The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50775

Carol Anne Lawler, MDiv, Faith Coordinator for Community Partnerships, Wake County Human Services, 10 Sunnybrook Rd Room 301, Raleigh, NC 27620-4049, 919-212-9394, CarolAnne.Lawler@co.wake.nc.us

Within the last two years, Wake County Human Services in North Carolina has created a new position: Faith Coordinator for Community Partnerships. This position was forged by the agency to help the faith community more effectively work with their local community, and for human services to better understand how to work effectively with religious organizations, so that those who need services can experience better health.

As recorded in the biblical tradition, Jesus, the Messiah of the Christian faith, spent much of his time in healing ministries. According to Gary Gunderson, of the Carter Center, Atlanta, “their (the faith communities’) inherent strengths are useful in realizing God’s hope for human communities.” Garnering the strength of faith communities’ leaders is essential in a collaborative effort. The power in community making the faith organizations represent, serves as a model to facilitate outreach with the underserved. Within the last year, Wake County Human Services has partnered with the faith community around issues of homelessness, foster care, domestic violence, and building an informational database to improve communication between nonprofits, the faith community, and citizens of Wake County.

This presentation provides a brief description of the role of a Faith Coordinator within a governmental agency and the community, focuses on how to establish partnerships with faith leaders, describes the challenges, successes, and the potential for harnessing the commitment and passion needed to heal the human spirit, one person at a time.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. To model the process of how to develop solid relationships between the faith community, nonprofit community, and county government.
• 2. To model how to build the capacity of the faith community with a team- centered approach.

Keywords: Faith Community, Community Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.