Come to the Table

Bolstering Local Economies & Food Access: Faith Communities & Farmers of Color

March 10, 2022 By North Carolina Council of Churches

By Justine Post, Come to the Table Program Director, Rural Advancement Foundation, partner of the NC Council of Churches BIPOC (Black & Brown, Indigenous, People of Color) farmers in the U.S. have long been held back by systemic racism. They have, and still do, face discrimination in accessing credit, loans, resources, and markets. In 2017, […]

Bolstering Local Economies & Food Access: Faith Communities & Farmers of Color

March 10, 2022 · by North Carolina Council of Churches

Concord UMC: Planting Seeds and Watching Hearts Grow

September 14, 2016 By Chris Pernell, Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness

By Kaitlyn Brodar, PHW Intern As the health lead for Concord UMC in Graham, NC, Donna Poe spends most of her time in the garden. Even as we were talking, she was hard at work picking caterpillars off the collard greens. “You know, it’s amazing what you can get accomplished while you’re kneeling over a […]

Concord UMC: Planting Seeds and Watching Hearts Grow

September 14, 2016 · by Chris Pernell, Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness

PHW Success Story- Soul Harvest Apostolic Church, Spring Lake

August 12, 2016 By Chris Pernell, Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness

By Kaitlyn Brodar, PHW Intern The Soul Harvest Apostolic Church is a gold-level PHW congregation that has been certified since 2012 and is firmly committed to healthy eating. They have a vibrant community garden that provides a steady source of healthy, fresh vegetables for their soup kitchen, which feeds many individuals in their community. Their […]

PHW Success Story- Soul Harvest Apostolic Church, Spring Lake

August 12, 2016 · by Chris Pernell, Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness

2014 Faith & Health Summit: Registration Deadline Extended

September 29, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

The deadline to register for the 2014 Faith and Health Summit has been extended until this Friday, October 3. More than 200 people have already reserved their space at this important event, but there’s still room for you! Click here to take advantage of this special opportunity. The Summit will take place on Friday, October […]

2014 Faith & Health Summit: Registration Deadline Extended

September 29, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

American Eating Habits

September 4, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

A 12-year study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that Americans improved their eating habits slightly over the years, but that was not the case for America’s poor. Harvard assigned individuals different scores based on their food choices, creating a healthy diet index. A perfect score was 110 and reflected a higher […]

American Eating Habits

September 4, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Success Story – Savannah Missionary Baptist, Fayetteville

August 27, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Savannah Missionary Baptist Church is committed to developing a holistic ministry. For the past six years our congregation has made a concerted effort to improve the health of our members and reach out to the community. We have declared our campus Tobacco Free and have posted signs on church grounds. We also have a bulletin […]

PHW Success Story – Savannah Missionary Baptist, Fayetteville

August 27, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

2014 Faith & Health Summit – Register Now!

August 10, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Please join the North Carolina Council of Churches at the 2014 Faith and Health Summit, which will be held on Friday, October 10, 2014 at Ardmore Baptist Church in Winston-Salem (501 Miller Street). Special thanks to Wake Forest University’s Food, Faith and Religious Leadership Initiative for co-sponsoring the event! The program will run from 9:30am to 3:30pm, […]

2014 Faith & Health Summit – Register Now!

August 10, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

2014 PHW Youth Conference

July 29, 2014 By Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

The Lord raised up Laquanda Bowden of Empowering Word Ministries and her church crew to organize an incredible 2014 Youth Conference. Yes, Partners in Health and Wholeness co-hosted this event, and I don’t want to downplay the role that Willona Stallings played or our summer intern, Johnny Rogers, without whom the PHW side could not […]

2014 PHW Youth Conference

July 29, 2014 · by Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Food, Fairness and Faith

July 28, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

“How is this equal?!” I often articulate this simple phrase whenever I take a look at the world these days. Sometimes I mutter the sentence under my breath in disbelief, and sometimes I exclaim it with disgust or utter shock. The question of equality always surfaces whenever I acknowledge the issues we humans face, particularly […]

Food, Fairness and Faith

July 28, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Another Spirit-filled Weekend with Partners in Health and Wholeness

July 25, 2014 By Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Partners in Health and Wholeness co-hosted a youth conference on Saturday, July 12, with Empowering Word Ministries in Wadesboro. I was honored to be able to participate as a PHW intern. Empowering Word Ministries Church held a spirit filled-praise and worship service with groups from the community and surrounding counties on Friday night, which I attended. […]

