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SPRING 1999

United Way Recognizes Project HEALTH

United Way Volunteer Connections presented BMC’s Project HEALTH program with a Certificate of Appreciation at its 1999 Champions of Change Award Ceremony during National Volunteer Week (April 18-24).

Volunteer Connections recognized individuals, companies and groups for their Outstanding efforts in service and for the impact for change they have made through their work. Project HEALTH won recognition in the “group” category.

Project HEALTH began in Februarv of 1996 as a small pilot program at Harvard University with ten undergraduate students. Since then, the organization has grown to involve 150 volunteers from four campuses with three full-time staff based in the BMC Pediatrics Department. Students frorr, Nff, Northeastern and Wheelock have joined the Harvard core group.

The mission of Project HEALTH is to work to ensure that every child wffl grow up free from the obstacles of poor health. Project HEALTH challenges those obstacles by uniting the energy and vision Of undergraduates, the experience and knowledge of medical and legal professionals and the policy expertise of university faculty.

Project HEALTH consists of three interwoven components: service, mentorship and reflection. Volunteers spend 20,000 hours annually designing, developing and implementing programs which complement the medical care families receive. Mentors educate volunteers about the specific needs of children and families in urban communities. In weekly reflection sessions, volunteers grapple with the effect of social issues on the families they serve and weigh the impact of their own programs.

Current Project HEALTH programs at BMC and with BMC patients in community settings include the following: Asthma Swimming Program, Fitness and Nutrition Program, STRIVE, Family Help Desk, Teens and Tots Resource Room, Well Fed Well Read, Job Training Program, Children’s Health Insurance Access, and the Navigating Health Systems Kiosk.

Because of the great success of its Boston initiative. the Project HEALTH, staff has begun planning an expansion of its Program to additional cities in the upcoming year.