Preventable diseases, such as diabetes, have plagued the US for decades, with 29.3 million Americans living with a diabetes diagnosis, 9.7 million unaware that they have the illness, and 115.9 million in the pre-diabetes stage. In the Bronx, New York, these numbers are record-breaking; as statistics tell us, nearly 1 million New Yorkers have type 2 diabetes—about 33% of whom live in the Bronx, highlighting the region’s inadequate health education.
In the Bronx, a place suffering from generational racial inequality and poverty, people live sicker, die younger, and suffer from a wide range of diseases, many of which are preventable. In a 2024 report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the Bronx was ranked as the ‘least healthy’ of the New York state’s 62 counties for the 16th year in a row, further propelling the urgency of effective solutions and immediate actions, starting with funding outcome-driven initiatives that make a difference.
Since 1990, Health People, a health nonprofit organization located in the Bronx, has been reshaping this pessimistic reality, offering comprehensive education that empowers the region’s residents to notice symptoms, take action, and care for their well-being. Especially in poverty-stricken areas, such as the Bronx, medical resources are limited, resulting in more and more premature deaths that could have been stopped if ample steps had been taken before it was too late.
I see people left to their own devices, struggling to access treatment and understand self-care. In the Bronx, dialysis centers for the thousands of people whose kidneys have collapsed are on every corner,” shares Chris Norwood, founder and executive director of Health People. “What I see terrifies me. We need change, and we need it now.”
Health People, leveraging its team’s experience and driven by an unwavering commitment to ending the diabetes epidemic, curated a science- and evidence-backed 6-session self-management course. The program, meticulously evaluated and targeted toward the Bronx population, educates participants on how to lower blood sugar levels, avoid complications, reduces emergency visits and depression, and enables participants to support their family and friends to make the necessary health changes.
With a community at its core, Health People revolves around supporting all members of the neglected population, offering in-person and online sessions. From educating in homeless shelters, schools and churches, and teaching adults in community centers, the nonprofit’s dedication to leaving a tangible impact is evident. By working with both kids and adults, Health People empowers everyone to take control of their health, equipping parents with the knowledge that allows them to answer the curious questions and concerns of their offspring.
With that approach, Health People was able to foster an environment that didn’t fully succumb to COVID-19’s disastrous impact. By enabling people to care for their well-being and control their blood sugar, Health People was able to significantly reduce diabetes-related death rates among the members of its community. While the benefits of adequate education and sufficient medical resources are endless, Chris emphasizes that two of the largest government insurance programs don’t cover self-management courses in the community. Government programs do, however, cover all dialysis costs, reaching as high as $90,000 annually per person. The government could be preventing these exorbitant rates and costs by investing in educational initiatives,” stresses Chris.
For Chris, the ultimate solution lies in the fusion of healthcare awareness and shifting the mindsets of people. “It’s not just about overcoming poverty and medical deficits; it’s about overcoming the attitudes toward preventable diseases and showing people that it is possible to control diabetes,” she adds.
With an expansion to other chronic diseases that permeate low-income communities on the horizon, Health People opened a funding initiative created to aid struggling citizens of the Bronx. On the website, all those wishing to contribute to a more aware, self-sustaining society can make donations of all sizes, with each dollar fueling Health People’s mission. With $250 covering the course of one person’s diabetes prevention course, the goal of mentoring all those suffering from diabetes – with the right support and dedication – doesn’t seem far.
We are right in the heart of a diabetes epidemic, and we need to take action. Now, many people believe that a diagnosis is like a death sentence. But it doesn’t need to be this way, and Health People’s mission is to make others realize that,” shares Chris. “Our model works, and we need to spread the message and knowledge to other low-income areas. With the support of like-minded people dedicated to making a change, The Bronx will mark the beginning of a global revolution and a new era, one where education and healthcare empowerment are prioritized, not neglected.”
