Final Reflection Paper and Practicum Evaluations

Miracle Okoye

Church of the Living God, Temple #12110 E. Crosstimbers St.

Houston, TX 77093

Pastor Dan Goodman Jr.

Table of Contents

Abstract...................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 4

Discussion.................................................................................................................................. 8

Personal Assessment........................................................................................................... 17

Conclusions and Recommendations...............................................................................21

References............................................................................................................................... 23

Appendix A.............................................................................................................................. 24

Appendix D.............................................................................................................................. 28

Evaluation............................................................................................................................... 29

Abstract

The time spent, thus far, working with the Church o the Living God, Temple #1

(COLG1) head Pastor, Dan Goodman Jr., ministers on the roster, board members and

congregation, has shown it self to be a true learning experience. Once formally

interviewed and introduced to Pastor Goodman’s, my onsite supervisor, goals for the

outreach ministry and expectations for myself as the outreach assistant, the real work

began. The COLG1 has, through the Adopt a School Initiative, gone through the

necessary requirements and met the qualifications to formally adopt Roderick Paige

Elementary while also joining forces with the Centers for Obesity and Wellness to take

the essential steps forward to bring applicable outreach opportunities to the school, local

neighborhoods and the surrounding community. Pastor Goodman specified the needs he

sees most in the community and that the church’s outreach programs have, in the past,

failed to meet and that he has been eager to have useful volunteers such as myself. The

Paige Elementary Program, Centers for Obesity and Wellness, financial needs and

reestablishment of preexisting outreach within the church congregation all fall within my

umbrella of outreach assistant and public health practitioner. As a young professional I

am eager to use every opportunity as a learning experience and chance to put my formal

graduate education to use practically and effectively.

Introduction

The Church of the Living God, Temple #1 (COLG1) is a small church nestled just

outside of historical Fifth Ward. When originally built, the neighborhood was a

predominantly African-American community led by Bishop Dan Goodman Sr. who

stewarded his flock in a very traditional manor. Since his late passing, his name sake and

first born, Pastor Dan Goodman Jr. has taken over the role as preacher and teacher of the

church home. Pastor Goodman has since made the decision to slowly take COLG1 into a

more modern setting and in doing so he outlined new goals and objectives in regard to

church outreach in what has become a new church dynamic.

As mentioned, COLG1 was once located in a neighborhood recognized for its

connected community of African-Americans, but since then the community has made a

shift over the past decades. The neighborhood has since shifted in its demographic now

predominantly African-American and Hispanic, a significant portion of the residential

properties have been lost to foreclosure and repurchased as small business blue-collar

properties like used tire shops, scrap metal yards and corner liquor stores. I believe this

shift in the atmosphere and surroundings of the church are what prompted Pastor

Goodman Jr. to facilitate new projects in the church outreach. The church has, for years,

gone to the local Prison and ministered as well as prayed for inmates, but the new

projects for 2014 took outreach to a new level, starting with the church’s neighborhood.

In the 2013 State Census, Texas reported a total population of 26,448,193 people, 38.4%

of whom identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino and 12.4% Black or African-

American. Over 2 million Houstonians call Harris County home and it is the most

populous county in all of Texas (Meyer, Lu & Chronister, 2010). Within the

Hispanic/Latino and Black/African-American communities, poverty is more abundant

than in any other demographic. Every year the U.S. government publishes the federal

poverty level (FPL) guideline, in 2004 the FPL for a family subsidy household of 4 was

$18,850 and since has increased. However, in 2004 nearly 20% of both ethnicities,

Hispanic/Latino and Black/African-American had incomes below the FPL, where only

5% of White/Caucasians reported living below the poverty level (City of Houston, 2008).

In fact, COLG1 has a sister church in another predominantly African-American

neighborhood of Houston, Settegast, about 20 miles away from the church neighborhood.

The city published, in 2000, a list of the cities highest poverty stricken neighborhoods:

“Greater Third Ward, Greater Fifth Ward, Downtown, and Settegast,” all of which had

greater than 40% of their population below the FPL (City of Houston, 2008).

