Hammonton Health Coalition wants $250,000 grant
Page 4 • Wednesday, November 29, 2017 • The Hammonton Gazette
GROUP, from Page 1
the meeting drew a crowd of
more than 40 people who gathered
at discussion tables moderated by
members of the coalition in a
World Café format in which atten-
dees took turns switching tables to
promote constant conversation.
they were also encouraged to jot
ideas down on paper table cloths
in order to facilitate discussion for
the next table groups.
allies in Caring Chief execu-
tive Director and MainStreet
Hammonton board member ivette
Guillermo-McGahee has been the
driving force behind the Hammon-
ton Health Coalition’s initiative
and the ensuing meeting.
Guillermo-McGahee said the
World Café format is something
practiced internationally and is a
productive method of discussion
because it encourages people to
share and gives them a say in the
matters being discussed, such as
what areas of community health
the BUiLD Health Challenge
grant should be focused.
“i learned about this format be-
cause i participated in something
similar in Mexico and in other
countries. rather than coming and
telling people what we should do,
we need to listen to people. Com-
munities have their own wisdom
and that is a better way to bring
people out,” Guillermo-McGahee
said.
Since the coalition was origi-
nally formed, Guillermo-McGa-
hee planned to leave it completely
up to the community as to what
services and programs related to
health a potential BUiLD Health
Challenge grant would fund.
Questions were asked during the
meeting, including “What does a
culture of health look like? When
you think of Hammonton, do you
feel it’s your community? What is
your biggest community health
concern?” and more in the hopes
of developing a set of goals for the
coalition to strive for.
Laura Cronk has assisted
Guillermo-McGahee through the
BUiLD Health Challenge/Ham-
monton Health Coalition process
and was one of the table modera-
tors during the meeting. Cronk
said valuable, deep conversation
was generated during the meeting
and the coalition is anticipating
hosting more meetings in the fu-
ture, which should generate even
more feedback as word continues
to spread.
“i think people are showing an
interest and have some ideas, and
i think if we engage them a second
time, i think they’ll start thinking
at home and with their friends.
then, we’ll come up with some-
thing that’s innovative, really mak-
ing a change in Hammonton,”
Cronk said.
the town can next apply for the
BUiLD Health Challenge in 2019
if they are unsuccessful this year,
according to Guillermo-McGahee.
However, she said more funding
opportunities related to commu-
nity health will become available,
and having a group like the Ham-
monton Health Coalition in place
showing that there is a strong com-
munity devotion to physical health
will only increase their odds of re-
ceiving future grants.
“We want to work together so
that we engage the community and
create solutions together with the
community … So, BUiLD Health
is one of the funding opportunities
but there are many other funding
opportunities. the key in all the
funding opportunities is ‘is the
community committed?’ they
want to see that, and if they see
that the community is actually in-
terested, and they are going to put
their energy in, it’s more likely we
will get the support,” Guillermo-
McGahee said.