CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – A group spent Saturday, March 16, celebrating African American health in Charlottesville.

The Black Family Wellness Expo was held at the Boys and Girls Club.

March 16th marks National Impact Service Day for the Charlottesville Chapter of Lynx.

The nonprofit organization spent the day promoting health and wellness in Charlottesville’s African American community.

“It’s more accessible. It’s all a one-stop shop,” said Health and Human Services Facet Chair Lisa Jones. “You can get information about everything you need as soon as you walk in.”

The Links is an international organization with approximately 17,000 members.

The Charlottesville chapter says it has been serving the community for more than 25 years.

“We are a nonprofit organization for African American women’s service organizations,” said Deborah Bell Birx, president of the Charlottesville Chapter of Lynx.

All Lynx branches around the world are hosting an expo on Saturday.

The chapter has decided to host a Black Family Wellness Expo here in Charlottesville.

“This is to address the many health disparities that exist in the African American community,” Belle Burks said.

Jones helped organize the event and said the groups and resources at the various booths are aimed at addressing each part of a person’s health and well-being.

“Heart disease, CPR, voter registration, financial health, every type of health you can think of, mental health awareness. To raise awareness and reduce disparities,” Jones said.

Jones said the goal is to make these free resources more accessible and in return help with preventive health care.

“Someone may have been diagnosed with heart disease, and they need information about it. It’s time to find out all of your health problems and solve them in one place,” says Jones. he said.

Jones hopes this will be the first of many expos.

“I hope this continues every year here in Charlottesville,” Jones said.

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