Community of Faith Assembly (COFA) is a faith-based organization dedicated to uplifting and enhancing lives in Cleveland, OH. In one of the poorest cities in the nation, COFA focuses on providing mental health support, trauma counseling, and other community services, particularly in areas affected by violence and socio-economic challenges. For COFA, collaboration is the key to success. They partner with community leaders such as Cuyahoga County commissioners and the health director of the City of Cleveland on issues related to the targeted sale of flavored and menthol tobacco products in Black communities, calling for legislative action to ban these products in the city. As well, they’ve worked with MetroHealth to train more than 50 pastors on trauma counseling in a community heavily impacted by violence. They are now working with Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition on environmental issues that disproportionately impact the health and wellness of communities of color, particularly related to air quality and asthma.
In their Campaign to End Tobacco Targeting, Community of Faith Assembly members join other Cleveland faith leaders, public health advocates and local health officials to advocate for the ban on the sale of flavored and menthol tobacco products that they say are targeted to Black communities. Photo Source: Stephen Langel/Ideastream Public Medi
Led by Bishop Tony Minor since date needed, COFA serves communities that have been overburdened and underserved. Disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental abuse, these predominantly Black communities face asthma rates up to four times higher than whites, with Black females experiencing the worst health outcomes in the nation. Over 36% of East Cleveland residents live below the poverty line, and the area is heavily impacted by environmental hazards, including high air pollution and lead exposure. Undeterred, COFA is striving to create a safer, stronger, cleaner Cleveland. In addition to their work on tobacco targeting and trauma counseling, they host children’s summer camps, back to school bashes, “Stop the Violence” youth programs, health and wellness summits, “Project HELP” to help adults and families move out of poverty, and outreach services for the incarcerated, providing encouragement, direction, and access to support.
COFA’s trained trauma counselors help heal the community through education on crisis response and violence de-escalation as well as creating access to community health workers. Photo Source: Tony Minor Facebook page