Action for Children has been engaged in community outreach and mobilization efforts in northeastern North Carolina since 2009.
We have spearheaded initiatives to increase access to mental health and substance abuse services for court-involved youth and ensuring that first-time mothers receive parenting supports. Most recently, Action for Children’s community efforts have been to identify and examine the social and environmental factors that lead to poor health outcomes in Halifax County and facilitate a community-driven planning process to ultimately address the identified needs.
Specifically, AFC has provided technical assistance to the community to help them identify strategies that will improve access to physical activity opportunities and healthy eating. AFC’s health outreach initiative will continue to target improvements directed at social determinants of health through policy and program innovation, environmental change, community engagement, advocacy, and activism. Our overall success in local communities is grounded in our ability to listen and hear the needs being expressed by community leaders and members impacted.