Health & Human Services
The Links, Incorporated established the Health and Human Services facet in response to the chronic health disparities that persist in black communities and result in the decreased life expectancy of African Americans and other people of African ancestry. The goal of HHS is to promote and facilitate programs that support the maintenance of good health and the elimination of chronic health disparities in communities of color through education, health advocacy, and optimal utilization of health resources. Community education about health risks is crucial and The Links, Incorporated plays a significant role in providing it.
Signature Program: Hearth Links
HeartLinks encourages Links members and the communities we serve to take an aggressive stance against heart disease, the number one killer of African-American women. HeartLinks accomplishes its goal by equipping our members with numerous ways to implement heart healthy programs and activities in their communities including: Walk for a Healthy Living Program, Childhood Obesity Prevention Program, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Program, and Red Dress events.
HeartLinks encourages Links members and the communities we serve to take an aggressive stance against heart disease, the number one killer of African-American women. HeartLinks accomplishes its goal by equipping our members with numerous ways to implement heart healthy programs and activities in their communities including: Walk for a Healthy Living Program, Childhood Obesity Prevention Program, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Program, and Red Dress events.
Walk For Healthy Living
Our Walk For Healthy Living is designed to encourage Links members, their families, and the communities we serve to improve their health by walking more. Physical activity is an integral part of a long term overall health strategy. We support this by sponsoring Links Walk-a-Thons throughout our communities during the last weekend in September, and by challenging community and Links members to take 10,000 steps each day. As we continue to promote exercise, our membership is committed to walking 75 million steps by The Links 75th anniversary in 2021.
Childhood Obesity Prevention Program
Our Childhood Obesity Prevention Program increases awareness and heightens understanding surrounding the multi-dimensional issues that contribute to obesity in African-American children and their families. Addressing childhood obesity is key to securing the health of our children and their futures. Working with community centers, churches and schools we hope to change the way children view food.
Signature Program: Linkages To Life
Organ, Tissue and Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Signature Program Linkages to Life was established in response to the health disparities in organ, eye, and tissue (including bone marrow) transplantation. Our goal is to decrease disparities in donor registration and transplantation in the African-American community. Our members work to increase the number of registered donors through community-based events and multi-media awareness campaigns. In partnership with the national organization Donate Life America, we strive to register 740 donors by 2020.
National Mental Health Initiative
The goal of the National Mental Health Initiative is to educate Links members about depression, anxiety, and social issues that impact our physical and mental health so that our members can take this knowledge into our communities. The National Mental Health Initiative collaborates with each Links programming facet to incorporate a wellness component into all Links programs. By strategically partnering with organizations that specialize in black mental health issues and by identifying and sharing resources that educate on how to seek and find treatment, we are helping to eliminate the stigma of mental illness within the black community. Our work with the national organization Mental Health First Aid will allow 1,000 Links members to be trained in recognizing certain mental health issues.