Another Spirit-filled Weekend with Partners in Health and Wholeness

July 25, 2014 · by Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

PHW Welcomes Courtney Ward

July 23, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Courtney Ward is a summer intern with the Alliance of Baptists, working with Pullen Memorial Baptist Church and lending her aid to the Partners in Health and Wholeness Initiative. Born and bred in Frederick, Maryland, Courtney received a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Bachelor’s degree in Religion (both concentrating in American Studies) from Hood […]

PHW Welcomes Courtney Ward

July 23, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Men’s Health Week and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

June 11, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

There’s lots to celebrate this month. Besides my birthday (smile), the month of June is when we observe Men’s Health Week and National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month. These two issues, each important enough on their own, also overlap as men are encouraged to eat nutritious, well-balanced meals in order to remain healthy and strong. Our nation’s dietary guidelines are updated every five years, with the most recent set of guidelines released in 2010. In this report, the US Department of Agriculture advises both men and women to...

Men’s Health Week and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

June 11, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW-Certified Congregation Receives Funding to Improve Access to Healthy Foods

March 2, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Love Fellowship Believers – a PHW Silver-Certified Congregation located in Greensboro and under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Kevin Webb – was awarded a Statewide Pioneering Healthier Communities Youth Advocacy grant to take on the issue of healthy food access in their local community. With rising childhood obesity rates in our state and country, a […]

PHW-Certified Congregation Receives Funding to Improve Access to Healthy Foods

March 2, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

2014 PHW Certification & Mini-Grants: We’re Now Accepting Applications!

February 21, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

New activities and requirements for the 2014 Partners in Health and Wholeness Certification Program are now posted on our website! We hope that you will join this statewide movement to improve the health of people of faith through increased physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco use prevention and cessation. PHW-certified congregations are taking charge of […]

2014 PHW Certification & Mini-Grants: We’re Now Accepting Applications!

February 21, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Book Club Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Chapter Sixteen

January 16, 2014 By Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

Thank you for joining the Partners in Health and Wholeness Book Club. You can officially sign-up here. Through it, we hope to engage people of faith in discussions over why our health matters. Our current choice of reading is “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” by Barbara Kingsolver. We are posting updates through the PHW […]

PHW Book Club Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Chapter Sixteen

January 16, 2014 · by Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

PHW Receives Outstanding Community Service Award

January 13, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW received an Outstanding Community Service Award from Peletah Ministries in New Bern, under the leadership of Pastors Anthony and Dawn Baldwin Gibson, on Saturday, January 11. Peletah Ministries, a small congregation of about 50 people, is making a real difference in their local community and surrounding areas. But instead of shining the spotlight on […]

PHW Receives Outstanding Community Service Award

January 13, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Success Story – Tabernacle of Deliverance, Rocky Mount

January 4, 2014 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Tabernacle of Deliverance is a non-denominational church located in a low socioeconomic community that strives to promote health and wellness along with spiritual guidance to those residing in the community. Programs targeted at at-risk youth are encouraged and implemented, including education on gang violence, teen pregnancy, substance abuse (drugs, alcohol and tobacco), and health and […]

PHW Success Story – Tabernacle of Deliverance, Rocky Mount

January 4, 2014 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Eat as an Act of Worship this Holiday Season

December 16, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

This is a special time of year. For Christians, it’s a time of Advent or expectant waiting for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This period of anticipation culminates on Christmas Day, when many Western churches celebrate Jesus’ birth. And these celebrations can take on many different forms. Some Christians choose to simply reflect on […]

Eat as an Act of Worship this Holiday Season

December 16, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Church Youth Groups Invited to Apply for Funding to Create Healthier Communities

December 6, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Partners in Health and Wholeness is teaming up with the NC Alliance of YMCAs to identify organizations, like churches, with active youth groups who seek to improve the health of their local community. This opportunity, called the Statewide Pioneering Healthier Communities Teen Advocacy Mini-Grants program, supports the YMCA’s mission to strengthen communities through youth development, […]

Church Youth Groups Invited to Apply for Funding to Create Healthier Communities

December 6, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Book Club Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Chapter Ten

December 5, 2013 By Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

PHW Book Club Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Chapter Ten

December 5, 2013 · by Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

PHW Success Story – St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Durham

November 2, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Our congregation has used PHW’s gold status requirements as a framework for implementing activities throughout the year. Our priest, Jonah Kendall, led our health directive through his healthy and active lifestyle and by creating a PowerPoint presentation regarding health and Christianity and presenting it during our adult formation series. We formed a Health and Wellness […]

