How You Can Improve Community Health

At the University of Maryland Medical System, our top priority is serving people in their communities because we believe that “healthy communities are empowered communities.” Community health isn’t limited to medical centers… Individuals can get involved with promoting health and wellness in their own neighborhoods.

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Community Health
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What is Community Health?

The communities where people live influence their ability to obtain proper medical care, fresh food, exercise and emotional support. Community health is focused on helping people access these resources to live their best lives. This may include public services, medical centers and state and government programming.

Help Keep Your Community Well

Community health is strong when neighbors get involved. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other sources suggest several ways to contribute:

  • Donate to a food bank. Feeding America recommends donating these items.
  • Donate good-quality or new clothes. Homeless shelters, women’s shelters and many other charitable organizations accept a variety of new or gently-used clothing and shoes to benefit people in need.
  • Donate money to a charity. Many organizations are dedicated to helping the community, but survive on the kindness and donations of supporters. Choose a non-profit organization that makes a difference in an area that means something to you. There are thousands of options – animal welfare, domestic violence, health concerns like juvenile diabetes or heart disease, and many, many others.
  • Donate your time to clean up the environment. Take an afternoon to pick up trash at the beach, a local park or just around your neighborhood and dispose of it properly. A clean world is a healthier world. Also, take time to properly recycle at home.
  • Donate blood or plasma. A single blood donation can save up to three lives. Find a donation site through the Red Cross.

Volunteer

  • Volunteer at a homeless shelter or food pantry. Shelters and food pantries need a variety of hands-on assistance to provide the best services.
  • Look for other volunteer opportunities that interest you. There are many ways to give back to the community. For a fulfilling experience, look for volunteer work that gets you excited and makes you feel that you are making a difference. Many places of faith have volunteer opportunities. An internet search can also help you find options. Before you sign on, it’s wise to speak to someone about it, to make sure that the volunteer opportunity aligns with your expertise and interests.
  • Volunteer at your local hospital. Learn more about volunteering at a University of Maryland Medical System facility in the following locations:

Learn about the health benefits of volunteering.

Act Consciously

  • Shop at a local farmer’s market. You get fresh produce and handmade items and the money spent stays in the community when you shop at a farmer’s market.
  • Plant a tree. Trees clean the air, provide shade – and some provide fruit for a healthier diet.
  • Participate in a community garden. Using public spaces helps build community connections and growing healthy foods that you share as a community is a great way to try a variety of organic fruits and vegetables. In addition, gardening is a good – and productive – way to get in a little extra exercise.
  • Help create mental health awareness. UMMS encourages community conversations about mental health. Find resources for coping with racial injustice and pandemic grief, and building hope as a community.
  • Take the kids along. Let the whole family participate in community events. Building a strong community starts early.

Start at Home

  • Eat healthy and exercise. The best way to lessen the strain on medical centers is to take care of your health at home. Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables (it doesn’t have to be expensive) and stay active.
  • Get trained in CPR and AED use. Learning to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) or perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can save lives in an emergency.
  • Get vaccinated. Stay up-to-date on vaccinations from infancy through adulthood to prevent the spread of infectious disease. This includes the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Take antibiotics as prescribed. Taking antibiotics improperly creates antibiotic resistance, which puts more than 35,000 lives at risk each year. The CDC reports 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the United States annually, so taking your medications properly can save your life—and keep you here for your neighbors for years and years to come.

We are actively participating in the community as well.

The University of Maryland Medical System helps provide resources and support for community health.

Learn More

Medically reviewed by Mariellen Synan, Community Outreach Manager, University of Maryland Medical Center – Midtown Campus.

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