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The G.R.O.W. syringe service program (SSPs) helps people who use drugs and those who need injection supplies for gender-affirming hormone therapy get access to clean syringes and safely dispose of needles. Community-based programs like G.R.O.W. also offer first-aid kits, at-home HIV tests, Narcan and personal care items. There are currently 13 SSPs registered in the state. In 2023, G.R.O.W. alone distributed more than 44,400 syringes and collected about 37,700.

Local volunteers dubbed “activist archivists” are working to document the lives and contributions of LGBTQ+ people across the state, creating an archive of local LGBTQ+ history in the midst of recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that makes it difficult — and even illegal — to discuss and teach about LGBTQ+ identities and activism.

The Affirming Spaces Project (ASP) helps local businesses create more affirming spaces for transgender and nonbinary employees and customers by providing training on topics like gender identity, pronoun use and how to use affirming language. Businesses that complete training get added to ASP’s database of affirming businesses and receive a decal to place in their storefront window. The database currently has more than 60 local businesses and organizations listed.

Reduce Social Isolation and Lift Outcomes for Seniors (SILOS) is a free program for adults age 50 and up that aims to decrease loneliness and help them stay connected. SILOS pairs participants with a community health worker who checks in regularly and shares lists of nearby events and activities for the participant to take advantage of, all in an effort to foster community and address the public health crisis of loneliness.

The Gender Diverse Care Coalition of New Hampshire works to expand access to gender-affirming care through free training, consultations with providers, education and advocacy work. The Coalition also has a website that offers a database of resources on gender-affirming care in the state and surrounding area. Through its offerings, the Coalition is working to increase the number of providers in the state who are comfortable and capable of providing care to transgender patients.

Community-based intervention programs such as Cure Violence in Grand Rapids, Mich. focus on strengthening collaboration among different organizations and leveraging outreach workers with existing relationships in the community. Cure Violence's south service area saw an 11.5% decrease in violent crimes after the program was implemented.

The James L. West Center for Dementia Care’s Senior Day Program offers engaging activities like dance, music therapy and cooking classes, and a sense of community for people with dementia, while giving family caregivers a break. The Center currently cares for about 13 people each day, though it has the capacity for up to 20 people and is slated to expand to help more people.

At Linda Tutt High School, a student-run grocery store provides needed food aid for local families while also helping students learn workplace skills. The store is part of the school’s resiliency program, which also includes a social emotional learning curriculum and trauma-informed counseling.

Studies show that ketamine and other psychedelics could be useful in treating conditions like depression and PTSD when used in partnership with therapy. Psychedelic-assisted therapy prescribed by registered practitioners is gaining traction as an alternative to medication, or as another option when traditional treatments fail.

Texas’ Tarrant County Jail has a medical liaison that uses her master’s degree in forensics nursing to advocate for people who are incarcerated and in need of medical care.

Several Kansas state entities translated and distributed information in multiple languages during the COVID-19 pandemic. The El Dorado Public School district provided information in Spanish on their website and on student laptops, iPads, and handouts. In addition to a multilingual hotline, the state’s health department released an accessible micro-website, created by CivicPlus, that translates information into over 100 languages, including sign language, and uses closed captioning for videos. The microsite template was so effective, the company is offering it to other jurisdictions for other scenarios.

Overcoming the causes of social isolation plays a crucial role in combating food insecurity. From faith-based community meals paired with job programs in Branson, to food recycling initiatives that tap into local markets in Kansas, multiple organizations across Missouri and the United States are developing solutions oriented toward local needs. In some cases, such as the work of Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard in Bloomington, IN, building community leads to political advocacy and civic engagement.