The Cullen Foundation
Ezekiel Cullen Building, University of Houston
In March of 2021, The Houston-based Cullen Foundation awarded PVAMU Wellness in Houston a total of $250,000 in support of its mission to address health disparities and food insecurities by promoting health, wellness, and nutrition to limited-resource communities in the Greater Houston area. Programming for PVAMU Wellness in Houston focuses on four critical areas: finance, public health, food insecurity, and mental health and wellness.
PVAMU Wellness in Houston is a partnership with the Texas A&M University System, PVAMU, and Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Complete Communities Initiative. Within PVAMU, the Colleges of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Nursing, Juvenile Justice and Psychology, and Business work together to develop programming that uses a portfolio of educational, healthcare assessment, and outreach programs.
MD Anderson’s Be Well Acres Homes
MD Anderson Building Sign, University of Texas
Summer of 2021, PVAMU Wellness in Houston partnered with MD Anderson’s initiative, Be Well™ Acres Homes.
Be Well™ Acres Homes works in collaboration with UTHealth School of Public Health, Memorial Hermann Community Benefit Corporation, Harris Health System, and over 30 community organizations joined together with Acres Homes residents.
PVAMU Wellness in Houston was awarded funding to help carry out Be Well™ Acres Homes’ mission to “mobilize the community to promote health and wellness.” Their initial activities include:
- expanding exercise and healthy eating programs for all ages
- building community and school-based gardens
- increasing access to fresh, healthy food
- improving parks, trails and places for physical activity
PVAMU Wellness in Houston now sits on Be Well™ Acres Homes’ steering committee, which aids in planning and implementation.
PVAMU Wellness in Houston will be an instrument in building community and school gardens, producing nutritional education workshops that yield access to fresh foods and disseminate information to inspire healthy and happy lives. PVAMU Wellness in Houston will collaborate with Beauty’s Community Garden, Collaboration Voices Foundation, and the Nourish Program at UTHealth to accomplish these goals.