Black Health Summit In Action advances community priorities through grassroots leadership and strategic investment
As National Minority Health Month draws to a close, the Health Foundation of South Florida is proud to announce Black Health Summit In Action – highlighting the momentum and community vision of past Black Health Summits.
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2025 marks a turning point: bringing the Summit's mission beyond the stage and directly into the communities where real-time challenges are being met with responses. By centering grassroots leadership and community-designed solutions, Black Health Summit In Action puts health equity into motion-on the ground, in partnership, and with lasting impact.
This year's work is a direct response to the community-identified priorities, specifically the need for greater access to quality health care, affordable housing, community safety, and culturally responsive outreach. In past Summits, residents and grassroots leaders made clear that health equity cannot be achieved without addressing the conditions that shape daily life-where people live, how they access care, and whether systems reflect their realities.
The Health Foundation's focus isdesigned by and for the communities most impacted. Black Health Summit In Action includes:
— Allapattah Collaborative Affordable Housing & Ownership InitiativeStable, affordable housing is a foundational determinant of health, yet gentrification and economic displacement continue to threaten historically Black communities across Florida. In response, the Health Foundation is supporting the Allapattah Collaborative CDC's efforts to develop a mixed-use project in Little Santo Domingo. With 32 affordable housing units and eight storefronts, this initiative supports residents in remaining rooted in their neighborhood while expanding pathways to small business ownership and long-term economic stability.
— Expanding Access to Care in Underserved CommunitiesToo many residents in Black communities remain uninsured or underinsured, facing persistent barriers to care. The Health Foundation is actively exploring investments to support free and low-cost health services in medically underserved neighborhoods like Miami Gardens and Opa-Locka. These efforts are designed to increase access to preventive care, chronic disease management, and the kind of wraparound services that improve health outcomes over time.
— Dade County Street Response (DCSR)Led by Armen Henderson, MD, MBA, Dade County Street Response is working to close long-standing health access gaps in Liberty City, one of Miami's most underserved neighborhoods. The clinic provides free medical care, case management, legal advocacy, and health education to low-income, working residents, many of whom fall outside the formal healthcare system. The Health Foundation is proud to spotlight DCSR's work as part of a broader commitment to improving health access for Black men and is exploring future opportunities to support similar community-based care models.
— Take Your Loved One to the Doctor Campaign (Lauderhill & Overtown)Building on the national campaign launched initially by radio personality Tom Joyner, the Health Foundation is supporting a local activation of Take Your Loved One to the Doctor-a community effort that encourages Black men to prioritize their health and the well-being of their families. Powered by the Health Foundation and in collaboration with Melissa P. Dunn of MD Marketing, the initiative will utilize trusted messengers and local partnerships to dismantle systemic barriers to care and reframe health as a shared community value.
— Circle of Brotherhood Peacemakers ProgramTrust, representation, and community leadership are central to sustainable health solutions. That's why the Health Foundation continues to invest in the Circle of Brotherhood's Peacemakers Program-a community-based violence intervention initiative that received a grant from Everytown for Gun Safety's Community Safety Fund, recognizing its impactful work in gun violence prevention. The initiative deploys trained violence interrupters to mediate conflict, build trust, and connect residents to essential services.
“Raising awareness is only the first step,” said Loreen Chant, President and CEO of the Health Foundation of South Florida. “Through Black Health Summit In Action, we're supporting practical, community-informed strategies and investments grounded in trust and partnership to address the health disparities impacting Black residents across South Florida.”
Through these intentional investments and community-centered activations, the Health Foundation is continuing to move the Black Health Summit's mission forward.
The Health Foundation looks forward to bringing the Black Health Summit back in June 2026-and to once again gathering with our partners and community to share ideas, celebrate progress, and continue advancing health equity together.
Learn More About Our 2025 Efforts atwww.hfsf.org
Read the 2024 Black Health Summit Report: https://hfsf.org/2024-black-health-summit-report/
About the Health Foundation ofSouth Florida:Health Foundation ofSouth Floridahas been servingSouth Floridafor over 30 years, investing more than$148 millionin nonprofits that provide programs and services inBroward,Miami-Dade, andMonroeCounties. The Health Foundation's mission is to be a catalyst for collaborations, policy changes, and systems change that improve the health ofSouth Floridacommunities, with a focus on vulnerable, low-to moderate-income populations. For more information, visitwww.hfsf.organd follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact:Felicia Lopez-WalkerHealth Foundation of South Floridacommunications@hfsf.org
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SOURCE Health Foundation of South Florida
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