Mayor Dan Horrigan and the Office of Minority Health Celebrate April 2019 as Minority Health Month
City of Akron Press Release
Published: 04-17-2019
Akron, Ohio, April 17, 2019 – Mayor Dan Horrigan is proud to join with the Summit County Public Health Office of Minority Health to celebrate Minority Health Month in the City of Akron. Minority Health Month was created in 1989 and became a national initiative in 2000. The 2019 national theme this year is Active and Healthy. Minority Health Month aims to:
- Promote healthy lifestyles and disease prevention
- Highlight the disparities and health conditions between minority populations; and
- Gain additional support for ongoing efforts to improve minority health year round.
“This year, several events will highlight the importance of active and healthy lifestyles and empowering individuals to make informed choices about their health,” Mayor Horrigan said. “Several preventable health crises including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, infant mortality and violence are prevalent among minority communities. As we celebrate Minority Health Month, we renew our commitment to partnering across the community to eliminate the social and economic barriers to good health for all Akron residents.”
A full calendar of events is available here.
Saturday, April 6, 2019 - Summit County Public Health Office of Minority Health (OMH) kicked off the month with the 2019 Healthy Choir Showcase celebration. The event was free and open to the public and was hosted at Buchtel Community Learning Center and ran from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Community members, choirs and choral groups from surrounding communities were invited to learn about preventable chronic diseases that are prevalent within minority populations. Health screenings and community resources were offered to guests. Mayor Horrigan presented a proclamation to the Summit County Public Health Office of Minority Health for the coordination of outreach efforts to eliminate health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019 – OMH is excited to host the 2019 Metro Minority Health Fair in conjunction with the Metro RTA. The Metro Minority Health Fair will take place from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Metro Transit Center. This event will highlight the importance of addressing health inequity and disparities. Attending this event is free, and health screenings and services will be offered to the public at no charge. Free bus passes will be available for participating in the health screenings as well as raffles and other prizes throughout the day. Showing the event flier (attached) to the bus operator on any regular METRO line-service bus from 6:00AM to 3:00PM on 4/23/19 will result in a FREE ride to the event.
As of April 16, 2019, community vendors who will be providing on-site services and screenings include Akron Summit County Library, American Heart Association, AxessPointe Dental, Beyond Expectations Barber College, Canapi, Community Action Pathways HUB, Community Legal Aid, East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp., Equitas Health, Head Start, Heart to Heart Family Support Center, Life Banc, Mount Calvary Baptist Church Nurses, Project Learn, Rape Crisis Center of Medina & Summit Counties, Red Oak Behavioral Health, Summit County Public Health, Summa Health, the University of Akron, and Vantage Aging.
Sponsors for both events include Buckeye Health Plan, CareSource, Cleveland Clinic- Akron General, Direction Home, Paramount Advantage, Summa Health, and Summit County of Job and Family Services.
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For more information please contact:
Iriel D. Hopkins, MSW, LSW
Licensed Social Worker
Office of Minority Health - Program Director
Summit County Public Health
1867 W. Market Street | Akron, Ohio 44313
Office: (330) 926-5764| Cell: (330)-217-9042| Fax: (330) 923-6370
www.scphoh.org I www.minorityhealthsummitcounty.org
