How Maven Consultant clients are addressing the five social drivers to improve our community
At the Maven Consultant, our mission is to create lasting change in the lives of those we serve. We understand that to achieve meaningful impact, we need to support our community nonprofit establishments and businesses that address and improve five major social factors. These factors, often referred to as the five social drivers, include education access, economic stability, health care access, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. Here at Tracey Antee, the Maven Consultant, we have worked with some amazing clients to move these social drivers forward. Let’s explore what these social drivers are and my clients who are working hard to make improvements.
1. Education Access: Opening Doors to Opportunity
Some of the local entities, and my beloved clients, making moves in this space are Ecole St. Landry, Opelousas Pregnancy Center, and Harmony House. Education is a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering long-term success. Yet, many individuals face significant barriers to accessing quality education. These barriers can include inadequate school facilities, lack of resources, and socio-economic challenges.
My clients bridge the gap between educating the community and providing resources. Ecole St Landry brings french immersion to the children of our community. They provide a safe, robust and exciting space to learn and grow. Opelousas Pregnancy Center provides the necessary education and services to support expectant mothers. Harmony House’s nonprofit, Living Healed, can offer services within churches and schools to address the mental health needs within our communities.
2. Economic Stability: Building a Strong Foundation
Economic stability is fundamental to a person's ability to thrive. Without a steady income, access to basic necessities like housing, food, and transportation can become precarious. Economic instability often leads to a range of challenges, from poor health to limited educational opportunities.
We believe that economic stability is a key ingredient for personal empowerment and community resilience. Supporting organizations like Opelousas Downtown Development District, Historic Opelousas, and Live St. Landry all aim to bolster community support for local employment as well as garnering national attention of large employers to offer a variety of prosperous economic opportunity to all members of the St. Landry Parish community.
3. Health Care Access: Ensuring Well-Being
Access to quality health care is essential for maintaining good health and well-being. Unfortunately, many people face obstacles in accessing necessary medical services, from insurance barriers to lack of nearby providers.
Barriers are meant to be overcome, and when Dr. Keller took note of the barriers that kept patients suffering with heart disease from his office he took action to overcome. He is the co-founder of HeartSense, they provide non-invasive heart screenings with no need to get undressed and provide results in real time. Acadiana Practitioners is another client bridging the gap between patients and equitable health care access by opening offices in more rural communities aiming to meet the needs of patient’s overall health care beyond just a check up. Together they are a great example of the Resource Matchmaking that happens when Maven can help clients form partnerships that lead to huge steps towards greater access to care. HeartSense has partnered with Acadiana Practitioners to be the only Rural Health Clinics in the country with the technology to provide these heart screenings.
4. Neighborhood and Built Environment: Creating Safe and Supportive Spaces
The neighborhood and built environment significantly impact an individual's quality of life. Factors such as safe housing, access to parks, and the overall cleanliness and safety of a community can either enhance or hinder one’s ability to thrive.
We are actively involved in community development projects that aim to improve local infrastructure and create safe, vibrant spaces. Fisher’s Foundation, Historic Opelousas, and Live St. Landry are just a few of our clients at the front lines of ensuring neighborhood vitality and strength. One of the three main goals of Fisher’s Foundation is to support home ownership. Through resource match making and dedication to education and opportunity, Fisher’s Foundation helps their clients on the path toward a personal investment in our community through home ownership.
5. Social and Community Context: Fostering Connection and Support
Social and community context plays a crucial role in shaping an individual’s well-being. Strong social networks and community support can provide emotional backing, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging. Conversely, isolation and lack of support can exacerbate challenges and hinder progress.
Heaven’s Kitchen, Diaper Collective of Louisiana, and Harmony House’s Living Healed are all social and community support programs that provide resources like emotional backing and practical assistance to help St. Landry Parish residents belong within our community. Heaven’s Kitchen was born out of a passion project from local business owner Seth Robin, owner of Benny’s Supermarket. A perfect example of how all of the social drivers are deeply connected within our community.
In Conclusion: A Collective Effort
Addressing these five social drivers is not a task that can be achieved in isolation. It requires collaboration between nonprofits, community organizations, government agencies, and individuals. The Maven Consultant is the crossroads between all five social drivers.
As your consultant I help you tackle your mission for moving just one, or an aspect of one, social driver forward. By consulting among many nonprofits and businesses within our community, only some I’ve highlighted here, I can fulfill my passion in ensuring that each social driver gets progress toward pushing the needle forward.
We believe that by focusing on education, economic stability, health care, neighborhood environments, and social support, we can build a stronger, more equitable society. We invite you to join us in this crucial work, whether through volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word. Together, we can make a profound difference in the lives of those we serve and move closer to a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
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