Welcome to ProjectFACT.org

Project Summary

Project FACT (Faith groups Addressing health thru Community Together) is a 501 (c) 3 community organization developed to help increase the number of faith-based groups working together with public agencies to address health problems. Project FACT provides community-based physical activity, nutrition and other health promotion intervention opportunities such as community gardening, walking programs, youth entrepreneurship, lay health ministry advisors training and other health related activities. Project FACT’s mission is to provide leadership to faith-based and community organizations and to contribute community-based initiatives for the elimination of health disparities through education, training and partnership. Project FACT’s partnership consist of public agencies, local churches, community service organizations and ministerial alliances in Wake County and surrounding areas in North Carolina. Project FACT’s partners sponsor events that promoted healthy active neighborhoods and communities.

Project Background

Project FACT was initially started in Lee County in Sanford, North Carolina in 2002 by Nicolette Warren, a graduate student at North Carolina Central University, as a special program at Lee County Health Department. Ms. Warren later expanded the program to Wake County in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2007 by working with Ariel Fisher and other church leadership of Gethsemane SDA Church.

Project FACT success and accomplishments are directly related to strong leadership and community commitment. Project FACT leadership was responsible for Gethsemane SDA Church securing a mini-grant from the North Carolina Youth Council to increase the number of minority teenage girls engaging in physical activity. Also, the North Carolina A & T Cooperative Extension Innovation Program Grant funded the Southeast Raleigh Community Garden pilot project. Gethsemane SDA Church partnered with the North Carolina Cooperation Extension-Wake County Center, City of Raleigh, Parks and Recreation, North Carolina State University and Wake County Human Services to provide community-based education programs, training and other fitness related activities. The Southeast Raleigh Community Garden was recognized by the Northwestern University, School of Education and Social Policy, Asset-Based Community Development Institute (http://www.abcdinstitute.org/abcd/stories/raleigh/)

Project FACT was actively involved with the City of Raleigh, South Citizen Advisory Council by working directly with local residents in the construction of a walking trail and community playground built on Gethsemane SDA Church property. This program was funded by the John Rex Endowment, Active Community and Neighborhood Grant. In addition, Project FACT partnered with Wake County Human Services, Southeast Raleigh Health Matters faith-based initiative to sponsor annual community walks, diabetes and obesity prevention education and training for the Body and Soul Program. Project FACT's work with the Body and Soul Program was recognized by the Cancer Information Service, Southeast region located at Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

From the success of Project FACT leadership, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and the NC Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities recruited Gethsemane SDA Church Food Bank to implemented Project Spirit. Project Spirit is a lifestyle change program for the community at large. This program entailed community residents participating in weekly blood pressure and glucose screenings and lectures on healthy living. Lecture topics included diabetes, exercise, cholesterol, and cooking demonstration courses. Speakers included nurses, personal trainers, physician assistants, and health educators from various healthcare facilities.