Promoting the Health of Your Community Community health depends on the actions of businesses, organizations, and each individual in the community. This means you can promote the health of your community in meaningful ways. Use Community Resources Community resources are organizations and programs that help the environment and people within a community. Knowing how to find and use community resources can help you maintain your own health and advocate for the health of others. Examples of community resources include the following: ● ● Schools: Your school may have a nurse and counselor, who can provide immediate medical and mental healthcare. A nurse or counselor can refer you if you need additional or specialized care. ● ● Community centers: Some community centers offer educational workshops about nutrition, physical activity, stress, and other skills for improving and maintaining health. ● ● Shelters: Shelters give people who are homeless safe places to stay. Some shelters specialize in helping adults and children who have been abused and provide counseling, meals, and referrals to health services. ● ● Food pantries: Food pantries store and distribute donated food to people in need. Sometimes a community garden grows fresh vegetables and fruits to donate to food pantries and local residents. ● ● City and county healthcare facilities: City and county health clinics may provide free or reduced-cost medical and mental health services. ● ● Older adult services: Some communities offer adult day care centers, where older adults can socialize, eat, and rest while their caregivers are away. Other services include Meals on Wheels, which delivers nutritious meals to older adults, and nursing homes, which care for people who cannot care for themselves. ● ● Youth services: Youth services include care from a school nurse, city and county healthcare clinics, classes on physical and mental health, and physical fitness classes. ● ● Crisis hotlines: Your community might have local offices and services with crisis hotlines you can call for help (Figure 2.18). Participate in Community Service One way to improve your community is to get involved in community service by volunteering. Many organizations depend on volunteers. Community service allows you to meet new people and can be rewarding. You can practice valuable skills such as teamwork, leadership, and communication while learning about organizations and your community. Volunteering shows others you care about your community. By volunteering to help strangers, you demonstrate respect for others and their needs. This promotes a positive and respectful environment, fosters people’s sense of belonging, and improves relationships among groups of people. community resources organizations and programs that help the environment and people within a community community service actions that promote the environment and health of a community Crisis Hotlines Alcohol Abuse & Crisis Intervention Hotline (800) 234-0246 National Cocaine Hotline (800) 262-2463 National Runaway Hotline (800) RUNAWAY or (800) 786-2929 National Youth Crisis Hotline (800) 442-4673 National Sexual Assault Hotline (800) 656-HOPE or (800) 656-4673 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-8255 Figure 2.18 National hotlines connect people in crisis to mental health professionals who can help them seek treatment. Your community may have local hotlines as well. What additional telephone number connects the caller to emergency responders? Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 60 Unit 1 Promoting a Lifetime of Health and Wellness