Our Partnership with George Washington University’s Urban Health Program
In honor of April’s National Volunteer Month and National Public Health Week, we want to celebrate our amazing partnership with George Washington University’s Urban Health Program (UHP). UHP is a service-learning fellowship through the Milken Institute of Public Health at GW, and the UHP fellows have worked with Housing Up and the families we serve for more than two years. We interviewed Bridget, UHP’s program manager, as well as Leilani and Karen, two UHP fellows and dedicated Housing Up volunteers, about their experiences with Housing Up. Check out the interviews below:
Bridget Kelly
Program Manager, Urban Health Program
Hi Bridget, thanks for chatting with us for National Volunteer Month & National Public Health Week! To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself, George Washington University’s Urban Health Program (UHP) and its goals?
It is my pleasure! The Urban Health Program is a service-learning fellowship through the Milken Institute School of Public Health. Our mission is to afford GW Public Health students the opportunity to translate the knowledge and skills they are learning in the classroom into a practice that is mutually beneficial for our community partners in Washington, DC. We are so fortunate to be able to collaborate on community-identified projects with members of the DC community who really serve as educators to our students. Furthermore, we are honored to be able to support the incredible missions of our community partners. We currently have 6 year-long projects underway and an additional six month-long project with various non-profit partners in the DC area. I joined UHP just over a year ago after living and working in DC for nearly 15 years. I was drawn to the service-learning model that the program is based upon because it centers authentic relationships and what that really entails with regard to community engagement.
Why did you and GW’s UHP decide to get involved with Housing Up?
Housing Up has such an important mission and does such incredible work to support families and people experiencing homelessness in the DC area. We find it truly an honor to collaborate on projects with Housing Up. As the Housing Up community is very knowledgeable about, housing security plays a major role in the health of an individual, family, and community. In the Public Health sphere, we say that housing is a social determinant of health. If a person does not have access to safe and affordable housing, then their physical, mental, and social well-being are directly and negatively impacted. We believe that to improve health outcomes, the root causes—not just the symptoms of poor health—need to be addressed. Therefore, being able to support the work of Housing Up, an organization doing just that, is extremely valuable to the education of our students.
What does GW’s UHP partnership with Housing Up look like? What has been your favorite part? What do you think fellows gain/learn from this connection?
UHP and Housing Up collaborate on two projects: the Adult Health Literacy Project and the Youth and Family Enrichment Project. The goal of the Adult Health Literacy Project is to support Housing Up residents to feel confident in their understanding of health topics that impact their day-to-day lives. The Urban Health Fellows have developed a creative cooking series on YouTube to introduce healthy recipes while breaking down complex health topics into digestible, bit size nuggets of information. The goal of the Youth and Family Enrichment Project is to empower young residents to make healthy choices through the power of mentorship. Urban Health Fellows have enjoyed engaging with youth to discuss a variety of topics ranging from mental health coping strategies and healthy eating.
Through this partnership, Urban Health Fellows are gaining invaluable experience in understanding how to co-create projects with community members. They are learning what topics and issues are most important to the communities they serve and how to engage with community members in the way the community members wish to engage. Often in public health, a project is created for community; through this partnership, the projects are created with community. It is also such an amazing opportunity for the students to become embedded within the DC community. We call this “bursting the Foggy Bottom Bubble!” Students are able to leave the GW campus in Foggy Bottom and really get to know DC as the vibrant city it is.
My personal favorite part(s) of this partnership this year: learning about being a resident of DC in 2025 from the brilliant Shahidah Abdul-Lateef at one of UHP’s Community Conversations and nominating Nkem Offor, Housing Up’s Director of Resident Services, as the UHP Community Partner of the Year! He will be recognized on April 10th at the GW School of Public Health Community Partner Recognition and Awards Ceremony for his incredible commitment to these projects. We are forever grateful for the time and effort he puts into mentoring the Urban Health Fellows.
What would you tell an organization or individual who is considering joining Housing Up as a community partner or volunteer?
I would tell an organization or individual not to hesitate in partnering with Housing Up! We have found there are many pathways in doing so, too, from supporting programming to sponsoring a cleaning supplies drive for the residents Housing Up serves. This has been a mutually beneficial and meaningful partnership for UHP—exactly how any partnership should be!
“Community” has been Housing Up’s guiding word this year, given the larger political climate. What does community mean to you?
Community is such an important word to uplift this year. To me, community has many important meanings, but I am always drawn to the idea that it is about shared values. At its core, community is about connection, shared experiences, and mutual support among its members. We are honored to be in community with Housing Up.
Leilani Drake and Karen Lopez
Urban Health Program Fellows & Housing Up Volunteers
Hi Leilani and Karen, thanks for chatting with us for National Volunteer Month & National Public Health Week! First, can you tell us a bit about yourselves and your involvement in GW’s UHP?
Leilani: Hi, I am Leilani Drake. I am an undergraduate student at the George Washington University, and I will be graduating with a Bachelor’s in Public Health this coming May. I became involved with UHP in my junior year as an Urban Health Fellow and collaborated with the Housing Up on the Family and Youth Enrichment project. As an Urban Health Fellow, I was able to co-create and facilitate open discussions with youth residents on a variety of public health topics. I genuinely enjoyed this opportunity, and with encouragement from my UHP project assistant, Cara, I applied to become a Project Assistant for the same project I contributed to as a fellow. Through my work as a Project Assistant, I am able to get more involved in UHP and develop my leadership skills by overseeing the Fellows to ensure they provide our community with engaging and informative topics, organize team meetings, and ensuring the Fellows and Housing Up get the most out of this partnership.
