About Us
Our History —
Our (belonging to us) Health (the general condition of a person in all aspects)
An idea became a reality when a group of individuals took the results of a community needs assessment for Winchester very seriously. Valley Health System (VHS) contracted with Premier, America’s leading health care consultant, to conduct a survey to define the area’s health needs. “Health” is a term that describes more than medical status. A focus group was formed to concentrate on roughly ten major issues. The goal of this group was to consider how the area could best be served in relation to these needs. Five issues were chosen and set the stage for a group to facilitate services to area non-profits and coordinate client care. The mission was to look behind or beyond the medical needs of the community and reach out to a community in a way never before attempted. Focusing on societal challenges, before healthcare solutions, was a model that was yet to be defined, at least in Virginia. The name of this group-Our Health-was meant to imply just that. Stemming from Valley Health, which focuses on medical well-being, Our Health was created to expand the opportunity for a community to be well.
Our Health collaborated via both public and private partnerships to create a community campus. Local, state and federal government representatives supported this idea on many levels. These unique partnerships helped create a co-location, currently for 16 agencies. Although these agencies share a GreenSpace on campus, they are still autonomous and act as stand-alone agencies. By connecting them in proximity, the goal is to encourage collaboration and coordination of client care. The campus provides those in need with many resources to achieve overall health. Our Health supports campus agencies, providing a reasonable, inclusive rate for office space. Partnerships through the Volunteer Action Center, grant writing, and training resources create a diverse network of services for non-profits. Many levels of support are offered to these agencies by sharing the skilled staff of Our Health. Our Health offers non-profit agencies guidance to improve their organizational structure and efficiency with an eye toward sustaining and enhancing the non-profit community. The original mission was to reach out to our community with a commitment to serve others. Our Health achieves this each day it is connected to area agencies.
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Our Values
We believe it is our responsibility to:
Serve the needs of our community partners with fairness and respect.
Ensure our actions adhere to high ethical standards, as set forth in the Our Health code of ethics.
Responsibly manage the resources of Our Health with fiscal accountability.
Value the diversity of our community and be sensitive to the needs of others.
Act resourcefully and adapt to a changing environment.
Interact cooperatively.
Support the total well-being of our community: the spiritual, emotional, mental, social and physical health.
Promote innovative approaches in all activities.
— Kendall Community Campus
Dr. Robert G. Kendall, retired Neurosurgeon and Chief of Surgery for Winchester Medical Center, was instrumental in creating the vision of this project and ensuring the support of the local community. In 1997, the concept of a Community Campus was envisioned and, ultimately, constructed, renovated and dedicated in 2003! The original Phase I buildings are located at 301and 329 North Cameron Street. They are situated at the north and south ends of a property which features an open GreenSpace in between. It is open for use by the partner agencies and general public, with permission and sensitivity to the operations and mission of Our Health. In 2010, the original Snapp Foundry Building was dedicated as the second phase of the campus. Covering 10 and 24 Baker Street and 411 North Cameron Street, this unique renovation was a LEED certified project made possible through public and private partnerships. In 2021 the building was sold to the City of Winchester, but the campus agencies remained. In 2017 we opened the Patton Building at 419 North Cameron Street housing partners dedicated to improving client lives by teaching job placement and training skills, as part of the region’s Workforce Development program.
Today, the Kendall Community Campus is home to 16 co-located, health and human service partner agencies. Campus agencies provide an increased benefit to clients by being in close proximity to each other. This helps connect many needed services in one convenient location, which provides maximum convenience for persons with multiple needs and transportation issues such as the elderly, the disabled and families with children.
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