VCU Health Disparities Service-Learning Collaborative
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service

January 23, 2009

The VCU Health Disparities Service-Learning Collaborative (HDSLC) joined with VCU’s Center on Health Disparities and the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy to sponsor a Martin Luther, King, Jr., Day of Service event on Friday, January 23rd, in Richmond’s Mosby Court Community. The purpose of the event was to initiate a collaboration between Mosby Court Community residents, VCU, and VDH to explore together ways to improve the lives of Mosby Court residents, based on community-identified needs.

The event included a healthy eating demonstration, health resource information, an exercise demonstration, and a viewing of the acclaimed PBS series, “Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?”

Healthy Heart Plus, led by Alice Freeman, prepared a delicious assortment of healthy foods and, with the help of VCU Master of Public Health (MPH) students, served lunch to all. Before lunch began, Alice Freeman discussed easy ways to change eating habits to make them more healthful. Healthy Heart Plus staffers provided information on healthy eating and demonstrated fun ways to exercise—including using the hula hoop and dancing the Cupid Shuffle. MPH students gave out brochures on healthy exercise and common diseases such as diabetes and asthma, along with information on Angel Food Ministries. During lunch, everyone viewed a segment of “Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?”, addressing how the places we live can negatively affect our health. A discussion of the video was led by a staff member of the VDH Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy. Community members were encouraged to come to a meeting in February with their ideas on how the entire group could work together to initiate positive change that would benefit the health of all in the Mosby Court Community.

(click first image in group to start slide show or click any individual photo to enlarge)

Healthy eating demonstration by Healthy Heart Plus
Alice Freeman and the staff of Healthy Heart Plus, aided by VCU MPH students, prepare a spread of healthy food for event attendees.


Healthy Heart Plus shows how to have fun with exercise: Dance!
Community members, students, and staff from the Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy and VCU tried out the dance moves, led by staff from Healthy Heart Plus.


Discussion of “Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?”
After viewing a segment of the PBS series, “Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick,” community members participate in a discussion led by a member of the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy.


Health Information
Alice Freeman of Healthy Heart Plus and staff provided information on simple ways to change daily diet to make it more healthful. VCU MPH students provided information on simple lifestyle changes that help prevent disease and the local resource, Angel Food.


Fun with Exercise
VCU MPH students try out exercise techniques demonstrated by Healthy Heart Plus