Partners with Strive Together and PRI
Special to The Bolivar Bullet
Delta Health Alliance (DHA) recently welcomed Strive Together and Partners for Rural Impact (PRI) to several sites in the Mississippi Delta to demonstrate the impact of DHA programs.
The visit was an opportunity for Strive Together and PRI to learn more about DHA’s efforts to create healthier communities in the Delta by addressing critical issues like access to healthcare, early childhood education, and economic development.
Shannon Powell, Strive Together’s Director of Policy and Partnerships for Civic Infrastructure Adoption, and Katie Basham, PRI’s Director of Capacity and Civic Infrastructure, took part in a two-day visit to program sites in Indianola, Hollandale, Leland, and Greenwood. They learned about DHA programs through observation and discussions with program managers. As part of their tour, they observed the workings of the DHA Promise Communities in Indianola, Leflore, and Deer Creek; as well as Leland Medical Clinic, Delta Wellness Center, and the Head Start/Early Head Start program.
“During our visit with DHA, I was incredibly moved by the work they are doing to better the lives of children and families in the Delta,” Powell said. “They take a holistic approach to service and provide wrap-around services and supports. They take pride in focusing on data and measuring outcomes to be able to demonstrate what actually moves the needle.”
DHA team members discussed the challenges they face when providing these services, as well as solutions implemented to improve the programs. The two visiting groups and DHA share many of the same community needs, such as transportation access and affordable healthcare. Through collaboration, DHA, Strive Together, and PRI are working to develop more data-driven, efficient community solutions.
“I am proud to have DHA as one of the 66 StriveTogether partnerships across the nation,” Powell said. “They are a great example of how our place-based partnerships can build civic infrastructure with government partners to increase the economic mobility of the children and families we serve.”
By joining forces, the organizations can pool their resources to identify areas of great need for the betterment of residents.