The COHS coalition is a racially and ethnically diverse group of residents and health professionals who joined together to improve the health of a culturally and geographically defined community: African Americans living in inner Boston neighborhoods. The strength of the coalition and its potential for sustainable transformation derive from the large number of community members in the coalition who can use their deep cultural and historical knowledge of the community to help discover and implement locally applicable solutions to the problem of health disparities.
Mission:The mission of the coalition is to promote minority health and eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. Centered in the neighborhood of Roxbury, the coalition is concerned with fostering activities that promote healthy behavior, reducing risk factors that contribute to chronic diseases, and eliminating racism and other social injustices that are at the root of many of the health disparities that place a disproportionate burden on the community served by the coalition.
History:COHS was founded as an organized entity in 2000 through funding awarded by the Center for Disease Control to the Program to Eliminate Health Disparities (PEHD) at Harvard School of Public Health. The organization grew out of earlier years of academic-community partnerships centered on violence prevention, cancer research, and cardiac risk reduction. The HORIZON Center assumed funding for COHS in 2007.
Membership Information
Anyone with an interest or passion for the community health and welfare of those residing in the greater Roxbury neighborhood can join COHS, this includes individuals and agencies. There is no membership fee.
The time commitment is on a person-by-person basis. There is no mandatory time fulfillment. The Cherishing Our Hearts and Souls coalition is 100% voluntary, in all efforts.
COHS meets once per month, on the SECOND MONDAY of every month. Please click here to see the calendar.
For more information, contact the COHS coordinator: Roland.Smart@umb.edu or 617-287-5685.
For current COHS events please click here.
Events
Cherishing Our Hearts and Souls 5th Annual Health Fair
- April 2, 2011
The 5th Annual COHS Health Fair consisted of free health Screenings for the community, including elder health screenings. Members of the community also participated in exercise, yoga, Tai Chi & meditation demonstrations. Children enjoyed health-related fun activities.
Coalitions: Linking Individuals, Families, and Communities for Change- February 26, 2011
COHS invited community members to a Saturday morning forum at Vine Street Community Center to learn about the important roles coalitions can play in health. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, MD was the keynote speaker. Volunteers provided free screenings, health information, and advocacy resources.
RoxComp Health Fair- February 17, 2010
In commemoration of Black History month, the Roxbury Comprehensive Community Health Center (RoxComp), in a cooperative effort with COHS, held a health fair in the multi-story Atrium of the RoxComp. The HORIZON Center was proud to be on hand, as a vendor, information resource, blood pressure screener, and research pilot recruiter. A well-attended and very successful day!