Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health Initiative

Community Mobilization and Engagement Structure

Consistent with the principles of Collective Impact 3.0, CAI acts as a backbone for all activities to mobilize and build the capacity of community members and stakeholders to work together to establish a common vision for, and take action to, address enduring health disparities in rates of chronic disease for African American/Black residents of the Ferry Street Corridor.

Our community mobilizing structure builds on existing assets within the Buffalo community to establish a Leadership Group (LG), Community Action Team (CAT), and Innovation Groups (IGs) that are strengthened by a Ferry Corridor Resident Action Team as Community Wellness Champions (CWC). 

Leadership Group (LG)

The Leadership Group will be comprised of 10-12 members representing the African American Health Disparities Task Force, Ferry Street community residents, and other strategic partners. This group will ensure achievement of work plan deliverables and help to guide the vision and strategy for the project.

JohnCraik John D. Craik, JD
 Executive Director
 Population Health Collaborative of Western New York



SusanGrinsdale Susan Grinslade, PhD, RN, PHN-CS, BC
 Clinical Professor
 University of Buffalo School of Nursing



RitaHubbard Robinson Rita Hubbard-Robinson, JD
 CEO of NeuWater & Associates, LLC
 Patient Activation Measure
Director/Consultant and Host "Millennium Health Matters", Millenium Collaborative Care


MicheleMercer Michele Mercer, RN, MSHSA
 Chief Clinical Integration Officer
 Millennium Collavorative Care



Rev.GeorgeNicholas Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv
 Senior Paster, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist
 Founding Member, Concerned Clergy Coalition of Western New York
Convener, African-American Health Disparities Task Force
Member, Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Taskforce

Rev.Pointer Rev. Kinzer M. Pointer, MCM
 Paster, Agape Fellowship Baptist 
 Chairman, Board Managers, Millennium Collaborative Care PPS
 Chairman, Erie County Poverty Commission
Board Chair, Greater Buffalo United Ministries
Board Secretary, Child Care Resource Network
Convener, Concerned Clergy Coalition of Western New York

KellyShoward Kelly Showard, MS
 Director of Community Relations
 Erie County Medical Center Corporation

Ferry Corridor Resident Action Team

To ensure authentic participation and contribution from the community, the Partnership will convene a group of Ferry Corridor residents to provide input and feedback into the initiative. Those residents most ready and engaged will join with organizations and other participating stakeholders to collaborate in the selection, design, delivery and evaluation of interventions and innovations to reduce health disparities. Engagement of residents will include identifying “Community Wellness Champions,” Ferry Corridor residents and individuals with lived experience in each of the focus areas, to contribute to community mobilization, communications and other select activities.

Community Action Team (CAT)

Comprised of the Leadership Group, key stakeholders, implementing partners and representatives from the Ferry Corridor Resident Action Team, the CAT will serve as the “sounding board” for the initiative, receiving reports, updates and providing inputs to all activities. The CAT will function as a space for regular community engagement where new members are identified, key decisions made, linkages established, feedback solicited, and to ensure that we are staying true to the community’s vision of a “life of wellness.”

Innovation Groups (IG)

Established for each of the target strategies IGs, serve as the “engine of action” for the project activities. They will facilitate coordinated action by bringing together 5-7 most interested and motivated members of the Ferry Corridor Resident Action Team, Leadership Group, and Community Action Team to set strategies and activities to accomplish performance outcomes in each focus area (i.e., nutrition, tobacco, and clinical linkages), resource and support aligned programs, and evaluate and report progress to the Partnership.