Omaha church works to fight health inequity

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Susan Blum brought her seven-year-old granddaughter to the Pleasant Green Baptist Church health fair Saturday.

Blum lives a few miles away and came for their COVID boosters.

“It’s very accessible for us. It’s in our area, so it was the perfect place for us today,” said Blum.

The church has three health ambassadors to promote healthy living. Lovey Jackson-Craddock is one of them.

“My job as a health ambassador is to help keep the community safe, so I thought it was very important to do the health fair today and do the boosters and the flu shots and bring the community together to help keep the community safe,” Jackson-Craddock said.

There were also tables with information on mental health, job opportunities, and a station to check blood pressure.

Alberta Hollie and her sister go to the church and came to the fair. They felt comfortable coming in with their questions.

“The church their doors are always open. You can always come to them with questions and get help,” said Hollie. “And if you don’t understand they just sit down and talk to you and make you aware of what they have to offer you.”

The 2021 community health assessment in Douglas County revealed that people in North and South Omaha reported transportation hindering their ability to go to the doctors. That’s why free events like this at churches in the community break some accessibility barriers.

“A lot of people live right here in the community. They might not have the money or the gas to go far away. And they can come just right here in the neighborhood,” said Jackson-Craddock.

More than 50 people got their COVID booster and flu shot from the county health department.

And while this was the church’s first health fair, they say the positive turnout encourages them to put it on again.

Copyright 2022 WOWT. All rights reserved.