Quest Diagnostics, in partnership with St. James Health and Choose Healthy Life (CHL), organized complimentary Blueprint for Wellness® comprehensive health screenings at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark. This collaboration is part of Quest Diagnostics Foundation's Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative, which aims to address health disparities in communities like Newark.
The event marked the expansion of Metropolitan Baptist Church's Willing Heart Community Care Center into the Willing Heart Family Empowerment Center, which focuses on tackling healthcare, employment, housing, food disparity, and poverty issues in Newark and neighboring areas.
Rev. Kimberly L. Williams, Executive Director of Choose Healthy Life, expressed gratitude for the initiative, highlighting the significance of community collaboration and faith in establishing the new family empowerment center. Metropolitan Baptist Church is the first in New Jersey and the second among Choose Healthy Life churches to have such a center.
The Quest Diagnostics Foundation, as a founding sponsor, provided financial support to establish CHL’s church-based community health workforce, including support for partners like The Willing Heart. Through the Q4HE initiative, Quest Diagnostics and the Quest Foundation are furthering their commitment to CHL by offering Blueprint for Wellness®, a comprehensive set of laboratory tests and measurements aimed at identifying personal health strengths and risks.
At the recent celebration of Metropolitan Baptist Church’s expansion, Quest provided complimentary Blueprint for Wellness® screenings to 51 attendees. St. James clinic staff conducted specimen collection and biometric measurements, with support from the Q4HE team, Quest regional employees, and volunteers. This initiative underscores the collective effort to empower underserved communities like Newark to take control of their health.
“This event embodied our Quest Purpose—working together to create a healthier world, one life at a time—on all fronts,” said Clements while adding,
“With Quest as the founding sponsor of the Choose Healthy Life initiative, Pastor Jefferson is realizing his vison to impact the local community of Newark by working together with RJW Barnabas, St. James FQHC, AETNA/CVS, and Quest to realize a new health clinic, daycare and job training center adjacent to his church.”
As part of the ongoing efforts to engage families, the Q4HE team organized a special appearance by Elmo, courtesy of a partnership with Sesame Workshop. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization known for its global impact through Sesame Street, is among the collaborators with Q4HE, working across various sectors to promote positive health outcomes in underserved communities.
Children were delighted with the presence of Elmo and were also gifted with "Staying Healthy" children's books, a series created through collaboration between Q4HE and Sesame Workshop. These bilingual resources, available in English and Spanish, aim to facilitate connections and provide support for parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers as they navigate children's healthcare together.
The Quest volunteers shared their feedback on the event.
“The event was a great opportunity to see firsthand how Quest is making a difference—one life at a time,” said Quest volunteer Jill Fannin, Quest Key Account Manager for health care providers.
“The collaboration with Sesame Street was the perfect way to engage people of all ages to Choose Healthy Life. The children were excited to receive books, the adults were excited for the opportunity for Blueprint, and everyone wanted a picture, or two, with Elmo.”
“I was proud to see our Quest employees volunteer their time on the weekend to allow the community to get their Blueprint for Wellness and be connected to care,” said Clements. “And Elmo’s appearance through our collaboration with Sesame Workshop was a hit!”
Click here to know more about Choose Healthy life.
The event marked the expansion of Metropolitan Baptist Church's Willing Heart Community Care Center into the Willing Heart Family Empowerment Center, which focuses on tackling healthcare, employment, housing, food disparity, and poverty issues in Newark and neighboring areas.
Rev. Kimberly L. Williams, Executive Director of Choose Healthy Life, expressed gratitude for the initiative, highlighting the significance of community collaboration and faith in establishing the new family empowerment center. Metropolitan Baptist Church is the first in New Jersey and the second among Choose Healthy Life churches to have such a center.
The Quest Diagnostics Foundation, as a founding sponsor, provided financial support to establish CHL’s church-based community health workforce, including support for partners like The Willing Heart. Through the Q4HE initiative, Quest Diagnostics and the Quest Foundation are furthering their commitment to CHL by offering Blueprint for Wellness®, a comprehensive set of laboratory tests and measurements aimed at identifying personal health strengths and risks.
At the recent celebration of Metropolitan Baptist Church’s expansion, Quest provided complimentary Blueprint for Wellness® screenings to 51 attendees. St. James clinic staff conducted specimen collection and biometric measurements, with support from the Q4HE team, Quest regional employees, and volunteers. This initiative underscores the collective effort to empower underserved communities like Newark to take control of their health.
“This event embodied our Quest Purpose—working together to create a healthier world, one life at a time—on all fronts,” said Clements while adding,
“With Quest as the founding sponsor of the Choose Healthy Life initiative, Pastor Jefferson is realizing his vison to impact the local community of Newark by working together with RJW Barnabas, St. James FQHC, AETNA/CVS, and Quest to realize a new health clinic, daycare and job training center adjacent to his church.”
As part of the ongoing efforts to engage families, the Q4HE team organized a special appearance by Elmo, courtesy of a partnership with Sesame Workshop. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization known for its global impact through Sesame Street, is among the collaborators with Q4HE, working across various sectors to promote positive health outcomes in underserved communities.
Children were delighted with the presence of Elmo and were also gifted with "Staying Healthy" children's books, a series created through collaboration between Q4HE and Sesame Workshop. These bilingual resources, available in English and Spanish, aim to facilitate connections and provide support for parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers as they navigate children's healthcare together.
The Quest volunteers shared their feedback on the event.
“The event was a great opportunity to see firsthand how Quest is making a difference—one life at a time,” said Quest volunteer Jill Fannin, Quest Key Account Manager for health care providers.
“The collaboration with Sesame Street was the perfect way to engage people of all ages to Choose Healthy Life. The children were excited to receive books, the adults were excited for the opportunity for Blueprint, and everyone wanted a picture, or two, with Elmo.”
“I was proud to see our Quest employees volunteer their time on the weekend to allow the community to get their Blueprint for Wellness and be connected to care,” said Clements. “And Elmo’s appearance through our collaboration with Sesame Workshop was a hit!”
Click here to know more about Choose Healthy life.