On Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sabathani Community Center will host its Spring Health Fair at 310 East 38th Street. Part of Sabathani’s Better Together initiative, the fair is a free community event designed to promote overall health and wellness among the residents of South Minneapolis.
“We are looking to position ourselves as a comprehensive health hub,” explains Rebekah Floyd, Sabathani’s new community health navigator. We want to be where people know they can access essential information and the tools and resources to improve their well-being.”
Floyd, a native of South Minneapolis, remembers her many days as a student at the old Bryant Junior High School in the building where she now works.
“It’s as if I’ve come full circle,” reveals Floyd, who has devoted nearly a decade of her career to public health. I’m sort of back where I started and in a position to make a positive and lasting impact in the neighborhood I grew up in.”
One of the most critical goals related to Sabathani’s efforts is to both address and remedy the adverse health outcomes that disparately affect the African American community and other populations of color.
Among the numerous exhibitors that will be in attendance are the American Red Cross, I Am Me LLC, the Minnesota Department of Health Asthma Program, Hue-MAN Partnership, SNAP-Ed, UnitedHealthcare, NAMI Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Meals on Wheels, The Sage Program, YMCA of the North, the HOPE Network, UCare, the Minnesota Urology Foundation, and Wellshare International.
All the services at the Sabathani Spring Health Fair are provided free of charge and include A1C screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, blood pressure measurements, dental and eye examinations, HIV testing, PSA screening for prostate cancer, balance testing, and assessing potential exposure to lead in children under the age of six.
Likewise, healthcare professionals will be onsite to support those who may receive a troubling diagnosis and help them chart their next steps. “We won’t test someone for an illness and then set them off on their own,” assures Floyd. Nurses and many other experienced professionals will be there to provide support and assistance as needed.”
In addition to the many services listed above, the fair will allow residents to get their COVID-19 vaccine, review their current medications with licensed pharmacists, and receive professional assistance with Medicare/Medicaid enrollment—all at no cost.
Participants will have the option to learn more about CPR training and how to administer Narcan properly. This occasion will also allow the organization to showcase two of its newest community-based health initiatives: the Diabetes Prevention Program and Cooking Matters.
“The risk of diabetes is significantly higher for African Americans,” Floyd says. “According to the National Institutes of Health, Black people experience approximately 66 more cases of diabetes per 1,000 individuals as do white Americans. And this remains one of the greatest health crises in our community.”
Complementing diabetes prevention and other chronic disease management programs at Sabathani is Cooking Matters, a program that will launch its initial cohort on April 17, 2024. A partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension’s SNAP-Ed, Cooking Matters is a six-week class that will teach participants how to prepare healthy meals in the home.
“One of the primary objectives is to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables. But it is so much more than that,” Floyd notes.
“Many families have a limited budget, and this program will give them the confidence to create affordable, nutritious meals that taste good. Plus, they’ll learn how to shop strategically, plan and budget, better understand food labels, creatively use herbs and spices, and learn knife skills.”
After cooking these meals in class, participants will receive the groceries needed to duplicate each meal for their families at home. Those attending the health fair can register for both of these programs.
Moreover, the Sabathani Spring Health Fair will offer fun for all ages, including dance classes, prize drawings, gift cards, other incentives, and fun activities for kids.
Floyd says if people need any other motivation to attend, “Just show up.” Residents will have access to many free health screenings and connect with Sabathani and others in their community.
“There is no reason to be afraid,” she continues. “And if you choose to participate in one of our programs, you’ll get to do so with others. This is not meant to be hard. It’s meant to be fun. And you won’t have to sit at home trying to figure out how to improve your health yourself. You’ll meet others going through some of the same things as you.”
For more information about Sabathani’s Spring Health Fair and to register in advance, visit sabathani.org/spring-health-fair.
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