Obesity is a deleterious health issue, a growing epidemic and an unnecessary

illness plaguing the 21st century. It contributed to the development of cancers, diabetes,

renal failure, high blood pressures, stroke, cardiovascular disease, blindness, deep vain

thrombosis and thyroid problems, all of which result in billions of dollars in healthcare

costs. The occurrence of these issues is particularly high among, again, African-American

and Hispanic households; roughly 40% of all Hispanics are obese, and just below 70%

are obese or overweight. The numbers are more elevated within the African-American

community, 71% of males and 78% of females are classified obese or overweight. These

numbers place a very large proportion of our community at serious risk of the

aforementioned sicknesses, with our surrounding neighborhoods consisting od 71%

Hispanics and 16% African-Americans (Meyer, Lu & Chronister, 2010).

Around the city of Houston there is an uneven distribution of health ailments and

deleterious diagnoses within the under represented populations, particularly

Hispanics/Latinos and Black/African-Americans; this is the issue in when COLG1

outreach builds upon. The issue lies within the exaggerated distribution of Houston’s

poverty level within the ethnic demographics and the neighborhood. In light of

disparities, struggles and community short comings the church is very much looking

forward to the exciting expansion of it’s public out reach ministry in the Houston area,

focusing on a joint effort in conjunction with the Adopt A School Initiative to support the

youth of Roderick Paige Elementary as well as working with the Center for Obesity and

Wellness to create a satellite location at the church.

The Center for Obesity and Wellness (COW) is an outreach program with no age

limit, no tax qualifying restrictions or insurance needed. Like Program Paige, COW is a

proactive program for the benefit of the community to effectively deal with obesity in our

community by providing physicals, screenings, consulting preventative programs and

informational resources via local voluntary physicians and public health professionals

that will enable our neighbors to reverse, prevent and overcome obesity, its secondary

ailments and other illnesses related to the epidemic. COW is still in the early stages of

development and planning. The center will be located at the church, 2110 E.

Crosstimbers, in Houston, Texas. Pastor Goodman has hopeful ideas for the Center the

COW will be manned by a list of volunteer staff: medical professionals (physicians,

nurses, dietitians, trainers, nutritionists) as well as administrative staff during designated

Center hours as well as appointment scheduling. By offering screenings, weight

assessments and educational information and opportunities, we are kick starting the

Center and making people aware. In addition, we will have information on diet, exercise,

health prevention and maintenance, along with programs designed to support and

maintain.

COLG1 has taken the necessary steps to formally adopt Roderick Paige

Elementary School, through the Adopt a School Initiative. Through Program Paige, the

church is planning to implement its first outreach initiative in efforts to encourage the

schools youth in areas such as; health and wellness, anti-bullying, further education,

tutoring and many more. The outreach project will not only encourage healthy and active

lifestyles among young people but encourage neighborhood and community participation

in the form of seasonal events, volunteer opportunities and most importantly when

dealing with the youth, the prospect for learning opportunities and development events.

The COLG1 outreach project fits into Pastor Goodman Jr.’s visions and plans for the

progression of the church, “to be a unified, thoroughly committed, gathering of believers

in our community, where people of all races and backgrounds may find hope and answers

to life's most challenging questions through our faith, worshiping the Living God,

preaching and modeling a Christ-centered life as directed by the Holy Spirit” (Goodman,

2104). Pastor Goodman Jr. describes his mission for not only himself and his

congregation but for the continued efforts of all outreach projects, current and future as,

“to seize every opportunity every day to introduce the gospel of Jesus Christ to every

person possible everywhere God sends us and by whatever means God has ordained”

(Goodman, 2104).

Discussion

I have the honor of being a member of this church, but not until about 2 years ago,

after I applied and was accepted to Concordia Universities graduate Public Health

program, I truly became an active member. Volunteering my time with the woman’s

ministry, Women of Wisdom, singing in the adult choir and now volunteering my

education, skills and desire to serve the welfare of the public. After a formal interview

with Pastor Goodman Jr. and his wife, hearing his expectations, goals and quarterly

objectives, he asked me what my motivators were in joining his outreach team. The

question took me by surprise, usually Pastor Goodman is very light hearted and soft

spoken but this question was weighted and he made his expectations clear, concise and

very articulate. He and his wife offered me a position working along side them both very

closely along with the other church board members of the church. As the church outreach

assistant, Pastor outlined that he wanted me to be apart of all planning meetings for the

church, including the quarterlies and annual meetings regarding budgetary spending and

funding allocation. He expected me to assist in drafting grant proposals for articular

foundation and depending on the requirements, tailor donation and sponsorship letters to

meet the financial and specific needs of the church event at hand. Pastor specifically

mentioned the need and hopefulness for fresh young ideas and my honest opinions on the

reintroduction of preexisting programs. I have the opportunity of being apart of a number

of different outreach programs some that were already in progress and others, from the

ground floor. As the outreach assistant my sole purpose is the promotion and service to

the community. I am in charge of assisting the pastor and board members in governing

organizational programs and scheduling directed to tackling the essential necessities of

the immediate and adjoining neighborhoods. It is my duty to develop as well as improve

relationships with community leaders and business owners, Fort Bend constable Precinct

