The Community Foundation recently hosted a panel event called What’s Driving Poverty and how do we change the roadmap? Local experts in social services, health, and housing spoke. Dr. Pedro Velasquez-Mieyer of DarSalud Health emphasized the importance of an integrated approach: you can’t work on issues of affordable housing without thinking about food insecurity.
Roshun Austin of community development corporation The Works, Inc. reinforced that idea when talking about her agency’s work in South Memphis. As a landlord, she shared, they’re not just about collecting rent, but about helping create holistic outcomes for their tenants. By providing a food education program, for instance, they help residents maximize their food budgets, eat more healthily, and exercise. That leads to decreased medication usage and moving from using the emergency room to visiting preventative care. Thinking holistically creates better, more sustainable outcomes.
Click here to watch a recording of the informative and thought-provoking panel conversation.