If you have a strong desire to help others, you probably want to assist your community. While there are many problems that can plague a community, one of the most unsettling can be a health crisis. Fortunately, there are ways to help a community live healthier and prevent disease. Below are a few ways you can take a leadership role in doing so.

Take Advantage of Federal Government Programs

Thankfully for those worried about community health, there are government programs in place that can help. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, operates a number of different programs that coordinate with local community leaders as well as the state and federal government to improve community health and prevent the spread of chronic disease.

Obtain the Proper Education

If you wish to be a leader in your community and improve the public health, you can do so by obtaining the right kind of education. An excellent choice is obtaining an online MSW degree. Becoming a social worker is certainly one way to help ensure that individual citizens and families within your community receive the assistance they need to remain healthy.

Educate the Community about Vaccination

One of the most effective ways to curb the spread of disease in a community is to get citizens vaccinated against certain communicable diseases. However, many people, including parents, are not well informed about what vaccines they and their children should receive. One good idea is to organize a vaccination drive to encourage members of the community to get vaccinated. If you coordinate with licensed healthcare providers, it may even be feasible to provide vaccinations on site.

Help Feed the Community

While it’s sad to think about, one of the leading causes of poor health in many communities is hunger. While going without food entirely is a serious problem, some families with access to food can only afford poor quality food that can result in poor nutrition and disease. Thankfully, there are many ways you can contribute to help insure that everyone in your community remains well fed. You could organize a food drive. You could also volunteer at a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter or your local food pantry. If you run a food related business, make sure to do your part and donate food to the right organizations.

Join the PTA

Another way you can get involved in your community is by joining the PTA. This can allow you to work with other parents as well as teachers to launch projects to insure that the children in a school district remain healthy and disease free.

Overall, there are many different ways to get involved in your community to promote health and prevent disease. However, they all require time and effort. Despite the work that is involved, assisting your community and improving lives can be a very rewarding experience.