Be the CHANGE: How the Community Care Closet Advances Health Equity Through Access, Dignity, and Racial Justice

Dr. Natashia L. Conner, PhD, MPhil, MS, IBCLC
5 days ago
3 min read

Access to care should never depend on race, income, or insurance status. Yet, many Black and Brown families face persistent barriers in maternal, infant, and family health systems. The Community Care Closet, an initiative by The BLACK Collaborative Inc., challenges this reality by providing care rooted in dignity, racial justice, and community support. This post explores how this model advances health equity by meeting families where they are and offering essential resources without judgment or unnecessary hurdles.

Eye-level view of a community care closet stocked with diapers and hygiene supplies — Community Care Closet stocked with essential supplies

What the Community Care Closet Offers

The Community Care Closet is a low-barrier, access-to-care hub designed to meet families where they are—without judgment, shame, or unnecessary hoops. It offers:

Diapers, wipes, pull-ups, and hygiene essentials
Infant feeding and lactation support supplies
Postpartum care items
Referrals and warm hand-offs to trusted healthcare providers
Ongoing support from community health workers (CHWs)

Families do not need to prove hardship or fill out complicated paperwork. Their lived experience is enough to receive support. This approach respects the dignity of every family and acknowledges the systemic challenges they face.

This is not charity.

This is community-centered care rooted in racial justice, dignity, and accountability.

Who Benefits from This Model

The Community Care Closet focuses on serving:

Black and Brown families
Pregnant and postpartum parents
Families with Medicaid, underinsurance, or no insurance
Households experiencing housing instability, food insecurity, or gaps in care

Many families served are already juggling work, caregiving, and survival in systems that often fail to support them adequately. The Closet meets them with respect, cultural humility, and care that reflects their realities.

Close-up view of a shelf with infant feeding supplies and lactation support items — Infant feeding and lactation supplies are available at the Community Care Closet

Why This Model Works Better Than Traditional Systems

Traditional health and social service systems often:

Fragmented services, forcing families to navigate multiple agencies
Require repeated sharing of traumatic experiences
Penalize families for poverty or unstable living conditions
Prioritize paperwork over people’s needs

The Community Care Closet avoids these pitfalls by building a model that centers trust and accessibility.

Key Features That Make the Model Effective

Low-barrier entry: Minimal requirements and no stigma allow families to access help easily.
Warm hand-offs: Instead of cold referrals, families connect directly with trusted providers who understand their context.
Culturally congruent care: Providers share or deeply understand the community’s culture and challenges.
Continuity: Families can return as their needs evolve without re-qualifying or facing judgment.
Trust-based design: Relationships are prioritized over forms and procedures, building lasting support networks.

This design creates a safe space where families feel seen and supported, not judged or burdened.

High angle view of a community health worker assisting a family with care supplies — Community health worker providing support and supplies to a family

Real Impact on Families and Communities

In practice, the Community Care Closet has helped families avoid crises by providing essentials like diapers and postpartum care items that are often unaffordable. For example, a postpartum parent struggling with lactation received supplies and ongoing support from a CHW, which improved both their health and confidence. Another family facing housing instability accessed hygiene products and was connected to a provider who helped secure stable housing.

These examples show how removing barriers and offering culturally sensitive care can improve health outcomes and restore dignity.

Moving Forward: How You Can Support Health Equity

The Community Care Closet model offers a blueprint for advancing health equity through accessible, respectful care. Supporting similar initiatives means:

Advocating for funding and policies that prioritize low-barrier, community-centered care
Volunteering or donating essential supplies to local care closets
Raising awareness about the importance of dignity and racial justice in health systems

By focusing on trust, respect, and real connections, communities can build stronger support networks that lift families.

How to Access Support

🔹 First-Time Families in Need👉 https://www.rhecorp.org/event-details/community-care-closet

🔹 Returning Families (If We’ve Served You Before)👉 https://www.rhecorp.org/.../returning-family-rsvp-needs...

🔹 Referring Organizations ONLY👉 https://www.rhecorp.org/get-help

We intentionally partner with community-based organizations, schools, clinics, and faith institutions to ensure care pathways are coordinated—not duplicated.