Published:
- by Mount Saint Mary College
The Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness held their first Community Listening event recently. The group of almost 40 participants wrote down some of their concerns and the services they would like to see from the center in the future. Pict

About 40 local residents attended a recent community listening session hosted by the Mount Saint Mary College Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness.

Genesis Ramos, executive director of the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness, noted that the session helped to determine how the center can better serve the Newburgh community.

As the center adds more programs, it aims to be an informed and responsive community fixture, providing basic health and wellness services that fill the gaps and meet the needs of community residents. As the initiative continues to grow, the administrators of the Desmond Center want to hear from their neighbors in the local community.

At the listening session, residents delved into several questions:

  • What does a healthy Newburgh look and feel like?
  • What kind of programing do you want to see here?
  • What is most important and how can the community, as a whole, make this happen?

“We have laid out the foundational work for the center and its mission through our collaborative efforts with community partners, programming, and the launch of our needs assessment to determine the gaps we can fill,” said Ramos. “We are committed to creating a wellness footprint that is responsive and welcoming to all community members.”

One of the center’s goals is to partner with existing organizations in Newburgh and beyond to help amplify the volume of, and access to, health and wellness services available to the community, she added.

Ramos and her staff are looking forward to hosting regular listening sessions to keep their fingers on the pulse of the town and city.

Funded in part by grants from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation and New York State’s Higher Education Capital (HECap) program, the Desmond Center provides accessible and equitable educational, health, and wellness services for community members and families in the local area, including the uninsured, while also creating learning opportunities for Mount students.

Mid Hudson Construction Management is renovating the first two floors of Guzman Hall on campus, which will become the home of the Desmond Center in early winter. The finished space will include a two-story glass atrium, exam rooms for patients, and offices for healthcare staff and students.

During the construction, Desmond Center programming is being offered on campus and in other locations around Newburgh. Upcoming events include yoga and other physical health offerings, a “paint and sip” session, and a community Thanksgiving dinner.

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