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Spirit of Unity: Advancing Public Health Across Northern Nevada Through Collaboration

Community Foundation received the Spirit of Unity Award from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Spirit of Unity: Advancing Public Health Across Northern Nevada Through Collaboration

In Northern Nevada, the strength of our community lies in our ability to come together to solve complex challenges. This year, the University of Nevada, Reno’s School of Public Health recognized that spirit of collaboration that the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada has shown with the 2025 Spirit of Unity Award—an honor that celebrates partnerships that drive meaningful change in public health. At the heart of this recognition is the shared commitment to improving lives through innovative, community-centered solutions.

Recent expansions by the School of Public Health, including mobile health clinics and enhanced training for community health workers, are already making a difference in underserved neighborhoods. These initiatives are not just about delivering care—they’re about meeting people where they are, listening to their needs, and building trust. None of this would be possible without the collective efforts of local organizations, leaders, and residents working side by side.

One such initiative is the Community Behavioral Health Collaborative (CBHC), a program under the School of Public Health operated by the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT). The CBHC is expanding access to mental health care while preparing the next generation of professionals to meet Nevada’s needs. It places graduate students and interns pursuing careers in behavioral health directly into local nonprofits and human service agencies—like the DVRC—while providing students with invaluable real-world experience. The Community Foundation of Northern Nevada (CFNN) recently awarded $221,000 through its 2025 Northern Nevada Endowment Fund grant cycle to the School of Public Health for the CBHC.

The Spirit of Unity Award highlights how collaboration can amplify impact. Whether it's increasing access to mental health services, addressing housing insecurity, or training the next generation of public health professionals, these efforts are most effective when driven by partnerships rooted in shared values and mutual respect. Together, we are creating a more resilient, equitable, and healthy Northern Nevada.

The award was presented at the School of Public Health’s Graduate Celebration and Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 15, at the Joe Crowley Student Union.  We were honored to be joined by several members of the Campaign Committee (in the photo) for the Community Endowment Fund from 2017 to help our team accept the award. It was a moment to honor not just one organization, but the entire network of community partners who are making public health a shared priority—and a shared success!