In partnership with the University of Missouri Extension, the Center for Community Health Partnership and Research has awarded seed funding for multiple public health-related projects aimed at advocating for more equitable regional policies and stricter violence prevention efforts in under-resourced communities. Through its Pitch Partners2 funding mechanism, the center has collaborated with the Neighborhood Leadership Fellows, an advanced leadership training program at University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission to support the projects below.
Project: Peace and Quiet
Most of the noise ordinances in the St. Louis Metro relate to transportation, heavy industrial equipment and the airport. This project assesses the mental, emotional and physical impact of living with excessive noise in under-resourced neighborhoods, such as those in The Promise Zone*, and whether or not there is a connection between “nuisance noise” and incidents of violence.
Project funds will be used to create an informational video to educate the public and decision makers (policy makers, law enforcement, lawmakers and community members) about the relationship between excessive noise and community violence and will facilitate community conversations about excessive noise as a form of violence. The project aims to work toward stricter enforcement of current nuisance noise ordinances and stiffer penalties for bars, restaurants and unlawful gatherings.
Project: Dismantling the Divide: “I Am Tomorrow’s Promise”
Neighborhoods in The Promise Zone have suffered greatly from decades of racial discrimination, business divestment and gentrification that have all contributed to the now-diminished neighborhoods. Realtors frequently cite elevated crime rates as the reason to avoid buying homes in these neighborhoods. This project aims to provide both a marketing component and an educational component that presents the benefits of living in these neighborhoods and encourages homeownership and investment. The educational component also provides formal classroom training to real estate personnel and financial advisors about ways in which direct equity, economic mobility and the reduction of vacant homes can lead to new housing construction, additional tax revenue for schools and increased opportunities for civic engagement.
Project: Quality HealthCare Access for All with a focus on School Based Health Care Centers
This project focuses on promoting school-based healthcare centers by using various marketing techniques, including media advertising and an informative short video. The purpose is to educate community members and legislators by promoting the importance of accessible healthcare by increasing school based healthcare centers statewide. Funding will be used to pay for a statewide marketing campaign using diverse media strategies
*According the St. Louis County Department of Public Health website, The Promise Zone target area is one of only 20 federally-designated Promise Zones in the United States. It encompasses St. Louis City Wards: 1-5, 18-19, 21-22, 26-27; and parts of St. Louis County, including the communities of: Bellerive Acres, Bel-Nor, Bel-Ridge, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Cool Valley, Country Club Hills, Dellwood, Ferguson, Flordell Hills, Glen Echo Park, Greendale, Hazelwood, Hillsdale, Jennings, Kinloch, Moline Acres, Normandy, Northwoods, Pagedale, Pine Lawn, Riverview, University City, Uplands Park, Velda City, Velda Village Hills, and Wellston.
The above projects were funded as part of the Center for Community Health Partnership & Research Pitch Partners2 Fall 2020 funding cycle. Read more about Pitch Partners.