We all want to live in safe and healthy communities. Yet too often, laws, policies and lack of investment deprive communities of the resources they need to thrive. The negative effects of this disinvestment are easily seen. But the processes, systems, and thinking behind the disinvestment are too often hidden.
As a result, communities of color disproportionately suffer from structural inequities in environmental justice, community violence, gun violence, and youth incarceration. These are just a few of the important areas that affect the health of individuals and communities.
Communities know what they need. When we listen to people in communities who have been most affected by historical neglect and racial injustice, our job is made clear.
Our Community Well-being portfolio will provide resources that support the health, safety and resilience of communities of color, especially those that have been disproportionately affected by unhealthy environments and community violence.
This is our work:
Community environments. We have long been committed to investing in healthy and safe communities, because individual wellness is dependent upon communities being economically and environmentally vital, socially connected, and civically engaged.
We will support communities of color to actively engage and build power over the environmental policies and conditions that affect the places in which they live, work and play – paying particular attention to issues impacting water and air as well as the built environment. We will help organizations build their effectiveness and support organizing, civic engagement, and public policy advocacy efforts to drive change. Given the importance of parks and green spaces to community health, we will support efforts to create well-designed parks that benefit physical and mental well-being.
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