Four faculty members from the Drexel University School of Public Health recently received a Community Partnership Grant from Drexel University to lead studies aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of communities in the university’s neighboring Mantua and Powelton villages.
Drs. Jana Mossey, Yvonne Michael and Loni Philip Tabb, who are all faculty members within the school’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, received the community grant to lead the study, Capacity Development to Ensure Measurable Priority Health-related Outcome Evaluation of the Mantua and Powelton Village Community Improvement Initiative. Along with Professor Anthony Grubesic, of Drexel University’s College of Information Science and Technology, the purpose of this grant is to design a timeline for efficient development of the community improvement initiatives that will be undertaken by Drexel University and other stakeholders. The grant will help make certain that before the initiatives take place that address community needs, community baseline information is gathered and assessed. These stakeholders and service agencies hope to positively change the structure of the Mantua and Powelton Village neighborhoods and their residents within West Philadelphia.
Dr. Jennifer Breaux, a professor in the School of Public Health Department of Community Health & Prevention, also received a Community Partnership Grant regarding a partnership with the Philadelphia Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The research program aims to partner with WIC to improve the health and well-being of children in West Philadelphia by utilizing a curriculum that teaches responsive parenting skills to low-income mothers of formula- fed infants. This two-fold, action-oriented research will also generate data on West Philadelphia mothers’ perceived barriers to using responsive feeding practices, in addition to identifying strategies to overcome these barriers.
The Community Research Grants were a response to an internal competition at Drexel University. Twelve grants were received, and four programs were funded. The projects are co-sponsored by Drexel University’s Office of University and Community Partnerships; Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, Pennoni Honors College and the Office of Research.
Photo credit: West Philadelphia Real Estate