New Routes to Community Health

Over the last 10 years, Benton and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have worked in partnership to support collaborations between public broadcasters and community institutions through an initiative called Sound Partners for Community Health. We are continuing to partner in a new initiative called New Routes to Community Health to further explore the potential of local media to improve the health and well being of new immigrants living in the U.S.

Immigrants in focus groups have said they crave information that could help them adjust to their new communities, but often find mainstream U.S. media impenetrable both linguistically and culturally. New Routes will harness the power of emerging media and cultural trends to help immigrants and receiving communities work together to improve the social and economic health of immigrants.

New Routes will support the development of partnerships among immigrant organizations, media production centers, and community institutions that will improve new immigrants’ health specifically as related to issues of family, work, cultural competence, or integration. Up to eight geographically and ethnically diverse sites will receive awards of up to $225,000 each over 39 months. The proposal deadline was May 17, 2007, and grant awards will be announced in September 2007.