The collaborative is organized into work groups that focus on specific areas of community improvement:
Healthy Food Healthy People and
Healthy Behaviors. These work groups engage community members in leadership trainings, community forums and special projects. The Healthy Food Healthy People work group in particular has undertaken a two-year effort to create a Local Food Action Plan for the city of Niagara Falls. The Collaborative is led by four Niagara Falls residents who currently serve as official co-chairs:
Brian Archie,
Keyona Dunn,
Evelyn Harris, and
Sarah Obot. They meet weekly and work tirelessly between those meetings (and their day jobs) to coordinate events, support work groups, and make sure residents’ voices are being heard and ideas are being implemented.
CHNFC is supported by a volunteer coach and mentor,
Shelley Hirshberg. Shelley is a respected and experienced leader in non-profits, health care and community health in Western New York, and has been a part of the Collaborative from the beginning. The team couldn’t make things happen without the help of the Collaborative’s one full-time staff member,
Krista Ehasz. Krista was selected from many applicants to help the Collaborative maintain momentum across all of its many projects.