PHW Success Story – St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Durham

November 2, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Receives Faith & Community Health Excellence Award

October 13, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

I had the pleasure of attending the Tri-Regional Faith and Community Health Summit in Atlanta, GA on October 3-5. The event was chock-full of dynamic speakers and informative sessions. Some of the topics included: the impact of institutionalized racism on health outcomes, the Affordable Care Act, mental health and counseling, youth engagement, and how to […]

PHW Receives Faith & Community Health Excellence Award

October 13, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Book Club Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Chapter One

October 3, 2013 By Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

PHW Book Club Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Chapter One

October 3, 2013 · by Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

Healthy Communities, Healthy Churches Summit

August 6, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Partners in Health and Wholeness is co-sponsoring a Healthy Communities, Healthy Churches Summit on Saturday, September 7 from 10am-3pm in New Bern (Christ Episcopal Ministry Center, 311 Middle Street). The Summit will provide information on local health initiatives, funding opportunities for faith-based organizations, as well as information on the upcoming Affordable Care Act. Other participating […]

Healthy Communities, Healthy Churches Summit

August 6, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Laurinburg Presbyterian Lets People Grow Food on its Property

July 9, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

The Fayetteville Observer

Sam Thompson was looking for a sunny spot to plant tomatoes. He ended up leading an award-winning community revolution. Thompson, an elder at Laurinburg Presbyterian Church, pitched the idea of a community garden to the church six years ago. What began as a creative use for otherwise empty church property was recently awarded an equipment grant by the North Carolina Council of Churches and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. "We're using the grant funds to dig a well," Thompson said. "Wouldn't you know this would be the wettest June in years."

Laurinburg Presbyterian Lets People Grow Food on its Property

July 9, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

The Fayetteville Observer

Sam Thompson was looking for a sunny spot to plant tomatoes. He ended up leading an award-winning community revolution. Thompson, an elder at Laurinburg Presbyterian Church, pitched the idea of a community garden to the church six years ago. What began as a creative use for otherwise empty church property was recently awarded an equipment grant by the North Carolina Council of Churches and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. “We’re using the grant funds to dig a well,” Thompson said. “Wouldn’t you know this would be the wettest June in years.”

Grant to Strengthen Community Garden Program

July 4, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Winston-Salem Chronicle

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation has partnered with the North Carolina Council of Churches to provide grants to faith-based organizations to help them supply healthy eating alternatives to their members and underserved communities. United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (UMMBC) is one of 20 faith-based organizations that have received a $5,000 Healthy Eating Equipment Grant. The church will use the grant to purchase much needed equipment and supplies to support the 10 gardens that now comprise the S.G. Atkins Community Gardens at Winston-Salem State University.

Grant to Strengthen Community Garden Program

July 4, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Winston-Salem Chronicle

United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (UMMBC) is one of 20 faith-based organizations that have received a $5,000 Healthy Eating Equipment Grant. The church will use the grant to purchase much needed equipment and supplies to support the 10 gardens that now comprise the S.G. Atkins Community Gardens at Winston-Salem State University.

Piney Grove Baptist Ministries Helped with Healthy Eating Equipment Grant

July 3, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Mt. Airy News

Piney Grove Baptist Church’s food ministries recently got a boost from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation (BCBSNC) in the form of a $5,000 healthy eating equipment grant. The effort is a partnership between BCBSNC and the North Carolina Council of Churches to provide equipment for 20 faith-based organizations to bring healthier food to their members and communities. More than $90,000 in equipment grants are being used to provide canning and cooking supplies, expand church community gardens and increase storage for fresh produce.

Piney Grove Baptist Ministries Helped with Healthy Eating Equipment Grant

July 3, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Mt. Airy News

PHW Success Story – St. Timothy’s Episcopal, Winston-Salem

July 1, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

We have been busy growing in health and wholeness at St.Timothy’s! Our biggest venture towards a healthy congregation has been to start a parish garden. The garden has been a dream of the parish for some time, but this year we finally took the risk of getting it started. We are fortunate to have a […]

PHW Success Story – St. Timothy’s Episcopal, Winston-Salem

July 1, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Success Story – Shalom Community Christian Church, Greensboro

