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Community Designed Programs

What are Community-Designed Programs? 

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Community-designed programs are initiatives developed and shaped by community members to address their specific needs, challenges, and aspirations. These projects emphasize collaboration, inclusivity, and local knowledge, ensuring the solutions are relevant and sustainable. These projects aim to create meaningful, impactful outcomes that reflect the community's values and priorities by involving community members in the brainstorming, planning, decision-making, and implementation processes.

Picture of teacher and youth in garden picking tomatoes

Diversity Nurtures Achievement

Duplin County

Diversity Nurtures Achievement (DNA) Community Youth Center is a sanctuary where local youth, families, and the wider community find solace and avenues for growth. At DNA, individuals encounter a nurturing environment where they can both learn and enjoy themselves.

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The center's programs revolve around activities such as gardening, agriculture, and physical fitness. Throughout the year, approximately 35 young individuals engage in activities aimed at enhancing their understanding of nutrition and fostering healthy lifestyles. 

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Reflecting on the organization's progress, Executive Director Earlean Rivers expresses pride in their accomplishments, stating, "Together, we are and will continue making a difference in our communities."

Photo of Jean, founder of Golden Journeys

Golden Journeys

Warren County

Golden Journeys is a wellness program dedicated to providing nutrition and health education to older, low-income Black women in Warren County. Serving approximately 12-15 participants, the program offers a variety of activities tailored to their needs.

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Throughout the year, participants engage in educational sessions such as Oldways' A Taste of African Heritage nutrition lessons. They also explore their personal genealogical histories and benefit from insights shared by local community speakers, covering topics like cooking, gardening, and juicing.

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In addition to promoting healthier eating habits and physical activity, Golden Journeys has a positive impact on participants' mental and spiritual well-being. One member expressed, "This program is vital to our community. As an older woman, it provides me with a sense of belonging."

Image of women from the Fairview community participating in a step aerobics class as part of the Women on the Move program

Women on the Move

Orange County

Women on the Move is a collaboration between the UNC Food, Fitness, and Opportunity Research Collaborative and Fairview Community Watch. It offers physical activity opportunities and nutrition classes to women in the Fairview Community.

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Throughout the program, participants attended 75 classes, totaling over 4,500 minutes of physical activity. They were able to achieve 80% of the recommended amount of physical activity solely through Women on the Move programming.

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In addition to physical activity, women completed a series of 8 nutrition education classes provided by NC Steps to Health. Children's nutrition classes were also offered during group sessions in partnership with educators from the Carolina Hunger Initiative.

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Furthermore, the program invested in new exercise materials, including dumbbells, aerobic steps, and resistance bands, to enhance participants' physical activity experience.

Community Circles

A History of Collaboration...

Community Circles was a program FFORC launched in 2015 where gatherings aimed at fostering dialogue and igniting positive change within six rural communities were hosted. Our team facilitated these discussions in collaboration with local partners, delving into the root causes of poverty and collaboratively crafting action plans to leverage community strengths in combating food insecurity.

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These dialogues yielded tangible outcomes, culminating in the initiation of our three current community-driven projects. These initiatives were dedicated to enhancing access to culturally relevant nutrition education and devising strategies to promote physical activity within these communities.

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Contact Us

Food Fitness Opportunity Research Collaborative

Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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1700 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
CB# 7426
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-7426

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p: 919-966-6080
e: fforcteam@unc.edu

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