• 1420 N Street Northwest Washington, DC 20005
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The West Baltimore Health & Education Intervention Project

This West Baltimore Health & Education Intervention Project is a collaborative activity with a Mission to
deal with recognized major national problems as they impact the community and residents of West
Baltimore, MD. Its focus is to enhance the health and educational well-being of African American,
Hispanic-Latino and other residents in West Baltimore by providing education to community residents
about healthy lifestyles, food choices, meal preparation and filling of basic education gaps which are
contributing to inability to improve health and social outcomes.

  • To improve the level of understanding the relationship between knowledge of healthy choices, how to implement healthy practices and how to measure success in these areas
  • To reduce the burden of diabetes and heart disease and to improve the quality of life for all people who have, or are at risk for these disorders
  • To reduce the proportion of people with uncontrolled high blood pressure
  • To impact the training of community residents, from grade school level upward, in achievement of educational goals which will improve understanding of relationship between personal actions, choices, improved self-care and healthy lives
We are currently assessing and documenting basic educational needs of residents of the community, from elementary school through high school basics and through appropriately implemented programs, providing understanding of key elements of lifestyle which can ultimately improve health and ability to function in supporting social needs. Ultimately, following provision of assessment and education on healthy choices and demonstration of associated food preparation techniques, we will demonstrate that persons suffering from Type 2 diabetes and from high blood pressure can improve their control of these conditions, reduce their dependence on medication and even, in some cases, eliminate some characteristics of disease. In addition, the projected interventions can greatly improve outcomes for those who may be at greater risk for heart disease and other acquired diseases, and reverse or prevent their complications.
For the past 8 months, volunteers from the Berea Temple and Emmanuel-Brinklow Churches have conducted monthly Lifestyle Education and Healthy Food Choice training at the Ruth M. Kirk Recreation and Education Center, located at 122 N. Vincent Street in Baltimore, MD. This Center was initiated more than 15 years ago by, then Delegate, Ruth M. Kirk who, for many years, represented this area of West Baltimore in the Maryland State Assembly. Currently, her son, Arthur Kirk, who is otherwise employed as a Lieutenant in the Baltimore City Fire Department, and her daughter, Aline Kirk, a retired administrative operations director for the Baltimore City Government, oversee and operate the Center. Weekly distribution of food boxes (supplied by the Saval food distribution company) and other staple foods (donated by suburban area chain food stores) are made to community residents, many of whom depend significantly on these foods. Of note, however, is that many of the more healthy articles of food, such as leafy vegetables, root vegetables, and natural foods common to ethnicities other than the predominant African-American ethnicity, are discarded by the residents who procure the food boxes. Arthur Kirk has welcomed the involvement of the Berea Temple and Emmanuel-Brinklow Community Service personnel, who are present to assist with food distribution, in helping to teach the residents how to utilize the foods which they are not familiar with.

The Berea Temple and Emmanuel-Brinklow Community Service personnel are
comprised of health care technicians, nurses, physicians, dietitians/nutritionists and
educators who are eager to execute a food preparation and utilization training
program to help to improve the health outcomes of this West Baltimore population.

The funding being requested will be used to expand and continue the provision of
services to benefit the health and lifestyle intervention needs of the residents of
West Baltimore. More specifically, grant funds will assist in the “outfitting” of a
training and televised demonstration kitchen area along with group food
preparation and food storage equipment at the Ruth M. Kirk Center.