Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science

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Charles Drew University and H.O.P.E. Unite to Sponsor Free South
Los Angeles Community Health Fair

Event pushes to gain trust of residents—many observe—as medical professionals provide important screenings and address critical healthcare issues plaguing the community.

Los Angeles, CA — The Nickerson Gardens Housing Development was transformed into
an outdoor medical facility on October 20, 2007, where the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science and 20 other health care agencies, provided free information and screening tests for HIV/AIDS, STDs, hypertension and diabetes. Also provided were medical and mental health referrals, healthy cooking lessons and acupuncture.

The four-hour “Building Better Communities through Better Health” event provided entertainment, food and beverages, as parents and their children participated by asking
questions and taking the screening tests.
The event’s focus was to educate residents
about the leading causes of death in the Watts community — Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke – and the effect of stress caused by living in an
area of high crime and violence.

“Nickerson Gardens is a community,” said Kathy Williams, President of the Nickerson Gardens Resident Management Corp., “where you have
to gain the trust of the residents,” she stated referring to the fact that there were more people observing than those who actually participated.

Sponsored by Helping Other People Excel (H.O.P.E.) and the Charles Drew University, both nonprofit organizations, were very pleased with
the response of this first co-sponsored health fair.

“This is a positive event and something that we desperately need, but residents are more trusting of each other than they are of strangers,” Williams said. “Everything here is word of mouth. The people who attended the event and the kids who were here will go back and tell their families and neighbors that this was a good thing and next time we will have double the amount of residents, if not more. They are watching to see if you care enough to come back.”

“We were pleased to participate as a co-sponsor. It is our job to regain the trust of our community and by coming back often and providing life-saving tests and information is the best way the University can support South Los Angeles,” said Dr. Susan Kelly, Charles Drew University President and CEO.

Dr. Susan Kelly and the Rev. Melvin Ashley, Director of H.O.P.E, agree this joint-event allowed residents to see that there is nothing but good intention and that with on-going free community health fair events, the residents will know of their sincere commitment to improving the quality of life in South Los Angeles.

“The residents know that we are offering them something positive and we are not here to take advantage or judge them,” Rev. Ashley said. “Families in South Los Angeles communities like Nickerson Gardens can only benefit from making the choice to live a healthy lifestyle. The economic status of a community does not dictate the health of a community, healthy choices do. We are providing them with a place in their own community to learn what healthy choices are available to them.”

Carol Vernon, District Chief, Augustus F. Hawkins Mental Health Center who was distributing mental health information was encouraged. “Overall, it is a beginning process for all of us and we should not be discouraged by. I hope we do this in 6 months again. The more we do this, the more the community will trust who we are and will grow to respect and support our efforts.”

“The University looks forward to working more closely with South Los Angeles residents to improve the opportunity for quality health care,” says Dr. Kelly. “This event in collaboration with H.O.P.E. is a step in that direction.”

For more details and information about the next Community Health Fair scheduled for late Spring, please contact Rev. Ashley at (310) 753-8560 or Brenda J. Breaux at (323) 859-1393 or on the website, http://www.cdrewu.edu.