Karen: My name is Karen Lopez, and I am a Master of Public Health student at George Washington University. I am currently a project assistant for the Urban Health Program and support the Adult Health Literacy Project in collaboration with Housing Up. I initially joined UHP in 2023 as a fellow and had the opportunity to work with high school students through our partnership with DC Public Schools. Being from the DMV area, I have always enjoyed visiting DC, but through UHP, I have been able to build meaningful connections and gain a deeper understanding of the DC community.
Why did you and GW’s UHP decide to get involved with Housing Up?
Leilani: I decided to get involved with UHP because after my sophomore year and as a second-year pre-med student, I felt I had yet to have a genuinely engaging community service experience. Once I became a Fellow, the partnership between UHP and Housing Up had long been established. Housing Up is an organization that aligns with UHP’s values and goals. Housing Up offers Fellows and public health professionals alike an opportunity to engage with the greater DC community on a more meaningful level. This partnership has solidified my love of public health and its tenets.
Karen: UHP has focused on service-learning and is dedicated to showing students the importance of engaging with the community and creating meaningful partnerships. Housing Up is one of our unique partnerships, providing essential support services to DC residents. When I learned about Housing Up’s mission and efforts, I was amazed by the impact they have on the community, creating a supportive environment where residents can thrive. I was excited to learn more about Housing Up and participate in these efforts.
I know you both attended Housing Up’s annual benefit, Living in the City, in 2024. What was the most impactful part for you?
Leilani: Attending the Living in the City event was exciting for me in the sense that I was able to meet and interact with other members of the Housing Up community. Through my work as a Fellow and today as a Project Assistant, I have enjoyed working with Nkem and the Youth residents. After attending the event, I learned much more about Nkem and all he has done through Housing Up; I felt pride at the event, knowing I had the opportunity to work with someone so passionate about his work. Additionally, having the opportunity to learn about all the amazing efforts of Shahidah, Christina, and the rest of the team was very inspiring and eye-opening. Not only did I learn more about this organization, but I was also able to learn more about the jarring statistics of what it means to be unhoused and displaced in DC. The knowledge I gained from Living in the City has motivated me to become more active in the DC community; after graduation, I want to volunteer with more local non-profits. I am starting small, though, partnering with another community site within Housing Up because I want to do more to challenge the issue of homelessness in DC.
Karen: Attending Living in the City and connecting with the Housing Up staff was both inspiring and informative, as I witnessed their dedication to and hard work in Washington, DC. Being from the DMV area, I had the opportunity to reflect on the reality of homelessness in the city and the vital need for strong community support.
What has your involvement been in GW’s UHP partnership with Housing Up? What has been your favorite part?
Leilani: Through my role as a Project Assistant, I have had the opportunity to coordinate directly with Nkem to ensure the Fellows are meeting Housing Up’s goals for this project. I also provide support to the other Project Assistants and Fellows. However, even as a Fellow, my favorite and most rewarding part is interacting with the kids and watching them apply what we taught them. They were excited when we walked in and engaged with the materials throughout the sessions. When engaged, they tend to ask questions- even difficult ones that stump us! I see this as a fun challenge, and we work to ensure we have the correct answer for them the next time we see them.
Karen: This year, while collaborating on the Adult Health Literacy Project, I worked with Nkem to explore different ways of communicating with residents. One thing I’ve truly learned from working with Nkem is the depth of his dedication to the residents. From assisting with forms, connecting them to resources, and regularly checking in on their well-being, he goes above and beyond. His commitment has inspired me to take the time to check in with our community members, especially in a fast-paced environment like DC. The way he takes the time to ask residents about their day, listen to their challenges, and work with them to find solutions has reinforced the importance of not just providing resources but also building trust and meaningful connections. Thanks to the hard work of our Urban Health Fellows, we have created YouTube videos, newsletters, and incorporated healthy recipes into our public health discussions all with the goal of providing accessible, evidence-based information. One of my favorite parts of this experience has been learning more about Housing Up, building connections with staff and residents, and introducing new recipes during our on-site sessions by trying them with the residents.
What would you tell an organization or individual who is considering joining Housing Up as a community partner or volunteer?
Leilani: I actually love talking to other public health students and students interested in community service about UHP and Housing Up. First, I tell people the mission of Housing Up and what you bring to the DC community and families. Then, I tell them about my own experiences, how I feel I have grown, and the impact of seeing the direct and tangible results of my work inside and outside of UHP. I have had the opportunity to work with families and youth who have experienced the hardships that come with being displaced and experiencing mental illnesses. The work I am able to contribute through this partnership creates a safe space for the families and youth just to have fun, create, and be present.
Karen: Housing Up has been incredibly welcoming and transparent about their work in the community. The staff members are always willing to help, and their passion for serving residents is truly evident. This is an organization dedicated to helping residents thrive while encouraging community involvement. It’s also a place where you can learn so much and build meaningful connections with both the staff and residents.
What does community mean to you and how do you see that displayed in the work that you do at Housing Up?
Leilani: To me, community means trust and collaboration. It is very difficult to cultivate change within a community without first establishing trust. Trust is what I see in Housing Up. I see it through Nkem and the families, Tony and his residents, and Shahidah and the rest of the team. I also see it through the kids my team and I work with. I see it when they feel comfortable telling me about their day, the good and the bad. I see it when they come to us with problems or homework struggles. Housing Up is such an amazing organization that truly takes steps to build strong relationships with the families they work with, and it shows so strongly. It has truly been such a rewarding experience that I will remember for a lifetime. I am happy to have connected with this organization in such a positive way.
Karen: To me, community means a safe and supportive environment where we uplift one another and foster a sense of belonging. The Urban Health Fellows and I have expanded our methods of sharing information in hopes of creating a welcoming atmosphere and encouraging open discussions on topics that matter to residents.