How do you improve access to healthy food for lower-income seniors in a Columbia neighborhood? You ask them what they want and need. “In this case, it was fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Reena Rambharat, the Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC) Director. A community garden wasn’t possible in this neighborhood. “We came up with the idea of a container garden.” We bought soil, containers and seedlings. The program was a smashing success. We didn’t have funding this year, so we relied on our community partners. ACE Hardware provided vegetable and herb seeds. Some of our members pitched in to grow seedlings.” The residents were able to improve their physical and social health. Plus, they got a mental health boost from being outdoors in the sunshine.

Reena and her team at the LHIC have been tackling food insecurity in several ways: through pop-up food pantries, community and school-based gardens, nutrition education, family events and an interactive food connections map on their website. But the LHIC doesn’t just work on providing healthy food. Its broader goal is to achieve health equality and reduce health disparities among Howard County residents by focusing on three main areas, including:

●      healthy beginnings (maternal and infant health)

●      healthy living (chronic disease prevention and care)

●      and healthy minds (supporting social engagement and mental health)

Working with the broader Howard County Community is all about building relationships. “At LHIC, we aim to build trusting relationships with our community. That is key because we work with people from many different backgrounds and cultures. We work with our community partners and members whenever possible.” 

Health disparities are especially pronounced along racial lines when it comes to Black maternal health. In Howard County, Black infants had lower birth weights (13.9%) and a higher instance of preterm births (14.7%) compared to their white counterparts (7.2% low birth weight and 10.9% preterm births). According to Reena, “The reason for this is not just access to prenatal care, it's racial bias and structural racism.” The LHIC is working to combat these structural issues by “increasing awareness and providing training to healthcare providers.”

Reena grew up in Guyana, South America. She studied microbiology at the University of Guyana and worked on HIV and AIDS research. After moving to the United States in 2006, she earned a bachelor’s in Medical Research and Technology and a Master of Public Health degree at the University of Maryland. Reena was a researcher and lab technologist before joining the Howard County Health Department. She also serves her community by teaching public health at Howard County Community College. “I’m really inspired by the next generation of public health professionals,” she says.

Headshot Photography by: Imiivo Photo Studios

Makeup by: Ashley Callaway Beauty