Issues Management & Strategic Communications
Community Engagement | Opinion Research
Industry Health Initiative
ISSUE
A group of refining and chemical companies in Corpus Christi were looking for a way to contribute collaboratively to the local community. HDA's historical polling in the area showed that residents were very concerned about the health of their community. Because of both lifestyle and genetics factors, the Coastal Bend population was pre-disposed to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a disease that was already widely affecting the area. The community was well aware of the issue, but needed the resources and guidance to promote healthy lifestyles and start to fix the problem.
APPROACH
Local industry knew the high occurrence of diabetes in the community affected them directly. It meant their workforce wasn't as healthy as it could be, and that affected the companies' health insurance costs. On the back of a napkin, the team developed a plan to fight diabetes in the Coastal Bend area and work toward reducing the rate of diabetes among residents. Local industry pledged more than $500,000 to start a two-year effort called the Coastal Bend Diabetes Initiative. CBDI was a partnership of the medical profession, media, community leaders and representatives from the industrial sponsors. CBDI distributed grants to projects that shared the initiative's mission to reduce diabetes in the Corpus Christi area.
RESULTS
Due to extensive community interest and great success, the two-year initiative lasted nearly seven years. The sponsors continued to contribute funding to the initiative, resulting in nearly $1 million in grants distributed to projects focused on prevention and management, with emphasis on audiences including children, teens, students mothers, uninsured patients, underserved populations or the community in general.