The Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain aims to help students create sustainable communities, where humans and nature flourish in the present and future. One SLS Priority area concerning sustainable communities is Community Health, which focuses on achieving a holistic and communal understanding of health, in all intellectual, physical, emotional, financial, spiritual, and social aspects of life.

Community Health - Guiding Documents

The below documents outline the SLS approach to solving issues of community health.

Community Health Framework

Community Health Model

Fall 2019 Community Health Ambassador Program Resources

Student Ambassador Opening Workshop Agendas

Opening Workshop Presentation

Events & Engagement Handout

Spring 2019 Liam's Legacy Symposium: Local to Global: Perspectives on Community Health

Presented by Serve-Learn-Sustain, in partnership with School of History and Sociology (through a grant from the Gertrude and William C. Wardlaw Fund in support of the Conference on Human Rights, Changes and Challenges).

This event explored the question, "what are the most successful interventions in cultivating community health, especially in communities that have been traditionally marginalized?"  This guiding question entails examining how health-related organizations and agencies differently define "good health" and how access to power (political, cultural, and financial) impacts how community members interact with health-related resources and technologies.  In conjunction with our Serve-Learn-Sustain Linked Courses Program focused on Community Health, this event also investigated the concept of "community health."   In the framework used in our program, individual health and community health are symbiotic - with community health dependent on the health behaviors and health outcomes of individuals within the community and individual health dependent on the health status of the community.

The first panel focused on community health at the local and regional registers, while the second engaged global perspectives; however, both panels highlighted the connectedness of local and global community health challenges and innovations.  Featured panelists included Sagdrina Jalal of the Georgia Farmer's Market Association, David Addiss of the Task Force for Global Health, Hope Bussenius and Charles Moore of Emory's Urban Health Initiative, Rihana Nesrudin of Oakhurst Medical Center, Angelou Ezeilo of the Greening Youth Foundation, and two Youth Leadership Team members of the International Rescue Committee. Hence, the symposium also explored how professionals from different disciplines and sectors view the concept of "community health" through the specific lenses of the communities--whether here in Atlanta or abroad-- with which they work. Please click the links below for video of both panels.

Community Health: Focus on Georgia

Community Health: Widen the Lens

Newsworthy - Community Health

SLS Student Assistants recommend these stories for delving deeper into the topic of Community Health.

"Grady Wellness Program Encourages Westside Residents to "Walk the Line"

The Beltline blog shares an article about a new wellness program hosted by the Grady Health System that encourages community members to participate in weekly trail walks and learn from experts about improving well-being while being treated to a free healthy meal.

"Can This Chef Solve the Problem of School Lunch?"

Chef Dan Giusti retired from fine dining to serve school lunches at a public school in New York City after Michelle Obama’s “Chefs Move to Schools” program began. In this article, he discusses the transition as well as difficulties associated with the decisions he’s made concerning school lunches.

"Taking Steps Toward a Community-Controlled Economy in Boston"

Sandra Larson explains how a Boston community group established their vision of a community controlled economy. Participants contributed ideas for shaping business practices that they felt would improve their local community.

‘I wanted to do more for people than just pray’: Pastor blends faith, farms to end food insecurity in black churches
Rev. Heber Brown III, from Baltimore, noticed an issue within his congregation; members were suffering from diet-related illnesses and many were living within a food desert. Seeking to make a change, Rev. Brown III launched The Black Church Food Security Network and immediately saw a difference. Rachel Nania talks with Rev. Brown III in this thought-provoking article. Consider volunteering with the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance if interested in supporting community gardens.


In Atlanta, Breaking Down Barriers To Timely HIV Care
For those living with HIV/AIDS, acceptance of the diagnosis is only the first major hurdle to overcome. Many living with a positive status face harsh inequalities when seeking treatment, whether it be discrimination within the doctor's office, lack of access to affordable healthcare for treatment, or even lack of exposure to treatment options within some communities. Here and Now from NPR discusses those hurdles and the steps being taken to eliminate inequality for those seeking treatment.


Food banks crucial in cutting global emissions says report
Its no secret that food banks dramatically reduce the amount of CO2 equivalent emissions per year, up to 10.54 billion kg, through meal and food donation related programs. Thomas Barrett, of the Environmental Journal, discusses the importance of food banks for a communities health and well being. If interested in learning how to get involved locally, check out Klemis Kitchen, a GT food distribution initiative, and The Atlanta Community Food Bank.


Westside Future Fund Teams with AT&T Volunteer Program Believe Atlanta to enable ADA accessibility at Ashview Heights Urban Farm

Westside Future Fund (WFF), and Believe AtlantaSM, an Atlanta-based AT&T volunteer program, brought together approximately 500 AT&T employees to share their time and talents to bring major improvements at Truly Living Well (TLW) Collegetown Center for Natural Urban Architecture, which will help bring the urban farm in compliance with American Disability Act (ADA) standards and create a healthier green space for Westside residents.