Kearney Community Action Committee
April 1, 2021
This summer, we will be working with local leaders to establish a Community Action Committee in Kearney, NE!
A Community Action Committee (CAC) is a diverse coalition of community leaders from local organizations, hospitals, universities, and more who are making a difference in their community. They play a key part in the Davis Phinney Foundation’s new Healthy Parkinson’s Communities™ initiative to help support community leaders, volunteers, and advocates in the pursuit of making the places where we live, work, and play more inclusive and supportive for those living with Parkinson’s.
The Healthy Parkinson’s Communities™ program aims to connect community members to local resources, help local leaders tackle barriers to living well, and to support the creation of more inclusive communities for people living with Parkinson’s.
The three goals of the Healthy Parkinson’s Communities™ initiative are to:
- Ensure Parkinson’s community leaders have the knowledge and resources they need to make a positive and sustainable change in their community
- Encourage and support data-informed initiatives designed to increase access to and engagement with resources that improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s
- Work with communities to raise awareness of Parkinson’s in their areas
CACs are led by the individuals living and working in the local communities. They are best able to determine what their community needs and identify the potential leaders and members that want to make an impact. They are the experts on their community!
We will also be working with the National Engagement Advisory Team (NEAT), a group of leaders from national companies and organizations who work to build Healthy Parkinson’s Communities together. Organizations that are part of NEAT are available to help provide local support, participate on local Community Action Committees, and more. They include representatives from Delay the Disease, PMD Alliance, Dance for Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery, and LSVT Global.
We are so excited for the opportunity to not only partner with these impactful national organizations, but also the local Kearney Parkinson’s community!
If you are part of the Kearney Parkinson’s community or surrounding area and you would like to be involved in this conversation, please contact Amber at amber@parkinsonsnebraska.org or call 402-210-1419.