Fifth annual Healthy Streets Healthy People event brings community together at Washington Park

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The fifth annual Healthy Streets Healthy People event drew a crowd at Washington Park on Saturday, as organizations and neighbors came together with resources and conversation to foster a safe, healthy community.

“This is really a community coming together. It’s a celebration of our neighbors,” said Betsy Peyton, director of UVA Health’s WellAware Program.

Peyton started the event five years ago to make people feel safe in their neighborhoods. Since then, it has grown into a field decorated with over 50 booths filled with resources, demonstrations, and activities.

“As the City of Charlottesville, we want this to be a place where everyone thrive, but we can’t thrive if we’re not feeling well and doing well,” said Mayor Juandiego Wade. “So every booth here today is about how we can make people feel better and be better.”

Amid games and music, health care resources with UVA Health, safety training from city police and rescue services, and community-centered organizations worked to connect people with tools to thrive.

“We can have all the information in the world, but if people don’t know about it, if it’s not a way that they can connect to it or relate to it, it might as well be a million miles away,” Wade said. “This is a time that all can come together, provide information in this fun environment to be able to share with the community.”

Chief Michael Kochis of the Charlottesville Police Department said the event can make a real difference across the city.

“We talk a lot about a whole-of-community approach to public safety. That’s what this is,” Chief Kochis said.

That community-centered approach, Chief Kochis said, can go a long way in tackling issues of safety and wellbeing in the community.

“We’re seeing dramatic reductions in gun violence in the city. And I’ll be honest with you, folks will ask me all the time, what’s contributing to it? And I think it’s this,” said Chief Kochis.

It’s a collaborative space, built across UVA Health, the City of Charlottesville, and area organizations all working to make a difference, and show people where they can turn when they need a helping hand.

“The takeaway we want people to have is these rich resources in our city are open to all of us, and also to show that we care about each other,” Peyton said.