Overview
What is community health and how can aspiring future leaders act individually and collectively to help their neighbors and strengthen community health?
Since our founding in 2007, through focused effort and action, Horseshoe Farm has tackled these questions.
In 2009 we created a grant supported one-year Community Health Service Leadership Fellowship geared to top recent college graduates from across the country. We subsequently added Internships for undergraduate and health professions students.
Working as teams and with ongoing teaching and mentorship, Fellows and Interns participate in and learn from all aspects our pioneering multidimensional integrated approach to community health. They volunteer as “health partners” to support seniors, adults living with mental illness, and other vulnerable or isolated individuals. They volunteer in after school programs and with local schools to help small groups of students. They help develop and lead programs at local community centers and volunteer with local supported housing programs and nursing homes. They live and learn in one of our three wonderful partner communities (Greensboro, AL, Perry County, AL, and Pomona, CA) while participating in Horseshoe Farm's time-tested approach to helping our vulnerable neighbors and improving community health.
These efforts all contribute to Horseshoe Farm’s steadfast mission of working with and building on the strengths of local communities, improving the health and quality of life of our vulnerable neighbors, and preparing community health and citizen service leaders for tomorrow’s communities. Please join us.
Selected Awards/Recognition:
Project Horseshoe Farm awarded the “Lou Wooster Public Health Hero Award” by the University of Alabama, Birmingham School of Public Health, 2020.
Project Horseshoe Farm selected as “Exemplary Community Partnership” by Auburn University Carnegie Community Engagement Initiative, 2019.
Project Horseshoe Farm spotlighted in Appalachian Regional Commission/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report, “Creating a Culture of Health in Appalachia,” (https://healthinappalachia.org/bright-spots/case-studies/hale-county-al/), 2018.
Project Horseshoe Farm selected as “Outstanding Community Partner Initiated Engagement Effort,” by the University of Alabama Center for Community Based Partnerships, 2014.
Horseshoe Farm Biopsychosocial Community Health Model
Horseshoe Farm’s unique multidimensional integrative approach to community health - Our approach centers around individualized volunteer service in support of our vulnerable neighbors (adults living with mental illness, the elderly, other isolated or vulnerable adults, and children). We provide consistent caring relationships and help with psychosocial factors that impact the health and quality of life of these individuals. More broadly, by acting as citizen volunteers and as caring, consistent neighbors, we help reinforce the social fabric that is so critical to the healthy function of local communities. Finally, by building broad relationships and connections and helping to support and connect multiple local partner organizations, we help strengthen the institutional infrastructure and the interconnection between institutions in local communities. This is all done while giving hands on experience, mentorship, and teaching to top students working to become tomorrow’s community health and citizen service leaders.