What We Do

The Collaborative brings residents, community and faith leaders, local officials, and Columbia Mailman faculty, students, and staff to the same table. Together, we work on practical ways to tackle health challenges and promote health for everyone in our shared community.

We focus on:

• Putting neighborhood voices first. Put local ideas, concerns, and values at the center of Columbia Mailman’s work.
• Reviewing and improving partnerships. Look at current community–school efforts and find ways to strengthen them.
• Keeping an updated local health map. Keep a current list of programs, initiatives, and assets in nearby neighborhoods and schools.
• Building strong local ties. Build and sustain community–school partnerships in Harlem, Washington Heights, and Northern Manhattan.
• Using shared strengths. Bring together community know‑how and School research to solve real problems.
• Involving students in real work. Engage students in research, service, knowledge‑sharing, and policy action with community partners.
• Strengthening local capacity. Help communities build the tools and infrastructure to reduce disparities and improve well‑being.