We are pleased to introduce the PHW Collaborative. Mostly, it is a change in the name, so if your congregation has been a part of the Partners in Health and Wholeness Certification Program, you actually already know about the PHW Collaborative. At the heart of it, the program is the same. But words are important. The language we use every day reflects our values and at the North Carolina Council of Churches we make an effort to be very intentional with the language we use. As Partners in Health and Wholeness grows, we are making an effort to match our language with our mission and vision.
Enter the PHW Collaborative. The word “collaborative” is a way for us to align our language with our work and to emphasize that the work is best done when we do it together. The goal remains the same: congregations creating healthier environments by focusing on tobacco prevention and cessation, healthy eating, increased physical activity, and mental health awareness. The enhancements come in the form of a simplified certification process that recognizes congregations that are deepening and growing their health ministries, not always by doing more but by doing what they do well.
Mini-grants will continue to be available to certified congregations needing financial assistance to strengthen their health ministry. The PHW team will continue working alongside congregations and will in fact expand the number of staff working across the state. In 2017 the team will launch educational opportunities, including webinars, new worship tools, an expanded database of resource partners, and most importantly, opportunities for our congregation partners to connect with each other. We hope you will join us in this shared journey.
Important dates to mark on your calendar:
- Certification remains open through October 31, 2017.
- The first grant opportunity will be June 5 – July 5, 2017, and you must have completed certification by May 30, 2017 to be eligible for that cycle.
- A second grant opportunity will open January 9, 2018 for those congregations certified June 1 – Oct 31, 2017 and congregations who did not receive a June 2017 grant.
To get started with a new certification or an annual renewal, click here.
