A free health fair co-organized by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Mexican Coalition brought South Bronx families to Neumann Hall at Immaculate Conception Church on June 26 for health screenings, legal services, and community resources during Men’s Health Month, according to the Bronx Times.
Organizers targeted women and families instead of marketing to men directly, thinking that would get more men through the door.
“We went through the family route because we promoted family wellness as the key to get the men, and the husbands did come out,” Wendy Dominguez, the outreach manager for Anthem BCBS, told the Bronx Times.
Manisha Franklin, the director of community relations at Anthem BCBS, said the approach reflected how health decisions get made inside households. “We know that in most cases, it’s the woman in the household who makes the health decisions, and certainly that impacts health outcomes when it comes to men,” Franklin told the Bronx Times. “So, it’s really important as a health plan that we understand the dynamics of men’s health, and the importance of getting information, even if we have to use the women of the household as the vehicle to get the message across.”
Organizations tabling at the event included Samaritan Daytop Village Peer Alliance Recovery Center, the Mental Health Empowerment Project, and the Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs, many with long-established relationships with Anthem BCBS and the Mexican Coalition, the Bronx Times reported. The event was free and open to all ages.
Beyond health screenings, the Mexican Coalition offered legal services on-site, including help with citizenship applications, legal document translation, family petitions, and access to English classes and citizenship exam preparation. Other organizations provided career services, poison control information, free Narcan training, and distributed clothing, jewelry, and meals, according to the Bronx Times.
The fair also included a graduation ceremony honoring children advancing to the next grade, face painting, and a performance of Baile Folklórico, traditional Mexican folk dancing. Attendees who had completed an Occupational Safety and Health Administration 30-hour training received certificates from Council Member Justin Sanchez, who represents District 17, the Bronx Times reported.
Franklin credited the Mexican Coalition as essential to pulling off an event of that scale. “We cannot do this alone, and we rely heavily on our partners,” she told the Bronx Times. “Starting today with the Mexican Coalition, we would not be able to host an event of this magnitude without their commitment to partnership.” Anthem BCBS hosts between 100 and more than 200 events each month across its network, according to the Bronx Times.
The Mexican Coalition was founded in 2013 and operates out of offices at the corner of 150th Street and Melrose Avenue in the Bronx. Its mission is to develop Latinx communities in New York City at the individual and organizational levels to support their full integration into American society, according to the Bronx Times. Anthem BCBS works with volunteers to assess the needs of nonprofit partners, and the Mexican Coalition is currently accepting volunteers through its website, the Bronx Times reported.
