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This year, three community-led initiatives are utilizing funding from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center to expand their efforts to improve health outcomes for Virginians.

In March, Massey announced the following organizations have each been awarded $5,000 seed grants:

• Black Family Scholar-Delicious Legacy (Petersburg)
• Northern Neck Baptist Association, Inc. (Northern Neck)
• The Underground Kitchen Community First (Richmond; statewide)

The seed grants are the first level of funding available through Massey’s Community Grant Initiative, which launched in December 2021. Each seed grant-funded program focuses on the promotion of healthy lifestyles and care access for all individuals and aims to reduce suffering across the cancer continuum, from prevention through survivorship.

Black Family Scholar, INC.

Nourishing Traditions

Through its educational work, Black Family Scholar focuses on reducing health disparities through culturally relevant health interventions for families by engaging underserved communities and tailoring programs to meet their unique socio-cultural and health needs. The organization concentrates on addressing these needs by implementing interventions that integrate cultural traditions to promote sustainable improvements.

Christin Haynes, Ph.D., M.S.W., executive director of Black Family Scholar, shared that “since 2019, Black Family Scholar, Inc. has been dedicated to advancing the holistic health and wellness of African American families through innovative community programs. Partnering with Massey strengthens our shared mission to address cancer disparities and improve survivorship within this community. Together, we can create a lasting impact on the health of families in Petersburg today and for generations to come.”

Through their Massey funded project named Nourishing Traditions, the goal is rooted “in its culturally tailored approach, focusing on the specific dietary, social and cultural needs of Black male cancer survivors and their female caregivers,” Haynes said. “Unlike traditional interventions that often overlook the socio-cultural context, this program integrates Black cultural food practices and the pivotal role of Black women in family health decision-making.”

Nourishing Traditions will work with Black male cancer survivors in and around the Petersburg area, along with female caregivers, to provide an increased understanding of nutrition as it relates to their survivorship needs.

Each group session will include several components: separate workshops for survivors and caregivers, followed by a combined hands-on healthy cooking demonstration. Participants will receive fresh produce after each session to recreate the dishes in the healthy cooking demonstration, created in collaboration with a Massey dietitian. At the end of the program, each participant will receive a healthy kitchen starter kit that will include kitchen accessories promoting healthy eating preparation.

Northern Neck Baptist Association, Inc.

Bridging the Cancer Gaps on the Northern Neck

Founded in 1877, over its 147-year history the Northern Neck Baptist Association (NNBA) has been instrumental in building congregational leadership, establishing educational centers, addressing economic and health issues, and providing financial support for scholarships for hundreds of youths in Virginia.

To continue to build capacity, the NNBA has partnered within its own congregations, as well as with the VCU Tappahannock Hospital, Bon Secours Rappahannock General Hospital, Rappahannock Community College, the River Counties Community Foundation, Aunt Berta’s Love 1 Education Foundation and the Macedonia Community Development Corporation, Inc. These partnerships have included educational support, educational exposure trips, and health awareness seminars and discussions.

Drawing from those previous experiences, NNBA will be using the $5,000 grant from Massey to expand awareness and education on cancer prevention, screening and existing disparities across the Northern Neck region by developing a curriculum for congregations to engage and empower their members as advocates for their own cancer-related health and prevention needs, and the needs of fellow community members.

NNBA’s project director Rev. Linwood Blizzard, II, M.Div., said that “the Community Seed Grant will allow the NNBA to remove barriers for the region’s residents to access preventive care and to live healthier lifestyles. The work will guide the region’s residents to build more trust with medical institutions and to expand how they understand and approach medical coverage for diagnosis and treatment. We also hope to improve the emotional care around cancer treatment from this work.”

The Underground Kitchen Community First 

Healthy Soul Food: Digital Health Education through Cultural Connection

Originally founded as a community response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Underground Kitchen Community First (UGK-CF) began by focusing on emergency food relief and has continued to expand services and programming over the last five years.

From its inception, UGK-CF aimed to address health disparities by connecting underserved populations with nutritious meals and empowering them with the tools to lead healthier lives. By combining innovative programs with strong community partnerships, they are actively reducing barriers to health and nutrition, creating lasting impacts across Richmond and beyond.

Ongoing initiatives at UGK-CF currently include providing USDA CACFP-compliant meals for children, ensuring they receive delicious, nutritious food to support growth and learning; serving farm-to-table meals to seniors and disabled individuals, prioritizing dietary restrictions and high-quality nutrition; and a pilot program teaching families and seniors how to achieve health and nutrition goals.

UGK-CF will use the $5,000 funding from Massey to expand their “Smart Soul Food” program in new and innovative ways. Key pillars of their planning include efforts to broaden their reach through strategic use of social media, make healthy soul food cooking techniques more broadly accessible, and create engaging and culturally relevant digital content in the form of a resource and cooking library to cultivate an online community centered on healthy soul food cooking.

“Partnering with a cancer center is especially meaningful to us, as it aligns with our mission to promote health and wellness in Richmond,” said Micheal Sparks, director of UGK Community First. “This collaboration enables us to continue fostering a healthier future through education and access to resources.”

About the Community Grant Initiative

To date, 19 organizations in Massey’s catchment area have received seed grants and completed cancer-related community health projects over three funding cycles through Massey’s Community Grant Initiative. Two community organizations received cultivate grants — the second level of funding — in 2023. The third phase of the program will launch an inaugural cycle this year, offering one $50,000 harvest grant to a selected applicant.

For questions about Massey’s Community Grant Initiative, grant partner organizations or future requests for proposals, email engagemassey@vcu.edu.

Written by: Michael Gesme