Advancing Community Health Equity
UMass Memorial Health works with communities across Central Massachusetts and beyond to advance health equity. We focus on the conditions that shape health long before medical care is needed.
This work begins with listening. It is built through partnership and systems level change.
How This Work Began
Community feedback showed the need for stronger coordination. It also pointed to shared goals and long-term strategies shaped by community priorities. This feedback made it clear the need for a dedicated team to lead this work across the UMass Memorial Health system.
A First Focus: Food Equity
In 2024, UMass Memorial Health brought together community members and internal leaders to understand where the health system could best support existing food‑related efforts. An early result of this work is Food Equity and Sustainable Transformation (FEAST), the first major initiative of the Community Health Equity Team (CHET). FEAST strengthens the regional food system, helping communities gain more reliable access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food.
How This Work Fits Together
UMass Memorial Health advances community health through these connected efforts:
- Community Benefits supports community programs, services and direct investments.
- Anchor Mission uses hiring, purchasing and investment to strengthen local communities.
- CHET aligns these tools around long term community health priorities.
Together, these approaches help us move from separate programs to coordinated, lasting impact.
Learn How We’re Advancing Community Health Equity
- Why CHET was created and how the work began
- Why food equity became an early focus through FEAST
- How systemwide strategies support community health
- Where UMass Memorial Health partners across the community