Organizers of United Interfaith Action (UIA) invited members of the clergy and religious organizations throughout the Greater Fall River and New Bedford Area to engage in a dialogue with members of Partners for a Healthier Community and Greater New Bedford Allies for Health and Wellness (GNB Allies) on February 19, 2014. The gathering was in response to a Resolution to Promote Health Equity that was crafted by a committee of Allies and adopted by both Allies and Partners as a guiding document to address issues of health equity and the social determinants of health in the Region. UIA organizers Rev. Donald Mier and Kathy Murphy invited participants to engage in a discussion of how both health advocates and members of the faith community could work together better to address local social issues such as mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, economic and racial disparities, and transportation, to name a few. A resource listing of social justice efforts was circulated for comments and additions, and clergy welcomed outreach by health advocates to work with them on any number of issues. Click here for a five-minute video. For further information, contact Rev. Mier at 508-672-5281 or Ms. Murphy at 401-391-7739. (Photos courtesy of Ron O'Connor and Dave Weed)

(Top row, left) Health and human service staff and clergy from the Greater Fall River and New Bedford Areas gather at the Southcoast Hospitals Center for Women's Health in North Dartmouth. (Top row, center) Rev. Debra Lee of the North Baptist Church in New Bedford greets Rev. Michael Frady, pastor of North Congregational Church and Rev. Cheryl Rieder of the Congregational Christian Church in Somerset. (Top row, right) Southcoast Hospitals Community Benefits Director Kerry Mello chats while Rev. David Lima co-pastor of the New Seasons Worship Center in East Freetown and Executive Minister of the Greater New Bedford Inter-Church Council checks his email before the meeting begins. (Row two) Rev. Donald Mier, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Fall River and co-leader of United Interfaith Action (UIA), welcomes the group and outlines the agenda before Southeast Area Department of Public Health Regional Director Ron O'Connor introduces Ms. Mello who reads the Resolution to Promote Health Equity created by the Greater New Bedford Allies for Health and Wellness to set the stage for the discussion. (Row three) UIA Organizer Kathy Murphy, center, has the group break into one-on-one dialogues, including Fall River Mass in Motion Coordinator Julie Kelly and Rev.Diane Badger, Pastor of Community Baptist Church in Marion, and then into four-person groups, including Rev. Lee, UIA Organizer Deya Garcia, Rev. Barbara Jean of Somerset Baptist Church, and Mr. O'Connor. (Row four) Mr. O'Connor concludes his discussion with Ms. Garcia before Partners for a Healthier Community Executive Director David Weed leads the group in a discussion of the various health and justice efforts working in the South Coast Area. (Bottom row) Rev. Mier begins to wrap up the discussion, asking for suggestions for future actions, before Tracy Ibbotson, Saint Anne's Hospital Director of Community Health Benefits and Volunteer Services, and Ms. Kelly thank Kathy Murphy at the close of the meeting.