One year ago this fall, a vision turned into a reality when the Nebraska Medicine and UNMC Community Wellness Collaborative opened its doors for the first time. The Community Wellness Collaborative serves as the official health care partner for Seventy Five North’s purpose-built community in the Highlander neighborhood.
The intention was simple – connect local North Omaha community members to health resources and provide support through education, training and building career pathways. But as the location began to grow roots in the community, the impact became much more than this.
Watch this video to see the highlights of what the CWC has accomplished and all the lives it has touched in the first year.
“The Community Wellness Collaborative means I am part of the bigger picture,” said Galen Walker, Highlander community member. “When living in a certain part of the city, sometimes it can feel as though we are forgotten. The CWC makes everyone feel included and that our concerns matter.”
“The CWC helps the community with food, resources, health care events and information that we generally don’t get. It is a great experience,” said Sherrie Coleman, Highlander community member.
Stories like Walker’s and Coleman’s are just a glimpse of the positive impact the CWC has made in the lives of local community members. In the first year of operations, the CWC has had more than 1,000 community touch points, hosted 29 programs with 58 partners and provided 33 community health navigator referrals. The CWC also handed out more than 450 backpacks filled with school supplies at the start of the academic year and fed 200 families during the holiday season.
“Truly nothing shows the impact of the space on us and our community members better than seeing it with your own eyes and being a part of that, whether it be in person or seeing the pictures,” said Heidi Keeler, PhD, assistant vice chancellor, UNMC Office of Community Engagement.
To learn more about partnering within the Community Wellness Collaborative space, contact the UNMC Office of Community Engagement by email at oce@unmc.edu or CWC@nebraskamed.com.