After waiting for 13 years, Kendra Churchwell got a kidney transplant in January. Now, she’s ready to work full time.
The 38-year-old from Crown Hill always had an interest in health care. She worked as a home aid through her family’s business, but kidney disease kept her from doing more.
“The transplant allowed me to be free and move forward with working,” Churchwell said.
That’s why she joined a class at IU Health’s Mosaic Center, a workforce development hub where community members are trained to fill health care jobs across the city.
The new building is located within the Indy Health District, a nonprofit working to reduce health disparities for residents living within its 1,500 acres on the north side of downtown. That includes improving access to medical care, food, jobs, education and walkable neighborhoods.
Churchwell lives in one of the five neighborhoods served by the district, where people, on average, live about two decades less than residents in other parts of the city.
She didn’t know about the health district, but she still benefited from it through the Mosaic Center. During her class, Churchwell took quizzes that assessed her skills, set goals and practiced for job interviews.
“The resources are needed,” she said. “But if I don’t know it’s there, I don’t utilize it.”
Churchwell hopes more people find out about the health district and the programs within it. In the meantime, she’s working with her career coach to find open positions at local hospitals.
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‘The voices of people who live here’
Outside of job training, the Indy Health District is touching residents in other ways.
Within the neighborhoods it serves — Historic Flanner House Homes, Meridian Highland, Ransom Place, Highland Vicinity and Crown Hill — there’s no traditional grocery store. The district started a floating farmer’s market this year to fill the gap.
“They’ve got zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, carrots, green beans,” said Felicia Williams, 75. “We bought everything.”
Williams and her son live in Meridian Highland. Both attended the Tuesday, Dec. 2, event at the Mosaic Center to share their thoughts on the Indy Health District’s efforts. The initiative turned a year old in October.
“I think it’s going well,” Williams told Mirror Indy. “But not everybody’s involved. A lot of people in my neighborhood don’t know what the health district is.”
She wants the nonprofit to reach more people directly through emails and letters, including those who aren’t involved in neighborhood associations.
Jamal Smith, Indy Health District’s executive director, listened to feedback like this throughout the event.
“We want to make sure the district’s development reflects the voices of the people who live here,” Smith told Mirror Indy. “We can’t do that if you’re not here to lend your voice.”
In breakout sessions, community members asked for more green spaces, housing options and food access. Sherri Croom, 61, and Phyllis Ransom, 73, shared concerns about the redevelopment of their neighborhood, Meridian Highland. That includes the health district’s new affordable housing project at 22nd and Illinois Street.
“We have developers coming into the community and gentrifying a lot of stuff,” Croom said. “We have to make sure we are not left out.”
Ransom agreed. But she also praised the new spotlight on the area.
“The health district has put us on the map again,” she said.
Clarification: On Dec. 9, Mirror Indy changed the headline to more accurately reflect the content of this story.
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Mirror Indy reporter Mary Claire Molloy covers health. Reach her at 317-721-7648 or email maryclaire.molloy@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @mcmolloy7.
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