EAST ORANGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Urban Healthcare Initiative Program (UHIP) has received top honors and has won several awards at this year's prestigious Telly Awards for its groundbreaking, innovative video series aimed at addressing the dire need for better quality of life in our urban communities.
UHIP's "Knowledge Is Power" video series took home two Bronze Telly Awards in the Education and Social Issues categories. The series features respected physician influencers, like Dr. Alexander Salerno, a second-generation physician of Salerno Medical Associates, a primary care, multi-specialty practice serving Northern New Jersey's urban communities since the early 1950's. The videos take on some of the most pressing health issues in the African American and Latino communities.
Creative video topics range from “Man Up,” which addresses the need for prostate screenings, to “Cut Your Hair, Cut Your Health Risks,” an event held at a local barber shop. In addition to physicians, UHIP teams up with notable celebrities like Hip Hop legend Rev Run of RUN-DMC, Indy race-car driver Charlie Kimball, and legendary actor and performer Ben Vereen to help spread the message of health.
Founded by Dr. Alexander Salerno in 2010, the Urban Healthcare Initiative Program, also known as UHIP, is a non-profit, community-based program that uses a 360-degree, fresh approach to health literacy, "We are honored to be recognized and to have won," said Dr. Alexander Salerno, who launched the program after becoming frustrated with healthcare outcomes in his urban community. "There is a growing disparity when it comes to healthcare metrics and healthcare outcomes in our urban communities. Because of that, there is failing healthcare and failing quality of life. I want to change that. If we can educate the public on the importance of preventive healthcare, we will not only save lives but also reduce the burden on our healthcare system” said Dr. Alexander Salerno.
Based on the belief that knowledge really is power, UHIP reaches out to the community through community mainstays like churches, community centers and barber shops. "We have found that reaching out to the community in places where they are most comfortable, they're more receptive to the information," said UHIP Community Outreach Liaison Kelvin Roberson, "Our goal is to combat long-standing cultural attitudes toward healthcare, change the way people think, and motivate them to take control of their health."
"Awards like this are so important to raise our visibility and help get more support, said Dr. Alexander Salerno, "My ultimate goal is to expand UHIP and its message to urban areas across the country." To find out more about the videos series and see the videos that were honored click here. To see UHIP's complete video library, visit www.uhipnj.org.
About UHIP
UHIP (Urban Healthcare Initiative Program) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, community-based urban healthcare provider founded in 2010. Its mission is to educate inner-city residents in northern New Jersey about health problems affecting their communities, promote preventive healthcare, regular medical screenings, and coordinate the provision of healthcare services to individuals who may not have the ability to receive such services. UHIP reaches out to the community in innovative ways through local pillars and mainstays of the community like churches, barbershops, and community centers. For more visit www.uhipnj.org
About the Telly Awards
Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding content for TV and Cable, Digital and Streaming, and Non-Broadcast distribution. The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world. The Telly Awards is a widely known and highly respected national and international competition and received over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents.
