On July 13, 2024, a collaboration between the iHeart Collaborative and the Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana, both part of Connections IN Health, a project within Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, culminated in a health fair in the Norwood Neighborhood on the near southeast side of Indianapolis.
The health fair, planned over 6 months through the Near Southeast Side Steering Committee, provided health screenings and resources for the community under the guidance of the Norwood Neighborhood Association president, Brenda McAtee. The iHeart Collaborative IU Health partners provided blood pressure screenings and Step Up provided HIV screenings. Individuals who completed screenings could take home a mini blender (one per household) as an incentive to make healthy recipes at home. 44 individuals completed the blood pressure screening, 40 households received mini blenders and 74 residents attended the fair.
Other organizations at the event included Gleaners, CICOA, Purdue Extension, Southeast Community Services, Southeast Neighborhood Development, Holos Integrative Healthcare, and Indy Peace Fellowship. Backpacks were provided for kids going back to school, and Changing Footprints provided free socks, shoes and shirts.
Funding through the Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana provided the mini blenders as incentives for screenings as well as follow-up sessions by Purdue Extension to offer nutrition education courses related to diabetes and cardiovascular disease to the community.
Norwood is a historic Freetown founded and built by Black Civil War veterans, many of whom have direct descendants still in the neighborhood to this day.
