Press release from Buncombe County:
Buncombe County was selected for a grant called Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities (MARC). The grant project supports communities that are building movements to create a just, healthy and resilient world. Its goal is to foster solutions to prevent traumatic childhood experiences – like neglect, abuse and abandonment – in families throughout the nation. Known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), these childhood events have been proven to have lifelong impacts on children’s health and behavior, affecting the communities they live in.
This grant builds on previous work in our county, which was recognized by a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize in 2014. As an anchor institution, Buncombe County Health and Human Services continues to build out a network that supports a more resilient, trauma informed community. Initiatives like the Buncombe County ACE & Resiliency Collaborative, the Fresh Food Popups, and the Community Service Navigator Program are examples of programs that use their unique position in our community to offset trauma by creating positive, healthy experiences. BCHHS was selected for the MARC grant based on its ability to bring partners together in a coordinated way to remove barriers and promote health and safety for individuals.
“There can be no Culture of Health without preventing or healing the impact of childhood adversity and trauma,” said Natalie Levkovich, CEO of The Health Federation. “The 14 communities selected for MARC are leading the nation’s most innovative efforts to reduce ACEs and promote resilience.”
Partners in Buncombe County continue to find innovative, resourceful solutions to issues facing our neighborhoods and families. Jan Shepard, BCHHS Health Division Director says, “We know that we live in a constantly changing environment where the paths to safety and stability are different for everyone. Creating resiliency is not a one size fits all approach, which is why we will be engaging people in our county to think about how they can create resiliency by using their local knowledge to stack positive factors and offload negative factors in their neighborhoods.” To keep up with the exciting opportunities available to our county through this grant, visit www.buncombeaces.org.
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