Project SUPPORT
Introduction
Led by Asian Media Access (AMA), collaborated with Multi Cultural Community Alliance (MCCA), Project SUPPORT is a cross-cultural, cross-generational, and cross-sectoral initiative, aims to improve health, prevent chronic disease, and reduce health disparities among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOCs) who face the highest risk, and bear the highest burden of chronic disease, named: African American/Black, Asian American and will put a special focus on young people from the two poorest but most diverse neighborhoods in MN – North Minneapolis, and Midway St. Paul.
Supported by CDC’s REACH funding, AMA will leverage our extensive network of trusted community partners who provide subject matter expertise and have a history of successful engagement with the respective cultural and geographic communities. All partners have been involved in co-designing this Initiative – Project SUPPORT (Supporting Under-served through Produce/Park Prescription, and Opportunities to Recreation-activity & Tobacco-control), through below 4 culturally tailored strategies:
Increase healthy cultural food access by implementing Food Service Guidelines (FSG) at least one Asian Temple, establishing Produce Rx at three clinics/hospitals.
Increase policies, plans and community design changes through China Garden, Minneapolis Open Streets and St. Paul Sears Redevelopment to better connect residents to everyday destination for live/work/play, and provide safe, culturally based places for increasing physical activities.
Support a Media Campaign to educate BIPOC communities about the proposed statewide tobacco flavor ban, and work with area sports teams to find out what people/youth know and feel about flavored tobacco products. Focus groups and media message testing will be done to determine what the community needs to know and what messages related to flavor bans would appeal to which cultural groups. We will focus on young athletes from pan-Asian and pan-African communities, and a media campaign featured the young athletes based on what the message testing reveals.
Increase demand for, and access to, flu, COVID-19, and other adult vaccinations via 40 pop-up community clinics at the places that cultural groups feel comfortable and connected, and increase regularity of vaccine promotion in priority communities; and increase the percentage of pan-Asian and pan-African seniors who are up-to-date with recommended adult vaccinations.
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