When the City of Hartford closed miles of streets in the Northeast and Frog Hollow neighborhoods this summer for its DominGO! celebrations, the focus was on music, food and, thanks to the presence of Hartford HealthCare teams, good health.
“Good health provides a brighter future for everyone and we are committed to reaching people where they are with the services they need most – in an easily accessible way and free of charge,” says Bimal Patel, president of Hartford Hospital and senior vice president of Hartford HealthCare.
The second DominGO! – named after the Spanish word for Sunday, when events are held – took place on Sept. 17 and helped kick off Hispanic Heritage Month.
An “open streets” event, DominGO! stretches along roads in different neighborhoods across the capital city that are closed to vehicle traffic. This encourages attendees to walk, cycle and visit local merchants along the route. The final DominGO! event is planned for the Parkville neighborhood of Hartford on Oct. 1.
In 2022, more than 20,000 people took to Hartford’s city streets – events took place in the West End, South End and downtown – to engage in physical activity through activities, such as dancing, promote community wellness with a variety of health screenings, and connect with neighbors. DominGO! Hartford is also a celebration of local arts, culture and entrepreneurship.
HHC has been the event’s Community Health Sponsor since 2022. Teams from Neighborhood Health and the Heart & Vascular Institute provided free blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar screenings on the most recent Sunday.
“Last year at DominGO!, our Neighborhood Health team alone provided more than 500 screenings, educating our neighbors about their health and offering resources to help manage it. This year, we are on our way to exceeding that,” Patel says.
Kelly Toth, system director of Neighborhood Health operations, notes that being able to meet people where they live creates opportunities for the future.
“When we can establish relationships with people, they get more comfortable,” she says. “When we are able to provide important health screenings within an event that is fun for all ages, we can create a basis of trust.”
At this year’s events, Camelo Communication, HHC’s Hispanic marketing partner, also added some fun and games with Latin dance instruction, a basketball challenge and painting for the kids.
Learn more about the next DominGO.