PRESS RELEASE: Health Care Access Now holding 3K Walk/Run to raise scholarship funds

Join Health Care Access Now (HCAN) on its inaugural 3K Walk/Run to raise scholarship funds for the Community Health Worker (CHW) Certification Program. The Walk/Run will take place on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. at Winton Woods. Registration is $25.

• The event is for people of all ages, and pets are welcome if leashed or otherwise contained. The first 100 people to register will receive swag bags.
• HCAN certifies CHWs to work in the field, providing resources and connections to pregnant, maternal, pediatric, and adult clients with chronic conditions to improve health outcomes. Scholarships will allow for more people who come from vulnerable communities to train as CHWs.

HCAN’s goal is to ensure health equity for all people in the Cincinnati region. CHWs are instrumental in achieving that goal because they work individually with vulnerable community members to remove barriers (such as lack of transportation or suitable housing) to good health outcomes.

Health Care Access Now (HCAN) will hold its inaugural 3K Walk/Run to raise scholarship funds for the Community Health Worker (CHW) Certification Program. The $25 registration fee will go toward need-based scholarships for CHW certification program students. Independent donations to the scholarship fund are also encouraged. The first 100 people to register will receive swag bags.

The Walk/Run begins at 9 a.m. at Kestrel Point Shelter at Winton Woods (10245 Winton Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45231). Participants are welcome to bring pets, provided they are leashed or contained, and family. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. A DJ will play music, and participants can meet others who work in or care about advancing health equity.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to do good and have fun at the same time,” says Sarah Mills, CEO of HCAN. “It’s a way to celebrate health and work toward health equity.”

HCAN trains CHWs to go into the field and work one-on-one with clients to help them achieve better health outcomes. Two programs, one for adults with chronic illnesses and one for mothers and children, help vulnerable community members to identify and eliminate the obstacles keeping them from good health. CHWs develop rapport with clients and provide education and resources to overcome barriers often referred to as the social determinants of health. For example, CHWs might assist clients in locating resources for nutritional food, suitable housing, or reliable transportation.

“CHWs do so much for community members who might otherwise fall through the cracks,” says Mills. “They help mothers carry babies to full term, stabilize adults with diabetes, and much more. They become trusted resources.”

Because the most effective CHWs often come from the communities they serve, it’s imperative that need-based scholarships are made available for individuals who want to join this worthy field. 

HCAN welcomes one and all to promote health equity and give to the CHW scholarship fund. Start your weekend off with a Walk/Run, meet some great people, and have a lot of fun.