2 Ruben Davis and Harris County Judge Grant Cole as well as local popular business like

Frenchy’s Chicken, in order to serves as COLG1 link between program implementation

possible assistance.

The first task my onsite supervisor appointed me was the need for funding for the

additional outreach programs. I was brought in knowing that a portion of the churches

budget was allocated to outreaching and community assistance, but the yearly budget was

set prior to the conception of Program Paige and COW, with the addition of these two

very involved programs the predetermined budget would not be enough on its own. There

came the need for grant funding, possible donations and sponsorships. I chose to first

research available grant opportunities for churches with tax exemption status, non-profit

organizations and community aid groups; this turned out a lot of possibilities,

qualifications and prospects. My next task was identifying local businesses that were in

the position to offer donations or sponsorships on behalf of the church. By identifying

locally owned business within a five to ten mile radius of the church and Paige

Elementary School, I identified each business as a goods business or a money business.

This was my way of identifying which business would receive which type of letter on

behalf of Pastor Goodman. For example, as mentioned above, Frenchy’s Chicken is a

popular restaurant chain, locally owned and established by an African-American family

in Third Ward. Simply because they are widely known for delicious chicken and southern

style side dishes, I labeled this business a goods business. I sent a sponsorship letter

introducing Pastor Goodman, the church and the elementary school project at hand,

Program Paige, and the need for donated dinners at specific events, but I also stressed the

opportunity to be recognized as a local sponsor and contributor of specific events with

advertising, special thanks and possibly opportunities to publically speak. The

opportunity for sponsors to speak publically at the school will be addressed at the next

meeting with the school administration, Pastor and myself. This way, sponsors are getting

the opportunity to take part in a not for profit program assisting their local community in

addition to getting local advertising opportunity (Appendix A). Donation letters were sent

out to local businesses that couldn’t donate goods specific to the program in general or

specific events. A local small business used tire, Nick’s Used Tire Store, for instance,

doesn’t offer a specific material or good for the outreach program at this time, however,

they are two blocks East of the church and may want to make a monetary contribution

after receiving the donation letter I sent by post. By making a business donation to our

tax-exempt outreach program they open their eligibility to receive tax-deductions as well

as local advertising (Appendix B). The church’s possibility for grants is also abundant

because of the tax exemption status and the outreach program being tailored toward

community outreach and the welfare of children. Pastor Goodman gave me the churches

existing grant proposal intended for the United Way South West quarterly grant, and

asked me to revise it and make any corrections I felt necessary (Appendix C). I also took

the initiative to begin making sponsorship letter and donation letter templates as the

church continues to build relationships with local business (Appendix D).

The first outreach activity for the 2015 COLG calendar is the back to school

initiative for the students returning from Christmas break in January 2015. This event

focus on healthy eating and encourages active lifestyles at the children’s young age. With

the support of the COW, there is a network of pediatric physicians and nurses, as well as

personal trainers and dietitians specialized in children within the Houston area who make

it a goal to be available for such programs as this. I volunteered to gather the appropriate

telephone numbers and set up conference call and meetings with professional volunteers,

Pastor Goodman and myself, and then we brought the gathered data and scheduling

availability to administration from Paige Elementary. At this time we have a list of

volunteers from the COLG congregation and sister churches, with hopes to include HISD

high school students as student volunteers earning credit toward their graduation

requirements.

