The Fall into Wellness Family Health Fair, aiming to address economic, health, and social disparities in the Watts community, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Macedonia Baptist Church, 1751 E. 114th Street, in Los Angeles.
Free immunizations and health screenings will be available along with food, music and other resources. Community and hospital volunteers will staff booths featuring art and educational activities for children, first aid training, and job opportunities for adults.
Macedonia Baptist Church, Macedonia Community Development Corporation, Charles Drew University, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles are hosting the event, which is open to the public. A brief program will start at 11 a.m.
“The Watts community, as with other unserved communities across the nation, are often overlooked and neglected when it comes to health disparities,” said the Rev. Dr. Shane B. Scott, Macedonia pastor and founder, CEO, and board chairman of Macedonia CDC.
“We need pointed partnerships that seek to speak to the entire person. That’s what we are seeking to do with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.”
“With our partnership with Macedonia Baptist Church, the Macedonia Community Development Corporation, and Charles Drew University, CHLA is building a long-term collaboration with pillar organizations in the community,” noted CHLA Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Lara Khouri.
“Our goal is to improve the health of our most vulnerable populations because we know that healthier families are the center of strong communities.”
CHLA has a longstanding relationship with families in South Los Angeles. Over the past three years, the hospital has seen more than 61,000 unique patients and managed more than 243,000 patient visits from the community. CHLA strives to make the hospital a safe and happy environment while our young patients are on their way to good health, and the Family Health Fair will reflect this commitment by bringing activities in the hospital to families attending the event.
“We’ll have music, and art therapy projects for kids, dog therapy demonstrations, and first aid training; the fair is an opportunity for us to share our health knowledge, provide health screenings and immunizations, and bring together local partners as a one-stop shop for local families, and it’s all in a fun and engaging atmosphere,” says Dr. Jennifer Baird, one of the fair’s organizers and a nursing director and scientist at CHLA.
“This collaboration between CHLA and the Macedonia community partners has been built to address health, economic, and social disparities with the goal of extending the life expectancy of the people in Watts and surrounding communities.”
