Vision
Eastern Shore of Virginia residents report a growing, positive sense of health, well-being, and self-empowerment.
Mission
As a volunteer, multi-sector partnership, Eastern Shore Healthy Communities’ mission is to develop an accountable care community using policies, systems, and environmental change strategies to improve the health and success of Eastern Shore of Virginia residents.
Values
Teamwork. We are a group of diverse people working together toward a clearly defined, shared vision.
Effective Decision Making. We support a process in which all opinions are respected and considered. All participants are equally important and working towards a common goal.
Duty/Commitment. We have a duty and commitment to work towards achieving our shared mission and vision.
Proactive. We use a “root cause” approach to community well-being issues; looking at ways to address the source of the concern to reduce or prevent the occurrence of that concern
Systemic Equity. We belive that all persons have the right to full and equal access to opportunities that enable them to be healthy and enjoy well-being.
Creativity/Innovation. We use creative and innovative approaches to moving towards well-being.
Framework
Eastern Shore Healthy Communities is a partnership of businesses, organizations, faith communities, and individuals of all ages, representing a diversity of community sectors and professions, engaged in addressing and improving policies, systems and environments to support a healthy Eastern Shore. We work together for collective impact.
The health burden in the U.S. and the Eastern Shore has shifted from infectious diseases to chronic, non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. These are primarily lifestyle-related diseases. That’s why we say that health begins long before we ever need to see a doctor or go to a hospital. It begins where we live, learn, work, worship and play.
When we create policies, for example, worksite wellness policies that promote improved diet, increased physical activity, and tobacco-free air, we impact hundreds of people in multiple organizations. When system improvements occur, like eliminating soda and introducing activity-based learning in the education system, thousands of children, adolescents and adults are affected. And when alter environments, to create livable communities where roads and sidewalks safely support walking and bicycling, as well as automobiles, we make active living possible for all ages.
The spectrum of health care includes preventive and sick care that our doctors and hospitals provide. It also includes health education. But today, we must go further upstream, to create places where people are prompted to and supported in healthy behavior and this requires businesses, police, educators, clergy, government, health and medical professionals — every sector, and people of all ages. That is why we created Eastern Shore Healthy Communities, a multi-sector health coalition. It is a place to put down political boundaries, share talents, insights and resources to work together towards the vision of well-being for all.
Health is the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. All people on the Eastern Shore deserve to flourish. When we create healthful places, where all residents flourish, then education flourishes and businesses thrive – because all sectors are connected. We hope you “get” this concept, own it, and are inspired to become part of this movement. Your effort in this partnership might just be the tipping point to achieving the vision.
Diversity Statement
Eastern Shore Healthy Communities envisions all residents reporting a growing, positive sense of health, well-being and self-empowerment. Its mission is to develop an accountable community, using policies, systems, and environmental change strategies to improve the health and success of all Eastern Shore of Virginia residents. We believe that our partnership, as well as our community, is nourished and strengthened by the diversity of our residents. Therefore, we commit to having a partnership that is reflective of our diverse community.
Our partnership values equity, believing that all persons have the right to full and equal access to opportunities that enable them to be healthy and enjoy well-being. We intend to improve the way that vulnerable groups are treated and understood. To do this we will challenge ourselves to continuously learn and self-reflect, recognize and influence power imbalances, and remain accountable to our mission, vision, and values, especially with regard to diversity, equity and inclusion.
We intend for our actions to serve as a model for communities, educational institutions, employer organizations, and social groups and we will actively work for our community organizations and institutions to adopt similar diversity, equity and inclusion policies and practices.