Health Fairs
In response to growing health problems facing families they serve, pastors of local congregations have identified church-based health fairs as an important expression of ministry in their neighborhoods. Grace Urban Ministries has come alongside such congregations to provide coordination, logistical support, and the leveraging of institutional resources to help realize their health ministry goals.
UCSF health hut
Mission Street Health Fair
The Mission Street Health Fair, in the Excelsior District near Daly City, reaches a multi-ethnic neighborhood, with outreach carried out in Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog and English. SF Christian Center, an African-American Pentacostal Church, hosts the fair in partnership with Cumberland Presbyterian Church Daly City, Grace Fellowship Community Church, Redeemer Community Church, and other congregations. California Pacific Medical Center, the SF Hospital Council, SF General Hospital, and the UC Berkeley School of Optometry, are among its many critical community partners.
See the Photos
Download the Poster [PDF]
Diabetes testing
Mission Church Health Fair
The Mission Church Health Fair, in San Francisco’s Mission District, was initiated by Iglesia Presbiteriana de la Mision and worked in partnership with Grace Fellowship Community Church, and other congregations, to address the high incidence of diabetes among the Latino immigrant community and, in particular, the Mayan-speaking community with roots in the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. Hundreds of visitors underwent basic screening, and then, based on need, met with a physician and diabetes educators.
From our latest newsletter…
Demitria Gallaread writes: “I am not a public speaker. But this past year, I have had the opportunity to work with GUM to develop a presentation on the city’s health programs, Healthy SF and SF Health Plan. I have given two presentations…at both events I inevitably experienced a turning stomach, a rapidly pounding heart…The feeling of inadequacy was not a dull pain but a jarring throb…”