South Bronx Healthy and Livable Neighborhoods

NEW YORK COMMUNITY TRUST

The New York Community Trust (NYCT) and the New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) collaborated to launch the Healthy Neighborhoods initiative in order to address underlying problems that have affected the health of New York State communities and to support them to become places that are healthier and more active. NYCT is partnering with NYSHealth in a complementary initiative, South Bronx Healthy and Livable Neighborhoods, to invest in three neighborhoods in the South Bronx. Healthy Places by Design has worked closely with both funders to co-develop, coordinate, and facilitate a flexible peer learning collaborative that meets the sites’ current and emergent learning needs and lays a foundation for their leadership and the sustainability of their work.

Our support has included:

• strategic planning sessions with NYCT and NYSHealth staff;
• quarterly one-on-one technical assistance calls;
• quarterly joint South Bronx neighborhood calls;
• facilitating four in-person learning meetings;
• bimonthly peer virtual exchange sessions; and
• producing a biweekly e-newsletter with links to funding opportunities and resources that can inform the sites’ work.

In an unusual move, NYCT asked the three South Bronx neighborhoods to not only implement strategies in their own neighborhoods and participate in peer learning, but to intentionally and strategically work together. Healthy Places by Design has supported this innovative collaboration by facilitating, coordinating, and hosting calls between the sites as well as helping the sites align their approaches. Because NYCT placed an emphasis on collaboration and asked Healthy Places by Design to support that vision, the neighborhoods have been able to enhance the alignment of their work beyond the level that typically happens between funded initiatives.

 

“I am still inspired by the commitment shown by the initiative’s partners and humbled by the sites’ laser-like focus on progress, even in circumstances where change is incremental. I’m also encouraged by the sustainability that has developed in each of the projects, knowing that the work will continue after this grant’s funding ends.”

IRFAN HASAN
Program Director, New York Community Trust