Project Purpose:
Develop a 12-month train the trainer first responders project within local faith based congregations in Flint, MI to encourage them be more proactive in working together to: 1) identify and address health disparities including prevention strategies and emergency situations within their congregations; 2) increase their capacity to effectively engage in community based participatory research; and 3) to know how and where to identify/develop community resources.
Project Rationale:
FBO First Responders (FRs) (health teams, nurses, ushers, security) who traditionally provided Sunday “aid” during services (fans to cool off shouting congregants, collect offerings, or provide OJ or hard candy to members who failed to take their medicines or forgot to eat; and or park cars), now find that they are being required to join with other ministries members to operate the food/clothing pantries or healthy food distribution groups to help provide physical, financial, emotional and mental support to their congregants and community residents who find themselves overwhelmed by the turn of events that continue to unfold around them. Not only the loss of their water supply system and issues related to that; but also the long standing issues/traumas that have been unearth /unleashed by this water catastrophe. Woefully unprepared these FRs have reached out to trusted community partners to provide them with the knowledge and skills, and resources to provide needed services to their congregations and other community residents.