June 20, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Our church has made a concerted effort to emphasize healthy living to our congregation in several ways. We have partnered with another church in our area to sponsor and host a Health and Wellness fair. We have made a conscious effort to utilize healthier snacks for our youth activities. The health and wellness information we […]

PHW Success Story – Shalom Community Christian Church, Greensboro

June 20, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Success Story – Greater St. Matthews, Wadesboro

June 17, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Greater St. Matthews has an aerobics class three times a week and offers quarterly nutrition classes. We have also held a fruit and vegetable luncheon to assist with making healthy choices and finding easier ways to include fruits and vegetables with every meal. The healthy recipes were written out and shared with others. This could […]

PHW Success Story – Greater St. Matthews, Wadesboro

June 17, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Twenty Congregations Receive Funding to Increase Access to Healthy, Local Foods

June 11, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

The North Carolina Council of Churches has partnered with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation to provide more than $90,000 in Healthy Eating Equipment grants to twenty places of worship in our state. These equipment grants will be used to increase access to healthy, local foods – for example, for […]

Twenty Congregations Receive Funding to Increase Access to Healthy, Local Foods

June 11, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Success Story – Islamic Association of Raleigh

May 21, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

The Islamic Association of Raleigh (IAR) is blessed to have a kitchen/restaurant facility which serves the entire community on different occasions. There is also the community’s school garden that is taken care of and well-groomed by the students, parents, teachers and staff of Al Iman School, which is one of the schools situated in the […]

PHW Success Story – Islamic Association of Raleigh

May 21, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Success Story – Pathway to Peace Ministries, Peachland

May 13, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYQamYonCoc Pathway to Peace Ministries, under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Cary Rodgers and located in Anson County, received a PHW mini-grant for their efforts to improve the health of their members and wider community. Pathway to Peace used the funds provided by PHW to purchase a plow and disk harrow to expand their church […]

PHW Success Story – Pathway to Peace Ministries, Peachland

May 13, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Rethink What You Eat

May 10, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Who said change is easy? Or that it can only come as a result of well-meaning adults’ efforts? Well, a youth group in New Orleans, called the “Rethinkers”, would beg to differ. They saw a problem (unhealthy foods served in school) and made a difference

Rethink What You Eat

May 10, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Come to the Table Comes to Your Home

May 9, 2013 By Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Everyone gets so hyped about attending conferences. You go there, you collect as many business cards as you can, you write down notes, quotes, and things to follow-up with. You instantly get empowered and invigorated with the amount of energy and ideas that flood your mind and new-found relationships. You struggle over which break-out session to […]

Come to the Table Comes to Your Home

May 9, 2013 · by Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

PHW Success Story – Ward Street Mission UMC, High Point

May 1, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Since 2010, beginning with the spring growing season, Ward Street Mission United Methodist Church has implemented a concept called, “House Gardens Greening Project”. The concept is simple. Instead of having a “community garden” at one site at the church, we have created a “community of gardens” at individual homes around the Ward Street Mission Community. […]

PHW Success Story – Ward Street Mission UMC, High Point

May 1, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Success Story – First Baptist, Lumberton

April 25, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

First Baptist Church in Lumberton – under the leadership of Dr. TR Murray and PHW Liaison Jay Leggette – is participating in the Partners in Health and Wholeness Certification Program, demonstrating their commitment to health as a practice of their faith. They serve healthier food and beverage options at church meetings and events, maintain tobacco-free […]

PHW Success Story – First Baptist, Lumberton

April 25, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

The Table Was Packed

March 5, 2013 By Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

It is awesome how many people spend their days thinking of ways to make this world better. I was reminded of this during the latest Come to the Table Conferences. Both Kinston and Greensboro, the two locations for the Eastern NC and the Piedmont conferences respectively, brought together people of faith who love seeking justice. Both […]

The Table Was Packed

March 5, 2013 · by Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

PHW Funding Opportunity – Webinar Posted

February 27, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Partners in Health and Wholeness, in partnership with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Foundation, recently conducted a webinar for places of worship interested in the new Healthy Eating Equipment grants. Please click here to access the webinar slides, audio and application forms. These grants are designed to support congregations in your efforts to […]

PHW Funding Opportunity – Webinar Posted

February 27, 2013 · by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Update: New Funding Opportunity for Congregations

February 15, 2013 By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

The NC Council of Churches is happy to announce a new partnership with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Foundation to increase access to healthy, local food through the distribution of Healthy Eating Equipment grants in select parts of the state. The grants can be used to support any work around food access, […]

Come to the Table

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