UNLIKELY COLLABORATORS
(November 19, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA) – Unlikely Collaborators has awarded a grant to Open Source Wellness, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Alameda County, CA. The funding will help Open Source Wellness advance its mission of creating Community as Medicine TM (CAM) by partnering with communities, healthcare systems, and providers to deliver joyful, trauma-informed, and culturally-relevant programs for health, wellbeing, and human connection. Open Source Wellness envisions a world in which everyone experiences these outcomes, especially those who have been historically excluded and marginalized.
Co-founded by Dr. Elizabeth Markle, Executive Director, and Dr. Benjamin Emmert-Aronson, Director of Operations, Open Source Wellness’s evidence-based programs function as a "behavioral pharmacy" where individuals can "fill" prescriptions for physical activity, nutritious food, stress reduction, and social connection through supportive and equity-centered group health and wellness coaching. These programs bring together diverse participants in uplifting sessions where they engage in activities that promote healing, resilience, and connection. Through these integrative practices, Open Source Wellness not only improves mental and physical wellbeing, but also fosters a sense of belonging, connection, and personal agency for participants.
Open Source Wellness has offered direct service programs for underserved communities in Alameda County since 2016 and is now scaling its CAM model nationwide.
“We are thrilled to partner with Unlikely Collaborators and grateful for the mission-alignment between our two organizations,” stated Dr. Markle. “This generous grant will support our strategy to train and license community-based organizations to implement our CAM health coaching model in their communities. This will address the need and demand for accessible solutions that serve as an alternative to traditional healthcare models that often silo mental and physical health.”
To support the spread of CAM, Open Source Wellness offers a National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) accredited CAM Health Coach Training Program anchored in the pillars of trauma-informed coaching, cultural humility, and group coaching. The grant will also fund scholarships for training.The next training cohort for individuals seeking to become health and wellness coaches begins February 1, 2025, and enrollment is open via the Open Source Wellness website.
Unlikely Collaborators is a mission-driven non-profit organization committed to transforming the narratives that limit individuals, communities, and societies. The organization fosters profound self-awareness and mutual understanding by empowering people to gain insight into and agency over their Perception Box™—a concept developed by founder Elizabeth R. Koch. Perception Box represents the internal collection of beliefs, experiences, and biases that shape how individuals perceive the world and engage with others. Through its initiatives, Unlikely Collaborators seeks to inspire meaningful change by helping people untangle the stories that hold them back, clearing the way for greater self-acceptance and connection.
“Mental health programs don’t have to feel grim,” said Koch. “Open Source Wellness creates joyful experiences where individuals integrate personal recovery and self-discovery with fun, uplifting communal activities. The more we share, the more we realize how not alone we are, and the more our Perception Box expands, which strengthens our community bonds even more deeply."
For more information on Open Source Wellness and its mission, please visit https://www.opensourcewellness.org. To learn more about Unlikely Collaborators and its mission, visit https://www.unlikelycollaborators.com.
