REACH Detroit Partnership
Preventing diabetes and diabetes complications in the African American and Hispanic communities in eastside and southwest Detroit.

Social Support Group Intervention

Goals:  Increase social support to community members to promote healthy eating, regular exercise, stress reduction, smoking cessation and diabetes self-care for people with or at risk for diabetes.

Objectives:

• Increase number of diabetes support groups for people with diabetes.
• Develop social support group activities and neighborhood self-help groups for people at risk for diabetes.
  

Accomplishments:

• Established two new diabetes support groups in Eastside and Southwest Detroit.
• Established two community gardens in Southwest Detroit.
• Conducted community planning and obtained grant funding to develop support groups for exercise and healthy eating in both communities, including funding for the following projects: Building Community Assets for Healthy Lifestyles Among Families; Promoting Healthy Lifestyles among Women; and Promoting Healthy Eating in Detroit.
  

Future Plans:

• Walking clubs and aerobics classes (hip-hop, salsa, water) will start in each community in Fall 2002; and healthy eating classes and clubs will start in Winter 2002-2003.
• Healthy lifestyle support group meetings for pregnant women will begin in September 2002.
• Additional leaders for community diabetes support groups will be identified and trained.

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