Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH)

160,000 Coastal Georgians may qualify but only 37,000 are using SNAP benefits.

(SAVANNAH, GA) When the Coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020, many Savannahians who were already living below the poverty line began facing even harsher circumstances fueled by lockdowns and job losses. Their day-to-day struggles included greater food insecurity, increased risk of diet-related chronic diseases and uncertainty about being able to feed their children to foster their physical and cognitive development.

(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia have changed health equity benchmarks for the better in just 2 1/2 years — and have plans for more progress in the next 2 1/2 years. In September 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant to the YMCA of Coastal Georgia in partnership with Healthy Savannah. The agencies launched a public-private partnership to make Savannah a healthier place, specifically by striving to reduce health disparities among African-American and Hispanic/Latino Americans in low-wealth communities across Savannah and Chatham County through long-term solutions vs. short-term fixes.