After Pastor Goodman’s instructions regarding financial opportunity, I took it

upon myself to brainstorm and began the early stages of planning another fundraising

opportunity that I later brought to his attention, a silent auction. I thought this would be a

good way to get local businesses, professionals and program participants together. I

wanted the opportunity for Program Paige children, their parents, school faculty and staff

to meet the pediatric and adult health professions for COW as well as have community

business owners surrounded by community members. This is another event in which the

growing relationships between myself, liaison for COLG, and local businesses are

important. I want to auction off goods directly from local businesses to help build

community partnerships and synergy. Before bringing my new fundraiser idea to the

Pastor, I went through the planning processes of estimating possible charges for food and

drinks for the event, called a local BINGO hall and spoke with the manager about renting

the space for a church auction, stressed the tax exemption status and got a respectable

price. The estimated budget is a guideline for the cost of the event and the churches

outreach budget, my hope is to spend very little and bring in much more than we spend;

with the hope that the event is so successful that it becomes an annual event in the

community that local businesses look forward to being apart of. The time and date are

tentative depending at this time but I have made a flyer for advertising along with a letter

for COLG1 sister churches, in hopes that the auction will be announced during Sunday

services, other churches will support the event and community businesses will be

reminded of the event and the marketing opportunity it holds. I want to be sure to pass

along the flyer to Paige Elementary school faculty and staff to support the community

growth, as well as the other school administration in the area to hopefully introduce

people, if not reintroduce them to COLG1 and their desire to be a successful force in the

community.

This event, though still in the planning phase, was brought to the attention of

Pastor Goodman while in his office with his wife. Because my role, in this particular

project, runs so deep, I was fearful to bring it before them and really sell them on the

idea. I wanted to be confident that the auction was within Pastor’s ideas for the objectives

for his outreach ministry and that it would be an event that addressed the problems at

hand. I understand that outreaching is about the education and availability of resources to

individuals who would otherwise be without. I feared Pastor Goodman would see this as

a waste of COLG1 time and effort and in turn my efforts would be wasted and my spirit a

little bruised. Prayerfully I walked both Pastor and his wife through the event idea,

showing them copies of all supporting documents (sponsorship letter to Frenchy’s, the

donation letter to the tire shop, the United Way grant proposal, the auction budget, my

sponsorship wish-list, auction flyer) and tried to paint a picture of the event specifics. I

stressed the opportunity to first build relationships and community togetherness while

also making money designated for the church’s outreach ministry fund. Pastor Goodman

was receptive to the idea, he had a number of questions, concerns and suggestions, all of

which I was very pleased to hear. His wife was very interested in the décor of the event

and the menu for guests. I took this as a big win for me personally. The fact that they

both had suggestions and comments to add was a weight off of my shoulders, though

Pasto wanted to incorporate Christian values as apart of the event, I felt assured that that

was his way of saying “Well done.” This event has yet to be given a set date and time,

but it is tentatively scheduled for early December 2014, a work in progress.

Being sensitive to individuals language requirements was something that I had to

quickly adapt to, when visiting local businesses became harder to do because of linguistic

obstacles. My Spanish speaking is conversational and very basic, but I wanted to be

prepared for any questions and concerns posed by business owners or community

members. I had to utilize Spanish speaking family members to create Spanish donation

and sponsorship letters. As a public health professional it is important to remain sensitive

to the needs of the public. This is something that will be of importance when hosting

community events, I want to be sure to be mindful of disabilities; blindness, wheelchair

accessibility and specific language needs. I am familiar with LanguageLine, the useful

translating tool used to effectively communicate in a number of different languages. This

is a useful resource that, depending on the speed at which the program progresses, the

COW may look into for when more minorities are more aware of its convenience.

I had the opportunity to volunteer my efforts toward existing COLG1 ministries

such as their woman’s ministry, Women of Wisdom (WOW) that focuses on outreach to

local women in the community and sister churches. Because the ministry has already

been in existence, there were church funds already allocated toward events such as this. I

was given the opportunity to sit with the women and plan the mini-conference. The

program I prepared, Appendix E, is based on the theme of the event and the speakers

arranged to attend.

