Over the last three years, BUILD awardees have been working toward addressing social determinants of health and advancing health equity in their communities. To commemorate the end of our third cohort and spotlight their impactful work, we will be sharing each of our 18 communities’ stories — highlighting the partners’ collaborative approach to creating meaningful change in their community, the challenges they faced, and the transformative impact of these efforts for residents.
Our first story comes out of the Doyle neighborhood of Kerrville, Texas. In this predominantly African American and growing Hispanic community lies a rich culture and history that dates back 100 years. Doyle residents have experienced significant underinvestment in community services and infrastructure resources, resulting in disparities in community health and social disconnection from the rest of Kerrville.
“As a community, we have decided collectively that we are ‘better together.’ We acknowledge the problems that have divided us and have chosen to change the trajectory of our future through honest dialogue by speaking the truth in love.” —Reverend Allen Noah, executive director of Glory Community Garden, Hope for Health partner
With their award, the Kerrville BUILD collaborative, Hope for Health, aimed to restore Doyle residents’ hope and trust in health institutions, as well as to elevate residents’ voices and revitalize participation in shaping their community.
Through resident-centered strategy meetings, active listening and authentic conversations, Hope for Health and residents identified Doyle’s need for accessible medical and mental health care, transportation to social services and access to healthy foods. To address the need for accessible medical and mental health care, Hope for Health partnered with Peterson Health, Doyle’s local health system, to revitalize Doyle’s community center and transform the space into a hub for residents to receive convenient, high-quality medical and mental health care.
Over the past three years, the Kerrville BUILD community has been able to:
- Reduce emergency room visits and increase preventative care by revitalizing the care clinic in the Doyle community center.
- Coordinate a subsidized ride service to get Doyle residents to and from their medical and other appointments outside of the community.
- Receive about $1.5M in investments from the city to fix streets, street signs, and sidewalks in Doyle.
Through prioritizing trust, social connection, supported navigation of healthcare, and other social services, Doyle is now recognized as a community power-building model that can be replicated in other communities in Kerrville and beyond.
Read more about Hope for Health’s impact in Kerrville, TX, and stay tuned weekly for more BUILD community stories!
