A new non-profit called Public Medical launched two months ago.
The idea is to reduce the high number of adverse health outcomes in Cincinnati's black community.
They applied for a grant through a new United Way program called Black Empowerment Works.
THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE THEBEST TIME TO START A BUSINESS.BUT, SOME PEOPLE ARE TAKINGTHE LEAP TO DO JUST THATDESPITE THE PANDEMIC, ECONOMICDOWNTURN AND RACIAL UNREST.?AND---THERE ARE RESOURCESAVAILABLE TO HELP START-UPS---ESPECIALLY START-UPS BYAFRICAN AMERICANS.?IN OURCONTINUING SERIES THE REBOUND,TO HELP YOU RECOVER FROM THEIMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC---REPORTER LISA SMITH SHARES THESTORY OF ONE NON-PROFITSTART-UP THAT'S ASKING FORFUNDING.POLICE..?FIREFIGHTERS...??PARAMEDICS...?RAFFEL PROPHETTKNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ONTHE CITY'S FRONT LINES.??"I am a life-long Cincinnatianthat's invested in not onlythe city, but the community."??HE SPENT 32 YEARS IN THECINCINNATI FIRE DEPARTMENT, HERETIRED AS A DISTRICT FIRECHIEF IN APRIL.
NOW HE'SRAISING HIS FAMILY IN AVONDALEWHERE HE GREW UP.
BUT, HE'SCONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH OFPEOPLE IN CINCINNATI'SMINORITY AND DISADVANTAGEDNEIGHBORHOODS.?"I knew what a pandemic wouldpresent, a lot of thechallenges." ??THAT'S WHEN HE CO-FOUNDEDPUBLIC MEDICAL-- A NON-PROFITTO PROMOTE BETTER HEALTHOUTCOMES IN CINCINNATI'SMINORITY AND DISADVANTAGEDCOMMUNITIES.
HE THINKS IT CANHAPPEN WITH FIRST RESPONDERSSEEING THEMSELVES DIFFERENTLY.?"To look at themselves, right,as public healthcare workersand now begin to think abouthow can we best address a lotof these disparities thatexist."??THE IDEA IS-- BEING FIRST ONTHE SCENE GIVES POLICE,FIREFIGHTERS AND EMTS THECHANCE TO COLLECT HEALTH DATATHAT CAN BE USED TO IDENTIFYAND ADDRESS DISPARITIES FROM APUBLIC SAFETY LENS-- THATCURRENTLY DOESN'T HAPPEN.IT'S AN IDEA ..
THAT TAKESMONEY.
??"That's why we reached out andapplied for this grant becausewe're going to need somefunds, especially to pull theinformation.
We considerourselves as one of ourpillars is analysis datacollection evidence-based."??THE UNITED WAY IS ONE OF THELOCAL AGENCIES OFFERING GRANTDOLLARS TO STARTUPS.
THEIRBLACK EMPOWERMENT WORKS GRANTPROGRAM LAUNCHED IMARCH.??"Public Medical is one of morethan 70 applicants for theUnited Way grants.
The idea isto support programs, projectsand ideas that impact theblack community."?
?"Given the racial wealth gapthat we have in this country,minority businesses havealready been historicallyundercapitalized."???DERRICK BRAZIEL WITH MORTARSAYS THEY'RE TRYING TO REMOVEFUNDING BARRIERS..
BY WORKINGWITH OTHER LOCAL GROUPS TOAWARD NEARLY 300-THOUSANDDOLLARS IN "PUSH GRANTS".OVER 200 MINORITY BUSINESSESHAVE APPLIED.
BRAZIEL SAYSHAVING A SIMPLER PROCESSHELPS.?"You can get dollars out ofthe door to businesses thathave been vetted, and thosebusinesses can be successfullong term."??HE SAYS THEY WANT TO SHOW,MINORITY SMALL BUSINESSES CANBE HELPED..
WITHOUT JUMPINGTHROUGH HOOPS.??LS WCPO 9 NEWS?YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUTTHESE GRANT PROGRAMS AND OTHERSTORIES IN OUR REBOUND SECTIONON WCPO-DOT-COM.
