MUSC Joins Team to Improve Health in Low-Income Neighborhoods

Contact: Allison Leggett 
843-792-0376
leggett@musc.edu

May 26, 2016

CHARLESTON, SC – The city of North Charleston has been selected by Reinvestment Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to take part in the new Invest Health initiative. The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) will join other community agencies in this project. Invest Health is aimed at transforming how leaders from mid-size American cities work together to help low-income communities thrive, with specific attention to community features that drive health such as access to safe and affordable housing, places to play and exercise, and quality jobs.

The North Charleston team, led by South Carolina Community Loan Fund, comprises representatives from the City of North Charleston, Metanoia, Lowcountry Local First, and MUSC. Through this program, the team seeks to improve a number of factors that contribute to community health including housing, access to healthy foods, office and working space for small businesses, and recreational facilities and green space.

“This is an exciting partnership that reflects our commitment to working collaboratively to take care of the community in which we live and work,” said Chanita Hughes-Halbert, Ph.D., project leader at MUSC.

North Charleston was selected from more than 180 teams in 170 communities that applied to the initiative. Cities with populations between 50,000 and 400,000 were asked to form five-member teams including representatives from the public sector, community development, and an anchor institution, preferably academic or health-related.

“Our team’s Invest Health plan complements the existing plans in North Charleston, as well as our organizational goals,” explained Anna Hamilton Lewin, chief operating officer of South Carolina Community Loan Fund. “We are excited to work together with the city and local organizations to put these plans into action and address some of the major obstacles facing the North Charleston community."

Mid-size American cities like North Charleston face some of the nation’s deepest challenges with entrenched poverty, poor health, and a lack of investment. But they also offer fertile ground for strategies that improve health and have the potential to boost local economies. The program has the potential to fundamentally transform the way North Charleston improves opportunities to live healthy lives by addressing the drivers of health including jobs, housing, education, community safety, and environmental conditions.

“We recognize that partnerships are critical to providing for the immediate and long-term needs of those that are sometimes the hardest to reach,” said Dawn Henry, community development manager with the city of North Charleston. “The City has been very successful in forming alliances and partnerships to increase the economic and housing opportunities to our citizens and look forward to adding to those partnerships as members of the North Charleston Invest Health team.”

Over the next 18 months, Invest Health teams will take part in a vibrant learning community, have access to highly skilled faculty advisors and coaches who will guide their efforts toward improved health, and receive a $60,000 grant. North Charleston will also engage a broader group of local stakeholders to encourage local knowledge sharing.  Learning from the program will be synthesized and disseminated through the project website.

“Public officials, community developers, and many others have been working in low-income neighborhoods for years, but they haven’t always worked together,” said Donald Schwarz, M.D., RWJF vice president, Invest Health Program. “Invest Health aims to align their work and help neighborhoods thrive by intentionally incorporating health into community development.”

Project teams will travel to Philadelphia for a kickoff meeting June 7 and will meet regularly to share lessons learned throughout the 18-month project.  A full list of awardees and more information is available at investhealth.org.

About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.

About Reinvestment Fund

Reinvestment Fund is a catalyst for change in low-income communities. We integrate data, policy, and strategic investments to improve the quality of life in low-income neighborhoods. Using analytical and financial tools, we bring high-quality grocery stores, affordable housing, schools, and health centers to the communities that need better access—creating anchors that attract investment over the long term and help families lead healthier, more productive lives. Learn more at reinvestment.com.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care. We are striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter or on Facebook.

About South Carolina Community Loan Fund

South Carolina Community Loan Fund is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) headquartered in Charleston. Our mission is to advance equitable access to capital by providing loans, technical assistance, and advocacy for affordable housing, healthy food retail, community facilities, and community business enterprise. Learn more at South Carolina Community Loan Fund.