United Way of Tarrant County’s Area Agency on Aging said Tuesday it received a $525,000 grant from Texas Health Resources for a new initiative – Project Empower – that will expand current work in certain Arlington and Parker County zip codes.
The money will go toward work in Arlington's 76010 and 76011 and Parker County's 76082 zip codes "to address underlying issues of health disparities in people over age 18," the Agency said in a release.
"The Area Agency on Aging is partnering with six other agencies for Project Empower, which is designed to encourage 1,200 residents to take steps to alleviate depression and anxiety, consume healthy food, improve self-efficacy and overcome barriers of access with technology."
The initiative runs through Dec. 31, 2022.
“Often people who live in these areas have experienced multiple adverse childhood experiences, traumatic events during childhood, like abuse, neglect or household dysfunction,” Don Smith, executive director of the Area Agency on Aging and vice president of community investment for United Way of Tarrant County, said in the release.
“Current research connects these childhood experiences with social determinants of health, like home and community environments, quality of education, safety of neighborhoods, and access to transportation and healthcare. Ongoing health conditions as an adult are correlated with experiencing these through childhood.”
Project Empower partners will provide referral and asset mapping to leverage programs that improve access to healthy food, behavioral health and self-efficacy support. Highlighted programs will include Gardens On the Go, urban farms, meal and produce delivery, healthy food maps and culturally relevant nutrition education, navigation, information and referral, case management, counseling, therapy and programs for substance-use disorder and trauma.
Other community partners involved are United Way of Tarrant County Aging and Disability Resource Center of Tarrant County; North Central Texas Council of Governments; My Health My Resources; Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County; Healthy Tarrant County Collaboration; Tarrant Area Food Bank; and Recovery Resource Center.
"Innovations for this project will include food pantry locations, virtual and tele-services, screening and cross-partner referrals for food and behavioral health services," the Area Agency on Aging said.