Techniques for Establishing Educational Programs Through the African American Faith Community

In 1996, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension began to explore reaching the African American population through the faith community. The goal was to address the disproportionately high incidence of chronic disease in that population. Many meetings and discussions followed with clergy and their staff, which resulted in shared desire and concern for the health of their congregation. Through these experiences specific techniques are offered for effectively establishing educational programs for the African American community. This effort led to the development and implementation of other health and nutrition programs targeted to address life-threatening issues associated with the African American community.