Partnership Spotlight: The Mayor’s Commission to Combat Poverty

Each month, Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine highlights one of our valued partners. Together, we strengthen the health of our community in ways impossible to do alone.

Last month, LG Health/Penn Medicine Community Health Director Alice Yoder spoke at the first public meeting of Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray’s Commission to Combat Poverty, which will issue recommendations in the key areas of housing, transportation, food, healthcare and childcare.

Nearly 29 percent of Lancaster City residents live below the poverty line, against the county-wide rate of 10.5 percent. Poverty is a key indicator of poor health.

Yoder, a commission member, identified top city health threats as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, respiratory disease and obesity. We’ll continue to follow and report back on this important initiative.