Grant funding expands resources for Haitian-Creole population in Wicomico County
WICOMICO COUNTY, Md.- “Saying the Haitian population is growing is an understatement because they are growing beyond imagination,” Rev. Toussaint said.
Reverend Roosevelt Toussaint with the Haitian Development Center of Delmarva said the Haitian Creole population is one of the fastest growing communities in Wicomico County. He added that with that growth comes a need for more resources. “A lot of them because of a lack of knowledge do not know how to take care of themselves,” Rev. Toussaint said.
The nonprofit now has some help in those efforts thanks to grant funding Tidal Health’s REACH Program. HDCD will start up their chronic disease education campaign, connecting with a variety of local health organizations and churches. “Some of them are suffering with high blood pressure, diabetes, and you name it. Providing education to them will be very helpful,”
They aren’t doing it alone; The United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore is also a grant recipient. President Pam Gregory said the money they’re receiving will support translating their ‘Wellness Made Easy‘ health literacy curriculum into Haitian-Creole. This will assist local organizations who serve that population increase their outreach efforts. “Language barriers can also slow their comfort of navigating systems in our community like health care, school systems, or even employment opportunities,” Gregory said.
Gregory added that eliminating those barriers will not only lead to more positive health outcomes, but help those individuals find a sense of community. “They have wonderful food, they have amazing history and stories, and they have incredible talents. We need to able to build those bridges so that we can all thrive together,” she said.
Reverend Toussiant said there’s also not enough English as a Second Language education providers locally and that he would like to see those services expanded.
The United Way also tells us expanding those resources will help those residents build trust in local health care providers.
Both organizations will also collaborate in their efforts. Tidal Health’s total investment in both initiatives total of $18,760.
