Conway Medical Center receives $750,000 grant from The Duke Endowment for Healthy Horry
Conway Medical Center (CMC) has received a $750,000 grant from The Duke Endowment for Healthy Horry to implement evidence-based interventions focused on improving access to healthy eating and active living.
Healthy Horry, sponsored by Conway Medical Center, works to improve community health outcomes and reduce health disparities. This effort is a part of The Duke Endowment’s Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas (HPHC) initiative which launched in 2015 to help communities in North Carolina and South Carolina address chronic health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The program has evolved to support coalitions in upstream interventions and embedding community voice and equity in decision-making early on.
“CMC recognized the need for this type of initiative and led the charge to create Healthy Horry to positively impact the health of our region,” said Brian Argo, CMC president and CEO. “CMC was the first hospital in Horry County and was started in part with funding from The Duke Endowment. Over the last 96 years, we have been incredibly grateful to the Endowment for supporting CMC and helping us create happier, healthier lives for our patients.”
This five-year grant follows an initial one-year $100,000 investment by The Duke Endowment to CMC for planning and creating a health-focused coalition in Horry County. The Horry County Community Collaborative (HC3) is a group of major healthcare organizations and non-profits in the area and is led by the United Way of Horry County.
In addition to financial support, Healthy Horry and HC3 will receive individualized coaching, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, tailored online resources and materials, mentorship from former coalition leaders, and support with data and evaluation over the next five years. The efforts are designed to create sustainable local initiatives that develop partnerships and additional financial support in the future.
“We strive to support the health of all residents by focusing on healthy eating, active living, and chronic disease prevention through advocacy, education, and collaboration,” said Angela Williford, JD, Chief Administrative Officer for CMC and advisor for Healthy Horry. “The next steps for our coalition are to reach out to residents to find out what the real needs of the community are and to collaboratively work to resolve the barriers to access healthy food and increase physical activity opportunities for all ages.”
Healthy Horry is one of four fellow Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas coalitions receiving similar funding in South Carolina.
According to America’s Health Rankings, the longest-running state-by-state analysis of the nation’s health, South Carolina ranks 41st among all states when it comes to the overall health of its residents, with physical activity and food insecurity as major areas of opportunity.
“This new cohort of coalitions represents a major opportunity to address healthy behaviors and other factors that influence health and health outcomes in local communities,” said Chris Collins, associate director of health care at The Duke Endowment. “Healthy Horry is well-prepared to make lasting policy, systems, and environmental changes that will help community members for decades to come.”
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds, and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed $4.8 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.
For more information on Healthy Horry or how you can support this community effort, please CLICK HERE.