I had the opportunity to sit in on a lot of COLG1 board meetings and voice my

ideas and concerns for the local public. Health issues were a great concern, and the poor

health tied into the lack of insured individuals or underinsured individuals. When

speaking publicly, even in front of small groups, I have learned the importance of

preparedness and organization. The MPH courses have also taught my tolerance and

understanding, that all individuals have a voice and an opinion and when given a chance

to speak, they can articulate ideas that were overlooked or views and voices that were

otherwise underrepresented. Though the practicum has been a joyful learning experience,

it has had its share of mountains and valleys, ups and downs and a few barriers I had to

overcome. One issue, when working in public health, is working alongside those who

may have different work ethics, motivators and ideas. For instance, my on site supervisor,

Pastor Goodman, is a man who juggles a lot of things on his calendar: professional

obligations, family commitments and clergy pledges, and he tends to be forgetful. This

led to a number of missed grant opportunities, missed qualifying deadlines and late

arrivals to meetings with Paige Elementary administration in addition to forgotten

paperwork and meeting material. I received some sage advice from a Concordia

Professor who reminded me that Pastors are still human; they put on their best suits every

Sundays, wear a calming smile and pray for those too weak to pray for themselves but

they too need prayer and assistance and an extra set of eyes, and that is what I am trying

to be. Though it was not apart of my initial job title or stated in the expectations of my

position, I don’t mind being Pastor Goodman’s right hand man. I am beginning to take

pride in helping make Pastor Goodman more prepared, helping propel the church’s

outreach program and all while fulfilling my job expectations and public health

responsibilities.

Another barrier I faced was disappointment and rejection. An outreach

opportunity that I wanted to make happen was a Halloween occasion. The school and the

church are located in a low-income area and a largely African-American and Hispanic

community, the surrounding neighborhoods are very divided and have the reputation for

being unsafe. I felt that young children should have the opportunity to trick-or-treat and

parents should not have to worry about their child’s safety. I want to spearhead a Trunk-

or-treat fall event in which the children would, at school or church, be able to take part in

the full Halloween experience, while being in a safe and encouraging environment. I had

done the preliminary work, already spoken to six Houston Police Officers for further

security and safety and I wanted to bring in the church’s Christian principles. I want to

articulate the importance of safety by letting adults check any candy received, educate the

children on how to speak to law enforcement while showing them that they can still have

fun. Unfortunately Pastor Goodman was unreceptive to the idea because Halloween is a

Pagan holiday and has too much to do with evil, however he politely rejected the idea but

reassured me that the work I had done and effort I had exerted were both note worthy. I

was not offended personally or professionally; I had only a bit of disappointment for the

children who would not get to take part. But this was a leaning experience on how to deal

with rejection on a professional level, not a personal level. I know going into the events

proposal that there was the likelihood of its denial but without the effort of trying there

was no guarantee.

Personal Assessment

This practicum course has been like a culmination of the past sixteen months of

courses, discussion, research and hard work. I entered into this last course knowing what

public health and outreach were but this past eight weeks alone has given new meaning to

the terms. Public health is truly a practice, simply because there is no step-by-step guild

to any part of it. When writing a policy or planning a program there are guidelines to

follow and tools to help organize, but to say there are cookie cut instructions would make

any policy maker laugh. The same can be said for financial planning and budget making,

there is always a specific dollar amount on paper but when life is happening and things

unravel or happen for the better, dollar amounts are subject to change, isn’t this why our

checking accounts have overdraft protection and why our banks are FDIC insured,

because life happens. Public health is a practiced science, I had to look up the world

practice, because we use it so often that it almost looses it’s meaning. The Marrian-

Webster dictionary defines practice as “A habitual or customary action, repeated

performance of an activity to learn or perfect a skill, the condition of being skilled

through repeated exercise and the business of a professional person” (“Practice,” 2014)

The distance education spectrum of this program has made working toward the goal more

attainable but n no way has it be easy and this practicum experience has pulled it full

circle. For so long we have been logging on to the Engage website and participating one

dimensionally, but now we have been given the opportunity or expectation to participate

hands on, one on one and it has opened me up to more dimensions; from a world of

planar understanding to a three dimensional practice with length, width and depth. The

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asks the question in a downloadable

document, “What is Public Health Practice?” Based on MPH500 all the way to MPH598

I can answer the question in different ways but MPH599 has given a tangible result,

“‘where the rubber meets the road,’ applying science knowledge and experience to our

population and evaluating the impacts on health” (CDC, 2007).

