How can community development financial institutions help health and community development join forces?

Jennifer Hadayia

Michelle Melendez

Jay Minkarah

Across the country, new opportunities like the BUILD Health Challenge are pushing community organizations to form cross-sector partnerships in order to improve population health and promote health equity. One valuable collaborative partner is the $200 billion community development sector, which brings public and private investment into place-based initiatives. How are communities leveraging Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and other community development organizations to address their population health goals?

At our October 5th discussion we are featuring three local leaders – spanning community development, public health, and health care – who are all in the midst of deepening their relationships with CDFIs. Our speakers are grantees of the BUILD Health Challenge and the Joining Forces Grant.  This discussion will be practical and interactive.

The Network’s Managing Director, Colby Dailey, will be joined by:

• Jennifer Hadayia, Senior Policy Planner/Health Equity Coordinator, Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services, Texas
• Michelle Melendez, Development Director, First Choice Community Healthcare, New Mexico
• Jay Minkarah, President/CEO, DevelopSpringfield, Massachusetts

Register below and help us by spreading the word to your colleagues.

It’s easy to attend Network Commons, even if you’ve never been to a live online discussion. Here’s how:

• Register here. After registering, login information will be sent via email.
• Log in on October 5 from 10:00am-11:00am PT / 1:00-2:00pm ET. The conversations will also be archived on our YouTube Channel if you are not able to catch it live.
• Join the conversation before, during, or after the event on Twitter by using the hashtag #NetworkCommons.

Check out how each speaker has partnered with a CDFI to advance health equity goals:

• Building Community Around Food Access
• Three Ways that Connecting with CDFIs is Furthering Health Equity Goals in Harris county
• Addressing Healthcare’s Blindside in Albuquerque’s Southside by Joining Forces

Launched in 2015, Network Commons is a live online discussion series on cross-sector strategies to improve neighborhood health and well-being.