The organizers behind a free community wellness series at a local church are lauding the success had in promoting holistic health.

New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, in collaboration with the DeKalb County Mental Health Board, Northwestern Medicine, and Project HOPE, recently completed a 12-month series of events aimed at improving DeKalb residents’ quality of life.

The Rev. Joe Mitchell, senior pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in DeKalb, said he considers the program to be a success.

“It definitely was something that was bigger than the church,” Mitchell said. “It was truly a community wellness event. While it was held at the church, it was for the community as a whole. There [were] definitely people from the church that attended, but there [were] also people from the community that attended as well.”

During the 12-month program, which concluded in August, residents had the opportunity to take part in a series of events centered on various topics in holistic health, including men’s health, women’s health, communication, parenting, budgeting, and more. Organizers invited experts in the field for each topic to come and present.

The idea behind the event started about two years ago. Around that time, Northwestern Medicine conducted a needs assessment of the Annie Glidden North neighborhood, which organizers said identified there was a need for community engagement on holistic health.

Sabrina Nicholson, behavioral health services director for Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center and Behavioral Health Services in Sycamore, said the partnership between New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Project HOPE, Northwestern Medicine, and the DeKalb County Mental Health Board is not a one-off.

“We see this as just the beginning,” Nicholson said. “We are committed to continuing these conversations and expanding access to wellness resources across DeKalb County.”

Organizers said the series of events saw between 30 and 40 people in attendance each month.

Nicholson said she was pleased with the turnout.

“It was incredible, really,” she said. “Our goal was really simple in its form of how do we bring practical tools for health, finances, and mental well-being directly to our community free of barriers. We were able to do that, and we had such a wonderful turnout.”

Mitchell said he believes the topics were diverse in offerings, allowing the program to have a bit of something for everyone.

As the head of a predominantly Black church congregation in town, Mitchell said he saw an opportunity to help bring resources to Black and Brown people in the community.

“Mental health has not been something that has been readily engaged, talked about, or resources that were sought out,” Mitchell said. “I’m hoping that because we did it in the community, it was led by people who look like people who live in the community, who were experts in the field, we’re hoping that some of the taboo around that topic specifically was removed.”

Organizers behind the series of events intend to meet early next year to begin looking at what the future holds for the program.

Nicholson said she looks forward to keeping the conversation on holistic health going in the community.

“Continuing to look at this holistic approach is really our priority and looking to put something else like this on in 2026,” she said.

Mitchell said he believes a lot has been accomplished, and there was a lot to take away from the series of events.

“For me, it was just getting the information out,” Mitchell said. “Typically, people who may not have access to those resources to be able to have access to those resources, and then to go home and implement them knowing that it’s going to have again not only a positive effect on you as an individual, but we also know that the more well people are, it also has a wider effect on the community as a whole.”