Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research

CHEER's mission is to provide people with the knowledge and ability to create healthy, thriving communities. CHEER is a community-driven process for identifying community vision and goals, and for gathering the information and resources needed to measure and fulfill them.

CHEER operates a holistic place and people based community improvement process for Takoma Park and the Long Branch neighborhoods of Silver Spring, Maryland. CHEER uses a results based accountability framework driven by community participation to identify and fulfill the vision and goals selected by the community. Community-wide goals have been set for housing, health, community development, and youth development.

CHEER currently operates community health programs to promote access to health care and improve health outcomes for more vulnerable community members by connecting them to health and wellness resources that are available to them in the community. This includes CHEER's Long Branch Healthy Food Access Program. This uses a "Food is Medicine" approach for food insecure people with diabetes. This program guarantees 12 weeks of fresh produce, nutrition and healthy living education, and personal support from a community health worker to all participants. During the covid-19 pandemic CHEER has added food distributions to the hard hit neighborhoods in Long Branch and Takoma Park.

CHEER also operates Camp Piney Branch, a summer youth enrichment program. This is a community-based summer enrichment program for underserved youth, and supports a teen youth group that provides community service.  CHEER is also a convening partner in Long Branch Collective Action for Youth which aims to coordinate youth serving organizations and the whole community to improve youth outcomes.  CHEER's empowerment and leadership development program enables community residents and under represented groups to fully participate in community life and civic affairs. In the face of anticipated development induced by construction of the Purple Line through Long Branch, CHEER is also convener of a partnership in Long Branch stakeholders and residents to develop a community driven development plan to expand housing opportunities, preserve independent locally owned businesses, and make Long Branch a more attractive and comfortable space to live, work, and play.