Healthy Communities Delaware launches statewide partner summit

Healthy Communities Delaware held the first session of a statewide summit, Thriving Together Through Shared Stewardship, Oct. 29.

The event brought out Gov. John Carney and Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long alongside nearly 100 community leaders across multiple health, human services and nonprofit sectors in Delaware. Additional leaders participating included Dr. Karyl Rattay, Delaware Division of Public Health director; Stuart Comstock-Gay, Delaware Community Foundation president and CEO; and Rita Landgraf, University of Delaware Partnership for Healthy Communities director.

The event was held virtually to ensure health and safety while navigating the pandemic recovery. The focus was inviting alignment and collaboration to improve social determinants of health/vital conditions, and to set forth more equitable and effective investments so all people and places in Delaware can thrive.

As the first in a series that will continue into spring 2022, the session initiated a statewide conversation among nearly 100 community partners to build common ground and capacity to work collectively to improve community vitality, education, food security, financial health, and humane and affordable housing. Many of these organizations collaborate with Healthy Communities Delaware on a place-based approach to improving overall health and well-being, with each community focusing on what its residents most want and need to thrive individually and as a group.

“The half-day event was truly informative and inspired great dialog around this important work, as well as serving to bring us all together as shared stewards in our common purpose through our various statewide roles,” said Comstock-Gay.

“It is our sense of shared stewardship that connectedly and collaboratively improves our communities’ vital conditions and ensures that Delaware communities thrive as places to live, work and play,” said Landgraf.

“The summit kickoff was a tremendous opportunity to continue our ongoing conversations, to share information and ideas, to learn from one another as well as share best practices and resources around all of this important work. While each of us come from different sectors, and from different corners of the state, we all share a sense of stewardship in our common purpose to improve the vital conditions across all Delaware communities and for all Delawareans to thrive,” said Rattay.

The next Thriving Together session is set for 1 to 3 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 12.  

“These conversations will lead to important decisions around equitable statewide investments. The shared sense of purpose across all attendees was palpable,” said Kate Dupont Phillips, Healthy Communities Delaware executive director.