Walgreens First Ladies Health Initiative will kick off the 2016 season with its First Ladies Health Day in Los Angeles on Sunday, April 10.
Thirty-five first ladies, ranging in age from 30 to 82, will host the event. The women represent a combined church membership of more than 10,000 people who can access several free health screenings and obtain wellness information.
“In our communities, the church serves a multitude of purposes, including ‘hospital’ for the spiritually downtrodden; so, it is a natural fit to open the doors of the church to offer these health services, empowering attendees of all ages to declare war on these systemic, chronic and often deadly medical issues,” said First Lady Rinnita Thompson of Southern Missionary Baptist Church; and First Ladies Health Day co-chair in Los Angeles.
“Our stores are proudly located at the corner of happy and healthy, and what better place to connect with our customers than through the First Ladies Health Day which promotes happy families and healthy options,” said John Gremer, director of Community Relations for Walgreens.
Tracey Alston, executive director of the First Ladies Health Initiative, added, “The First Ladies Health Initiative is a one-of-its-kind effort that positions the church as the nucleus for large- scale health and wellness outreach. Ultimately, we want to empower minority and low-income communities with the essential healthcare resources so they can take control of their health. It is crucial that these communities have access to health information and medical experts, as well as free health tests which can sometimes cost hundreds of dollars.”
Participating health partners and volunteers for First Ladies Health Day include: Walgreens pharmacists, AltaMed, the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Diabetes Association, CareMore, Cedars-Sinai, City of Hope, and Susan G. Komen®.
For a list of participating churches, visit FirstLadiesHealth.com or call (213) 394-0844.