Doing what it takes for a healthier East Harlem - The Harlem Health Advocacy Partners

Fighting Poverty, Strengthening New York - A podcast from the Community Service Society

For our second episode, we explore an innovative program that is working to improve the health outcomes of public housing residents in East Harlem, NYC. The Harlem Health Advocacy Partners (HHAP) is a program run by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Center for Health Equity and is focused on better health outcomes for the residents of five public housing developments in East Harlem, a neighborhood with unusually high occurrences of chronic illnesses. In this podcast, we follow CSS health advocates Katie Earle and Aline da Fonseca as they work with program participants to get them on a path to better health. We meet Umu Kebbie, who didn't know where to turn after a stroke left her unable to take care of her family but thanks to Katie and others at the HHAP program is getting a handle on life. We meet Linda, whose medical debt left her stressed and worried, and we hear from Ramone who is feeling better than ever at 67 thanks to HHAP. We end the program walking around Central Park's Harlem Meer with nearly 200 East Harlem residents.