Free health screenings, groceries, wellness education and family activities will be available Sunday, September 13, as Grace Central Church hosts its Annual First Ladies Health Fair from noon to 2 p.m.
The community health event will be held at Grace Central Church, 10216 Kitchner St. in Westchester, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Dr. Darius Brooks and First Lady Deborah Brooks. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.
The health fair is part of Grace Central’s continuing effort to make preventive health services and information more accessible to residents. This year, the church will again participate in the First Ladies Health Initiative Annual Health Day, joining 14 other First Ladies and partner churches across the Chicago area.
A major focus this year will be breast cancer awareness and the disease’s disproportionate impact on Black women.
“Each year, we look forward to opening our doors and bringing these important health resources directly to our community,” Deborah Brooks said. “Our annual Health Fair is about more than one afternoon—it’s about encouraging people to make their health a priority.”
Brooks said something as simple as a screening or conversation with a healthcare professional can have a lasting impact.
“Sometimes one screening, one conversation or one piece of information can make a life-changing difference,” she said.
Attendees will have access to several free screenings and health services. Cook County Health will provide private HIV testing, while ONYX Health will offer blood pressure and glucose screenings. Chiro One will conduct spinal checks, and Wellness House will present a breast cancer awareness cooking demonstration.
The event will also provide information and resources addressing Alzheimer’s disease, mental health, domestic abuse and autism.
Focus Group Wellness will provide mental health information and resources, Women Liberating Women will offer domestic abuse awareness resources, and Autism Is the Norm will provide information about autism. A free yoga class and additional health and wellness activities are also planned.
Organizers are encouraging entire families to attend.
“This Health Fair is not just for women—it is for everyone,” Brooks said. “We want men, women, seniors, young adults and families to come out. Prevention and early detection can save lives, and we want our community to have access to information and resources that can help them live healthier lives.”
Beyond healthcare services, the first 50 attendees who visit every participating vendor will receive a free gift bag and a bag of groceries. Free food and children’s activities will also be available.
The First Ladies Health Initiative uses churches and other trusted community institutions to address health disparities and connect residents with healthcare resources.
Its work centers on increasing awareness of early warning signs and health risk factors, connecting residents with appropriate medical care and follow-up services, and increasing awareness and trust in clinical research within communities of color.
According to the initiative, it has conducted more than 700,000 health screenings and worked with more than 100 churches and 250 healthcare providers nationwide. Its work has received recognition from the White House Cancer Moonshot, American Heart Association and Illinois Department of Public Health.
As part of the broader Health Day activities, Salem Baptist Church’s House of Hope will host the “Listen to Your Body: From Signals to Action” breast cancer panel. Journalist and WVON radio host Santita Jackson will moderate the discussion featuring Colleen Dodson-Honore, Dana Spencer and Dr. Olufunmilayo I. Olopade.
Grace Central’s Annual First Ladies Health Fair will be held Sunday, September 13, from noon to 2 p.m. at Grace Central Church, 10216 Kitchner St. in Westchester.
Admission and services are free, and the event is open to the entire community. Advance registration is encouraged at FirstLadiesHealth.com.