Bridging the Gap: PA’s Community Health Heroes Rally in Harrisburg

Our DCS team members Eunice Agaba and Anna Havrilla, along with our strategic partner Meg Snead, were on the road last week, spending a full day in Harrisburg with our friends at the PA Community Health Workers Collaborative! For their second annual rally day, they chose to celebrate the impact community health workers (CHWs) have across all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. 

We had an incredible turnout, with over 130 CHWs and CHW allies sharing with lawmakers how they bridge the gap between communities and healthcare systems. In fact, advocates hand delivered invitations to every legislative office, encouraging legislators to find a local CHW employer in their district and to learn more about how CHWs serve their constituents. 

PACHW was joined by the Secretary of the Department of Human Services Val Arkoosh; Representatives Dan Frankel and Regina Young; Joanne Craig from the Foundation for Delaware County; and Kristen Rodack, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health, for a rally on the steps of the Main Rotunda. 

The speakers celebrated local CHWs Brenda Gurley, Tony Brown, and Gwendolyn Collier-Jefferson, who in turn shared how their lived experiences have helped inform their work supporting the health needs of community members.

Learn more about PACHW and the critical role of community health workers here.