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Celebrate and promote health in your community by hosting your own NPHW event! Bring your family, friends, co-workers and community members together, virtually or in person! This toolkit includes ideas to get you started and a timeline to help with your planning.
Event Ideas
Organize events centered around the NPHW overall theme and/or the daily themes. Here are a few ideas:
For community health centers
- Host a watch party for a film about one of the daily themes
- Host an exercise class (either virtually or in person)
- Organize a community run/walk/bike ride
- Organize a community clean-up
- Organize a community cook-off/potluck showcasing healthy foods from around the world
- Arrange a community gardening day to promote physical activity and healthy food
For college organizations/campuses
- Host a training on how to use Narcan or for CPR certifications
- Partner with other on-campus organizations for events like a blood donation drive, creating care packages for homeless populations or fundraising events (e.g., charity banquet, cultural talent show)
- Work with your rec center to host an exercise class on campus
- Bring therapy dogs to campus for some stress relief before finals
- Organize health panels and discussions
- Organize professional development events with alumni and local leaders (e.g., mentorship mixers, career panels, resume workshop, etc.)
- Organize a letter-writing campaign advocating for your community and important public health issues to your local elected officials
- Facilitate a workshop for students on stress management and mental health
- Host a cooking class featuring budget-friendly and nutritious recipes for college students
For hospitals
- Organize a webinar for health professionals
- Host an exercise/destress class
- Organize an art therapy session for patients
For congregations/churches
- Collection drives (e.g., canned food, baby formula) & soup kitchens featuring foods from the different cultures of your congregations’/church members’
- Host a blood donation drive
- Organize a community-wide prayer walk or run for a charitable cause
Why should you host an event?
- Raise awareness about the value of public health and our collective work to create a healthier nation
- Raise awareness of important public health issues and improve advocacy
- Share the importance of centering and celebrating cultures in public health
- Recruit more members for your organization; to build relationships with other public health
Other Helpful Tips
Follow the CDC's COVID-19 guidelines (for in-person events): Prioritize the health of your community at your in-person NPHW event by getting tested, staying updated with the latest vaccines and encouraging social distancing, mask wearing and isolating if sick or if you’ve been in contact with someone exposed to COVID-19. For more information on how to safely host an event, consult the CDC’s event planning guide.
Tap into social media: Share pictures and posts with the hashtag #NPHW before and after the event to promote and share its success!
Create partnerships: Partner with a local health-oriented organization to sponsor events. Local health-conscious restaurants, exercise facilities and food companies are a great place to start and can provide snacks and samples to promote their products and healthy practices during events.
Accessibility considerations: Ensure that your event is accessible to individuals with disabilities by providing accommodations such as wheelchair ramps, sign language interpreters and accessible facilities.
Sustainability practices: Implement sustainable practices such as recycling, reducing waste, and promoting eco-friendly initiatives to align your event with environmental responsibility.
Emergency preparedness: Develop and communicate an emergency preparedness plan to address unforeseen circumstances, ensuring the safety and well-being of attendees.
Publicize your NPHW event
Publicize your NPHW events by completing our calendar event form. There you can check out what else is going on in your community and throughout the nation.
View this year's NPHW calendar.