Harlem Event Brings Together VNSNY Leadership and Local Faith and Community Leaders

On February 18, VNSNY’s HOPE (Hospice Outreach Patient and Provider Education) and Connect2Well programs hosted an event with faith and community leaders from across the city as well as several elected officials at the historic Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem.

The event, titled HOPE HEALS: FAITH EMPOWERS, was designed to educate faith leaders about the HOPE and Connect2Well programs and their mission to address the underutilization of hospice, home care and other healthcare services among chronically ill and at-risk Black and Latinx adults. HOPE’s faith-based lead consultants, Reverend Jacques DeGraff and Pastor Corey Kennard, served as co-chairs and helped plan the event, which attracted more than 45 stakeholders from New York City’s five boroughs.

By working with key community-based organizations and faith leaders, the HOPE and the Connect2Well programs aim to bridge the information gap and increase access to healthcare resources within the Harlem and the Bronx communities.

“It was truly remarkable to bring together leaders from the community and introduce them to all VNSNY has to offer,” said Michelle Drayton, Director for Hospice and Palliative Care Access at VNSNY and head of the HOPE Program, who organized the event. “It’s such important work—spreading the word in these communities about the powerful benefits that come from providing physical and spiritual healing where people live, in their homes and neighborhoods. This was a fantastic opportunity to share our perspective on the many types of care that VNSNY provides in home and community settings.”

VNSNY CEO Dan Savitt also spoke at the event, offering his insight on why this type of collaboration is so important. “One of the most essential aspects of effective health care is communication, so we looked at this event as one step in a conversation that we hope will continue for months and years to come,” said Dan. “Whatever the challenges our communities face, we will be here, working together to create a world where health and access to care are a collective good, shared by all.”