Public health competency is a professional’s measurable performance or

observable knowledge related to the discipline of public health. The core competencies of

public health are skillfully organized into domains that help me assess the work I am

doing with COLG1: analytical/assessment skills, policy development/program planning

skills, communication skills, cultural competency skills, community dimension of

practice skills, public health sciences skills, financial planning and management skills

and leadership and systems thinking skills (“Core competencies for,” 2014). All eight of

these domains are applicable to the practice of public health, however I have noticed that

I have made use of more than others in my practicum assignment. Tiers to also designate

public health to, “provide guidance in identifying appropriate competencies for public

health professionals” (“Core competencies for,” 2014). Tier one, front line or entry-level

staff, refers to competencies regarding public health professionals who deal with the day-

to-day tasks of public health. Recent graduates who are not prepared for management

positions. Tier two, program management or supervisory level, refers to competencies

regarding public health professionals who hold roles as management and/or supervisors

who may develop, implement and evaluate programs. The last tier, tier three, senior

management or executive level, refers to competencies regarding public health

professionals at the senior level and organizational leaders.

As an “almost graduate,” I am firmly a member of the first tier, however Pastor

Goodman has entrusted me with a great deal of responsibility and decision making power

that has slightly graduated me to the second tier. The tier one responsibilities and public

health competencies I have been making use of are: analytical and assessment skills

competency such as data collection, fieldwork, business call, generating telephone calls

and program planning. The communication skills competency was utilized by my

continuous emails with the pastor, board members and congregation, phone calls with

medical professions through the COW, conference calls with the Pastor and members of

the board as well as local business owners and possible sponsorship partners. The tier two

responsibilities and public health competencies that I satisfied are the cultural

competency, being that COLG1 is located in a diverse population of minorities I had to

be sure to remain sensitive to the special needs of all people potentially impacted by the

church’s outreach programming and events. This means the continuous out reach to

someone for Spanish translations and possible Bilingual persons at events and having

flyer for both English and Spanish speakers. The public health sciences competency was

used in my outreach by recognizing the population of interest and knowing how to best

target them to make the most of efforts, knowing how to strategize outreach strengths for

young children, young adults and adults in the community and doing the research and

surveying the neighborhood for useful resources within the community. Lastly, the

financial planning competency was critical from day one. The search for available free

monies, the pursuit for local donations and sponsorships have been a weekly routine

because of needed budgetary assistance for what is to come next in outreach. The

competencies have aided me in my encouragement as a young public health practitioner

and will continue to be the standard for which I preform.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Being that I have had the opportunity to become apart of a public health project

from its rebirth and that centers on my Christian values, I cannot look at the progress that

has been made thus far and not be pleased with it and myself. However, I can admit to

there being room for improvement on my part as a public health professional and in the

progress of the program as it matures. The first action that I can suggest to further the

continued progress of the COLG1 outreach program is the need to incorporate more

volunteer efforts. Being that the church has taken the steps necessary to formally adopt

Paige Elementary School located within Harris County School District (HISD), the

largest school district in all of Texas and seventh largest in the country, the church should

use that statistic to its advantage and work to recruit high school volunteer opportunities

through the school district (HISD). Being that events are being planned and scheduled,

the need for volunteers exists and what better opportunity than to encourage young adults

in the community to get involved with volunteering their time and getting to be a role

model to young children in their neighborhoods and community. By formally going

through the school district to insure volunteer opportunities are approved, we have the

possibility of having COLG1 volunteer opportunities count toward high school

graduation volunteer credit. 

The onsite supervisor, Pastor Goodman, acknowledges the budget as one of his

primary goals for change. The churches outreach budget is not enough to satisfy all that

he plans to do with the growing ministry. The ongoing grant opportunities are something

that needs to be continuously taken advantage of on behalf of the church. Myself as well

as other bored members have taken it upon ourselves to assist Pastor Goodman in the

search for available funds for non-profit organizations with tax exemption status. One

very great attribute that I have observed about other member of Pastor Goodman’s

congregation is there is never a shortage of volunteers, whether volunteering time, effort,

food or their prayers. It is truly a motivating sight to see. The greatest anticipated action I

can see from the project and its momentum at this time is the continued progression

forward and the continued effort of the outreach team. Pastor Goodman has reached out

to a number of other church leaders and popular names in the Houston area and currently

has me working on a list of governmental officials based on their hierarchy. The

continued motivation of the church leadership and those like myself who are driven by a

desire to serve, educate and motivate are my biggest recommendation.

This practicum has served as the starting point for my public health professional

career; because it has helped me better recognize the needs of the public and personal

improvement and progress.

