A new effort is underway to improve the health of people who live in the Floraciente Neighborhood in Moline. A bi-lingual community health advocate started working there in February, meeting with residents and holding classes.
Daniel Joiner from Unity Point Health-Trinity says a health needs assessment last year found several problems in the Quad Cities and Floraciente, including lack of access to health care, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and a lack of nutrution.
"The population is at risk for a lot of those needs that were identified. And then through the funding with Global Communities and Trinity Health Foundation, we thought this was a great community to target and focus on to imporove their health."
Funding for the community health advocate comes from Unity Point Health and Global Communities, an international non-profit organization specializing in community development.
The new advocate, Carolina Granja, is a Certified Nursing Assistant who graduated last year from Black Hawk College.
An estimated 1,300 people live in the Floraciente Neighborhood in Moline - from the eastern border of Rock Island to 12th Street, and from the Mississippi River to 8th Avenue.
