EQUALITY. EQUITY. TRANSPARENCY. COMMITMENT.

Founded in 2003, the Coalition was created by a group of residents, church leaders, local schools and other stakeholders based on the idea that basic human-development services for young people, seniors and adults in the northeast Baltimore neighborhood of Belair-Edison needed more attention. Supplementing the strengths of local civic organizations, Coalition volunteers worked tirelessly to deliver services through partnerships, contracts, and direct service.  

Youth, parents, businesses, elected officials, civic partners, health systems, universities, and funders worked together to launch an array of personal, social and community development programs. Three, 10-station computer labs housed after-school, GED, and workforce-development programs within local churches. Middle and high school youth earned over 1200 hours designing and implementing community-improvement projects. Other significant achievements include the renovation of a dilapidated, drug-ridden basketball court, construction of a school playground, the installation of a new bus route to facilitate seniors' safe travel, and much more. 

Today, the Healthy Communities Coalition (HCC) references the expansion of services beyond the Baltimore, Maryland community of Belair-Edison to marginalized communities in Illinois and Indiana. We continue to work diligently to increase the capacity of community- and faith-based partners through program design, organizational development and support, and by preparing organizations to participate in community-led and community-engaged research.  

Let's connect to improve community health.