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Appendix ASponsorship Letter to Frency’s

August 30, 2014

Miracle Okoye Church of the Living God Temple #12110 E. Crosstimbers st Houston, TX 77094

Percy Creuzot3919 Scott StHouston TX, 77004

Dear Mr . Creuzot

My name is Miracle, and I am writing on behalf of Pastor Dan E. Goodman Jr. and The Church of the Living God, Temple #1. The church is very much looking forward to the exciting expansion of it’s public out reach ministry in the Houston area, focusing on a joint effort in conjunction with the Adopt A School Initiative to support the youth of Roderick Paige Elementary.

As Church of the Living God members, we are working toward making positive efforts and noticeable differences in the lives of the children and those in the neighborhood. We have taken the preliminary steps to begin a project that will not only encourage healthy and active lifestyles among young people but encourage neighborhood and community participation in the form of seasonal events, volunteer opportunities and most importantly the prospect for learning occurrences. Our goal is to, though the Body of Christ, be unified and thoroughly committed in our community by continuously working to make our community a better place for the people and the environment.

In order to begin this project, we need a few things; chicken pieces, popular sides, Frenchy’s seasoning packets and the infamous biscuits. We would be most gratefully blessed if Frenchy’s could donate any of these items or monetary donations, to help us implement our project. If you are interested, we will gladly keep you informed with regular updates on the progress of our project.

Please contact me at (805) 907-5647 or MiracleCOkoye@gmail.com if you are interested or able to help in any way. If we don’t hear from you within a week, we will contact you personally. Thank you for your time and for considering this request. We look forward to working with you and creating a stronger community.

Sincerely,

Miracle OkoyeAppendix B

Donation letter to Nick’s Used Tire Store

August 30, 20149711 Jensen Dr.Houston, TX 77093

Dear : Mr BautistaI write you, as a fellow citizen of the Houston area to let you know of an opportunity that may interest you and your company. The Church of the Living God Temple #1 has taken the necessary steps to formally adopt Roderick Paige Elementary School, through the Adopt a School Initiative. Through PROGRAM PAIGE, the church is planning to implement its first outreach initiative in efforts to encourage the schools youth in areas such as; health and wellness, anti-bullying, further education, tutoring and many more. As a local business, popular in the vicinity of the church and the elementary school, I invite you to participate as a sponsor of this program.

Any and all proceeds of PROGRAM PAIGE will support these disadvantaged youth in our community who have promising futures to further their education and reach their potential all while in safe environments that encourage communication and respect.

However, many of the schools students do not have the necessary resources or common luxuries as other children in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). With this being the first year of PROGRAM PAIGE, with your support this year, and the continuing support of our church members and pastoral staff, we feel confident we can achieve our monetary goal of $5,000 this year.

I have attached a Fact Sheet about PROGRAM PAIGE, and a description of the various events and opportunities the program will bring to the school and its community. In addition to the specific benefits associated with individual sponsorship levels, sponsors will enjoy increased name recognition and goodwill in the local community. The opportunity for sponsorship offers exposure that can be more directly targeted, more effective, and less costly than traditional advertising.

After you have had a chance to review the information enclosed, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. I will contact you within the week to follow-up. I look forward to your support in making the Church of the Living God, Temple #1’s PROGRAM PAIGE a smashing success. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely,

Miracle Okoye

(805) 907-5647MiracleCOkoye@gmail.com

Appendix CUnited Way Grant Proposal

Center for Obesity and Wellness Satellite Campus with Church of the Living God

Mission: To proactively and effectively deal with obesity in our community by providing

physicals, screenings, consulting preventative programs and informational resources via local voluntary physicians and public health professionals that will enable our neighbors to reverse, prevent and overcome obesity, its secondary ailments and other illnesses related to the epidemic.

The Need:Obesity is a deleterious health issue, a growing epidemic and an unnecessary

illness plaguing the 21st century. It contributed to the development of cancers, diabetes, renal failure, high blood pressures, stroke, cardiovascular disease, blindness, deep vain thrombosis and thyroid problems, all of which result in billions of dollars in healthcare costs.

The occurrence of these issues is particularly high among African-American and Hispanic households; roughly 40% of all Hispanics are obese, and just below 70% are obese or overweight. The numbers are more elevated within the African-American community, 71% of males and 78% of females are classified obese or overweight. These numbers place a very large proportion of our community at serious risk of the aforementioned sicknesses, with our surrounding neighborhoods consisting od 71% Hispanics and 16% African-Americans.

