View Strong: Transforming Community Health in Southeast DC
The Interrupt works to transform how communities address health—moving beyond siloed strategies to a whole health approach. View Strong in Southeast Washington, DC, is where that vision comes to life.
In Ward 8, health disparities run deep. The area has the city's highest diabetes rate—nearly 20% of residents—and just one grocery store serves 75,000 people. Access to stable employment and healthcare remains scarce.
At Washington View, a community of 3,000 residents, these barriers are faced daily. View Strong, powered by The Interrupt, is changing that.
Rather than addressing one issue at a time, View Strong takes an integrated, resident-centered approach—weaving together food access, workforce development, housing, physical activity, and healthcare into a coordinated ecosystem built with and for Washington View residents.
What We're Delivering:
Food Access: An on-site urban farm and free marketplace providing fresh food where resident live.
Workforce Development: Construction training through Skyland Workforce Center connecting residents to living-wage careers.
Homeownership Pathways: In partnership with National Housing Trust, we're expanding opportunities to build wealth and long-term security.
Health Services: Unity Health Care provides on-site wellness visits, while Black Nurses Rock delivers health screenings and education. Friendship Bench DC offers mental health support.
Wellness Programming: Regular activities—including a 3x3 basketball league—build community, with transportation provided to ensure access.
Why It Matters
Clinical care accounts for just 20% of health outcomes. The other 80% is shaped by where people live, what they can afford to eat, and whether they have stable work and housing. View Strong addresses the full picture—proving that integrated, place-based strategies can shift outcomes in communities that have been underserved for far too long.
