"Everyone you come across, they have a tendency to get high blood pressure, to get diabetes, but African Americans are more likely to die from it," said Shuntai Beaugard, ACS Community Representative at the East Michigan Area Service Center. "I wanted to hone in more on those that were uninsured, underinsured, and the Body & Soul churches."

One challenge for these populations in Flint is that health is not a top priority. For many, finding a job or even food comes before focusing on health. Those who would try to focus on their health face the challenge of accessing healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables.

"We find that in urban areas, there aren’t very many grocery stores and there are a lot of corner stores, which have little to no fruits and vegetables, and it’s high priced," said Shuntai. "If people aren’t able to get it right there in the community, they won’t eat it."

Improving access to healthy foods is a top priority for Body & Soul churches. With the help of the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI), New St. James Memorial Church established a farmer’s market to make fresh produce available to members of their congregations. MPHI also trained seven Flint churches on how to start their own farmer’s markets and provided grant money to purchase fruits and vegetables wholesale or from a farmer’s market to resell at the churches. Remaining produce is given to a senior citizen home in the community.

Other Flint churches are working in unique ways to promote Body & Soul activities. New Beginnings Ministry held a fashion show based on fruits and vegetables, giving church members a chance to learn about products some may have never heard about. The New Life Tabernacle Church of God in Christ, under the leadership of superintendent Quintin L. Marshall, Sr., is building a new church that will include elements for better health, such as a fitness center and track, and also plans to work with ACS to host a family day at the local YMCA.

Shuntai emphasized that networking and community outreach are essential to the ongoing success of Body & Soul. The program has helped build trust in the community and allowed community members to see ACS in a different light. Many are excited about getting involved in advocacy and ACS programs such as Relay For Life and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.

"Your whole body can be affected by lifestyle and the way you eat," said Shuntai. "[ACS] not only concentrates on cancer, we concentrate on the whole person."

To learn more about Body & Soul, contact Voncile Brown-Miller, Director of Disparity Programs, at (248) 663-3400.

Pictured: Body & Soul luncheon