Kirsten and Charles, The Center Co-Directors
The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation is a joint project of Advocate Health Care and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Neighborhoods Initiative. We also maintain strong relationships with public health partners. We are a “virtual” center. Staff work out of their own organizational sites, collaborating on projects and programs. The Center was formed to mobilize the unique strengths of faith communities to address the social conditions that impact people’s health.
Our Vision
Our vision is Loving Communities of hope, justice and wholeness in which all people are healthy–able to live out their fullest potential and calling.
Our Mission
Our mission is to catalyze community partnerships that draw on the wisdom and energy of faith communities to create the long-term social change that will eliminate health inequities and make it possible for all people to be healthy.
Our Work
The Center was formed to mobilize the unique strengths of faith communities to address the social conditions that impact people’s health. We also serve as a hub for the faith and health movement in metropolitan Chicago.
We do this by focusing our work in four areas:
- Catalyzing Communities
We work with specific communities on thoughtfully crafted faith and community partnerships that address the root causes of health disparities - Catalyzing Congregations
We work with faith communities to make sure they have the resources, structures and confidence to lead faith and community partnerships to eliminate health disparities. - Catalyzing Leaders
We work with the full spectrum of leaders who are active in faith and health–health professionals, lay people who may have little formal education, religious leaders, academics, etc.—to connect them with each other and create a common language and approach. - Catalyzing Connections
We connect the faith and health movement in metropolitan Chicago through Quarterly Meetings, Conferences and Summits, the chicagofaithandhealth.org website, and other focused meetings and gatherings.
