The 13th annual Celebrating a Healthier Detroit expo, organized by the McKinney Foundation in collaboration with Wayne State University and other organizations, drew more than 100 attendees to Milliken State Park and Harbor in Detroit on Aug. 9.

The expo seeks to increase Detroiters’ awareness of free and low-cost wellness and preventative care programs in the area.

“Wayne State is passionate about providing public health services to the Detroit community. Our participation in the McKinney Foundation’s health expo provided another opportunity to do so,” said Stacie Clayton, WSU director of community affairs.

WSU’s CURES program, Wayne Pediatrics and the Wayne Health Mobile Unit were on hand to offer COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, blood pressure testing, and general health screenings.  Children received free vision exams as well as free eyeglasses. The expo also featured lunch, a DJ and other forms of entertainment.

“This event is a labor of love,” explained Tiah McKinney, founder and executive director of the McKinney Foundation. “We are in our second decade and we are focused on advancing health equity, but we are in post-pandemic and have a health problem. COVID helped expose that, but also underscored the importance of the work that we do. It is so important that we put healthy living in our daily lives.”

Several other groups and corporations also supported the event, including the Detroit Pistons, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Wayne County Community College Detroit.

For more information on the McKinney Foundation, visit mckinneyfoundation.org.