The Alliance for Health Equity awards $5,000 during its first Let’s Talk Allyship: Community- Designed Solutions Series

On February 16, 2023 The Alliance for Health Equity awarded $5,000 to local, community-based organizations, individuals, and educators who presented ideas and solutions to pressing needs related to health, well-being, education, employment, housing, and economic redevelopment. During the first Let’s Talk Allyship: Community-Designed Solutions series, six (6) individuals had five minutes to present their proposed solution to over forty (40) attendees and five (5) panelists at the Brandywine Center in Coatesville.

All presentations included: (1) an overview of the idea/solution; (2) the importance of the idea/solution; (3)a gap analysis; (4) financials; (5) team profiles; and (6) a timeline. Prior consultation and feedback from a skilled professional was available to each Presenter to assist them with delivering their proposal.

Panelists of the first Let’s Talk Allyship series included: Charrisse Allen, Board member and Grantmaking committee member at The Alliance; Timmy Nelson, Chester County Community Foundation; James Logan, Coatesville City Manager; Christopher Saello, United Way of Chester County; and Alphonso Newsuan, Movement Community Development Corporation. After each presentation, the panelists provided constructive feedback and opportunities to answer questions to the Presenters. They also awarded the $2,500 prize for the best community-created solution.

The first place award was designated to Mary Smith, an educator in Chester County. Mary answered the challenge question on well-being – what is your idea(s) on giving Greater Coatesville families and residents what’s necessary for the emotional well-being and care they need? Her solution is to support students in identifying what emotions are and provide strategies to self-calming and self-regulation. The target population is Pre-kindergarten to first grade students.

Attendees of the event voted for one (1) $1,000 award and three (3) $500 awards for the remaining proposed solutions. Awardees included:

• 2nd Place ($1,000): Chester County Futures, focused on education by positioning underserved high school students for post-secondary and early career successes through The Passport program
• 3rd Place ($500): Jumpstart Coatesville, focused on housing and economic redevelopment by removing neighborhood blight through scattered site rehabilitation
• 3rd Place ($500): Acupuncture Healing Arts, focused on health and employment to open a Community Acupuncture clinic pair each shift with Therapeutic Exercise Class
• 3rd Place ($500): Brandywine YMCA, focused on health with a proposal to facilitate a Summer Co-Ed Intramural sports Series program for youth in Coatesville.

The next Let’s Talk session will take place March 23rd from 4:30 – 6:30 at The Brandywine Center in Coatesville. We encourage you to join the conversation and vote for ideas by signing up here. Presentation opportunities are still available until June! Submit an overview of an idea/solution related to Coatesville’s pressing needs of health, well-being, education, employment, housing, and economic redevelopment. Use this link: https://forms.gle/6VM9h3HuoLLajaqN7 for your submission. Learn more about the Let’s Talk Allyship series from March – June as well as partnership opportunities by visiting The Alliance’s website: www.alliancehealthequity.org