African Americans Reach and Teach Health Ministry

Mission

AARTH's mission is to increase the capacity of faith and health institutions to provide wellness and community care systems.

Description

AARTH provides culturally relevant health education, training and capacity building services using evidence based best practices models and programs. AARTH has been vetted/certified by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), Washington State Department of Health, Mountain West AIDS Education and Training Center at the UW and Stanford University. AARTH is a non-religious faith based 501c3 nonprofit organization that embraces people of all religion or faith, race and ethnic background and continue to strive for mitigating the burden of health disparities and inequities for the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations. 

AARTH Ministry:

1. Provides culturally relevant and appropriate health education, skill training and technical assistance for infrastructural development and capacity building.
2. Partners with faith and health institutions to improve the health outcomes of African American and African-born individuals.
3. Recognizes health issues have no boundaries and impacts people of all race, ethnicities, gender and ages, and that some experience greater risks and disparities than others, hence, we continue to strive for a better and nurturing environment for all.

As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, AARTH Ministry has spent 20 years addressing health disparities and inequities impacting African American, African-born individuals and other communities in King County, Washington State and the Northwest region. AARTH programs have been identified by clients and funding agencies as high quality, culturally relevant and comprehensive. AARTH's approach to providing services is dependent upon partnerships and collaborations with government and community health agencies and faith institutions.

AARTH works with a diverse community of funders, institutions, and community partners to provide access to culturally relevant education and social/behavioral health services for people of the African diaspora. Our approach to providing service is based on the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) and presented AARTH with another opportunity to address the inequities and disparities experienced over the past year because of the virus. The COVID-19 vaccination clinic collaboration represents just one major initiative that allows AARTH and partners to administer the vaccine with a primary focus on serving BIPOC. All services are provided through the lens of equity in the interest of serving as many as our capacity and resources will allow.

As of March 2022 AARTH, and partners have conducted many vaccination clinics and we have served over 7,000 individuals, reflective of the diversity of our communities in King County.

Recognition

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Collaboration: AARTH, New Beginnings Christian Fellowship Church, Fred Hutch, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Covid-19 Prevention Network, Harborview, Sound Generations and African American Health Board.