.edu/patients/neighborhood-resources.