Our Story

Middletown Ambassadors are Restoring Pride in their Neighborhoods 

Middletown residents from three neighborhoods are making things happen as they serve as Ambassadors for their neighborhoods. Their goal is simple, to restore neighborhood pride, one connection at a time. It all started with over 100 one-on-one conversations with neighbors, friends, and family. Community members began talking about what it means to be healthy and answering the question, “what does a healthy Middletown look like?”  Through these conversations, the picture of a healthy Middletown began to take shape.

A healthy Middletown includes feeling safe from violent crime and stray dogs, having access to fresh food, laundry facilities, safe and close to home places to walk and work out, and extended hours for medical appointments to decrease long wait times to see the dentist or doctor. These are only a few of the health-related ideas that surfaced. The Ambassadors, along with city leadership and other community decision makers are working side by side to build bold solutions to the challenges uncovered through the community conversations.   

Their approach is quite different from old approaches.  The Ambassadors invited city and community leaders to first, “Come see my community” by boarding a bus and taking a citizen-led bus tour of the three neighborhoods and then “Come meet my community” through a walk and talk event in each neighborhood.    

Community Ambassador, Monteen Gates, stated that she is involved with the OHIZ project, because she sees the impact that the environment is having on the students she works with. She also believes that city officials and health partners are “really interested in what the community has to say.”  

Chief of Police, David Birk, shared that it has been a great experience walking and talking with community members.  “I enjoy speaking to the community on issues that the police department can address,” Birk stated. He went on to say that he looks forward to “building on these relationships.”   

These conversations and events were not happenstance. The Safety Council of Southwestern Ohio in partnership with the City of Middletown Health Department looked at health data and determined that the life expectancy for people in these three neighborhoods was 12.5 years less than people from other neighborhoods.  Children from these neighborhoods were testing significantly behind their peers in other neighborhoods. Instances of crime and disease were more prevalent here than in other parts of Middletown. Together, these entities applied for funds through the state that would allow for a deeper dive into specific community needs and social determinates of health. The OHIZ (Ohio Improvement Zone) project was funded by the Ohio Department of Health to engage and empower community residents to drive changes in program, policy, and practice to decrease health disparities and improve health outcomes.   

This project has created a space for residents and leaders to talk without blame and share accountability for community change. Together, with system leaders, Ambassadors are working to uncover local conditions that perpetuate health disparities.  

By building a group of dedicated community ambassadors and having meaningful engagement with city leaders, organizations, and health agencies, a model for improved health outcomes has been activated. Relationships between residents in these highly vulnerable neighborhoods and system leaders have improved and overall engagement has increased.

Your neighbors are making the connection, and you can do it too!