Earlier this year, FLOURISH St. Louis joined with Pamela Xaverius, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice, to apply for Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) funding to help families living in government housing. The funding committee gave FLOURISH a Partnership Development & Sustainability Support (PDSS) program award to create and implement an education program to help residents at the Clinton-Peabody government housing complex learn about their enhanced tenant rights.
However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it disproportionately impacted Black families, creating new concerns for the residents of Clinton-Peabody. Through FLOURISH community members, residents expressed a need for education around social distancing and CDC guidelines. Once these new needs were identified, FLOURISH and Dr. Xaverius quickly revised the application.
“Our original proposal was about enhancing an academic-community sustaining partnership,” commented Dr. Xaverius. “This revision continues that theme but pivots to the immediate needs of these residents, specifics that will be defined by the community it intends to serve and directed towards immediate needs related to COVID-19.”
To learn more about the partnership between FLOURISH and Dr. Xaverius, read Washington University’s article on this community-academic partnership. For more information about the PDSS program through ICTS, read Washington University’s announcement on the inaugural funding cohort.