The bottom line is, people with low incomes cannot afford to become ill. The majority of people in our community are under insured or have no healthcare overage at all. Those fortunate to have healthcare coverage are still unable to receive the medical help they need because of high deductible, copayments and coverage limits. Majority of the households in the community have a total combined income of less than $35,000, with many at or below the poverty line.

When you factor in the billions of dollars lost nationwide due to the absences related to illnesses, the loss of productivity, as well as the hundreds of billions of dollars in the resulting healthcare costs are factored in, you can certainly understand that the social and economical consequences of health are particularly devastating. And this is without addressing the healthcare costs due to crime.

Your Help:We could go on and on with facts, figures and statistics, but you understand. E are

asking for help, but more than willing to help ourselves by doing all we can as a community. We just need more financial assistance in addition to the members and church congregation. We have been apart of this community for decades, we are in this for the long run, not just for the moment. We have already established relationships with local elected officials, businesses, community organizations and schools to ensure the success of our Centers for Obesity.

The current situation and circumstances in our community is low income, high crime, low education, high unemployment and as we illustrated, a troubling unawareness concerning health issues, all add up to a community of people most of whom are in no financial position to survive and serious or long-term illness. Many locals don’t understand the importance and need for preventative health care like screenings, physicals and yearly examinations. The overwhelming costs of health care can cost these people their futures, prospects and decent credit, home ownership and their lives.

The Concept:We will establish a Center for Obesity and Wellness. This center will be located

at 2110 E. Crosstimbers, in Houston, Texas. It will be manned by a list of volunteer staff: medical professionals (physicians, nurses, dietitians, trainers, nutritionists) as well as administrative staff. We will have designated Center hours as well as appointment scheduling. By offering screenings, weight assessments and educational information and opportunities, we are kick starting the Center and making people aware. In addition, we will have information on diet, exercise, health prevention and maintenance, along with programs designed to support and maintain.

We hope to be able to offer free physical examinations at the start of every school year to the local elementary school, Roderick Paige Elementary. We are currently in the pre-planning stages in hopes to offer free mammography for women of a certain age, at a reduced rate, as well as specific information and education on breast cancer available at the Center, as well as prostate examination due to its rise and severity.

Local volunteer physicians, along with the previous list of services, will make a significant impact on the rise in obesity and the correlated consequences. We hope the result of this Center for Obesity and Wellness will be a much healthier community, that will experience the social and economic benefits of good health a the community exists.

Wont you please help?

Special Note:The bottom line is, low-income and uninsured individuals are at significant risk

for major illnesses that are all linked to obesity and being over weight. All of which are predominantly found in African-American and Hispanic demographics. Because of the fact that locals don’t seek regular doctor visits for preventative care and screenings there is a general lack of critical information, as well as good nutrition.

We can save many lives in our community with your generous help. Thank you for the consideration of this matter.

Appendix DSponsor/Donation Letter Template

September 24, 20014

Sponsor Address

Dear Potential Sponsor,

RE: PROGRAM PAIGE FUNDRAISER – DONATIONS NEEDED

My name is Miracle Okoye and I am a local Public Health Practitioner, Houston native and member of Church of the Living God Temple #1. We are seeking your support in helping to raise funds for PROGRAM PAIGE. Through the Adopt a School Initiative, the church has formally adopted Roderick Paige Elementary School and has been in the planning stages for the program. The church is planning to implement its first outreach initiative in efforts to encourage the schools youth in areas such as; health and wellness, anti-bullying, further education, tutoring and many more. We are seeking your support in helping to raise funds for PROGRAM PAIGE at a local Function at (possible auction and fundraiser to be held at unknown location) of which other churches, businesses, locals and professionals will be attending.

As (company name) is a widely recognized in the community, we will be running raffles and auctions throughout this fundraising event, with all monies collected being donated directly to PROGRAM PAIGE and we would whole heartedly appreciate a donation of a product or service from your business.

In return for your generosity we will be announcing and thanking each individual business that donates to us as well as including them as an official sponsor on our website and in our power point presentation that will be running through out the evening.Please send us any product/voucher or service directly to: (your mailing address details)Should you require any more information please do not hesitate to contact us on (phone number).

Kindest Regards

Miracle Okoye(805) 907-5647MiracleCOkoye@gmail.com

Evaluation