Inaugural 2021 Willona Stallings Award for Community Innovation presented to Local Thomasville Church

THOMASVILLE, NC — This past Sunday, the Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) program of the North Carolina Council of Churches presented the inaugural 2021 Willona Stallings Award for Excellence in Community Innovation to Citadel of Faith Christian Fellowship, Inc. (CFCF) and their health lead, Miranda Lashion Bolton, during worship service in Thomasville. Willona Stallings was the first director of PHW and it was her vision that led to its launch in 2009 as a flagship program of the North Carolina Council of Churches. This award is designed to recognize a PHW faith community and their health lead who has been instrumental in spearheading a new and innovative project, program, or initiative that addresses an important health need in their broader community. Miranda Lashion Bolton and Citadel of Faith Christian Fellowship Inc. were nominated because of the creative and impactful work they have committed to, to help their community live happier, healthier lives. Specifically, their multi-platform media campaign, “Get the Shot!” launched to educate their community, particularly Black and Brown individuals, about the COVID-19 vaccine, was a successful advocacy effort that occurred in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This campaign provided factual, straight-to-the-point messaging from authentic voices concerning vaccine availability, accountability, and affordability. 

“We are so proud to be partners with the North Carolina Council of Churches and to be in fellowship with Partners in Health and Wholeness,” stated Bishop Dr. George B. Jackson, of Citadel of Faith Christian Fellowship, Inc., after worship service on Sunday morning. “There is work all over North Carolina to be done, we just made a small dent in our community. We are really pushing hard for our people to get the shot. I have done too many funerals and had too many friends pass away from coronavirus. You can show up at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, and other locations and just say, ‘I need the shot,’ and you will save your life and someone else’s life.”

During worship service on Sunday morning, Citadel of Faith Christian Fellowship Inc. surprised the Partners in Health and Wholeness team with a Social Action Award for their commitment to enhancing the quality of life for citizens of North Carolina. PHW is honored to receive this award and is grateful for the inspiring work of CFCF and their health lead, Miranda Lashion Bolton. CFCF continues to educate their congregants and community members in Thomasville about the importance of the Covid vaccine. 

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Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, bridges issues of faith and health together. This initiative seeks to provide people of faith with the tools necessary to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. By improving the health and well-being of people of faith, we hope to impact the larger community and ultimately reduce the health care burden on our state. For more information about PHW’s work visit www.healthandwholness.org. To stay up to date on progressive health and faith-based news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 

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