Union Chapel engaged in mission to inform Baby Boomers of resources

Church has partnered with program at NC A&T State University to inform a population in the 50+ category about resources relevant to them, specially black and brown populations in East Burlington

Submitted by Reverend Donna Vanhook

Union Chapel UCC, Burlington, NC. carries on its mission work by striving together to complete a third event obligation with the Center for Outreach in Aging, Alzheimer’s and Community Health (COAACH) program at NC A&T State University. The first two events occurred, at the church in 2019, on the topics of later in life challenges, in collaboration with the Elder Justice Project (Family Justice Center in Burlington, NC), and “ABCs of Dementia,” in collaboration with Therapeutic Alternatives. We are moving forward with the community partnership during spring 2020 semester, co-creating in community alongside an Elon University Professor, Lauren Guilmette, her Health and Social Justice course students and numerous local agencies and organizations. The students are remotely investing time in planning the outreach event during a time of pandemonium across the globe due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Although a different medium will be used, the emphasis remains on informing aged 50+ individuals about resources relevant to them, especially black and brown populations in East Burlington. What differs from the in-person resource fair with a lunch and learn for stakeholders is communication to the target population of older adults will mainly consist of video chat and conference call. Both Reverend Donna Vanhook and Barbara Enoch Daye (Lay Health Advisors for the COAACH program) have been working with Alamance Resiliency Coalition to coordinate the outreach. Reverend Vanhook uses her talents and gifts as a womanist community organizer to help connect community members with resources available in the county, while being a co-educator for the course.

The outreach currently includes coordinating a grand effort to provide access to the internet for ABSS students who would not otherwise have it where they reside. This project involves several agencies and organizations like Alamance Public Libraries (operates the Mobile Internet Cafe), AlamanceBurlington School Systems, Burlington Housing Authority, Alamance Community College, Mayco Bigelow Community Center and City of Burlington staff. Union Chapel acts out its faith by way of its pastor’s leadership, Rev. Ervin E. Milton.