Choose Healthy Life

What Choose Healthy Life does

Choose Healthy Life (CHL) is a US-based nonprofit organization founded in October 2020 by public health veteran Debra Fraser-Howze in response to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities. The organization addresses health disparities — including 30% higher obesity rates, 60% higher diabetes diagnosis rates, 40% higher breast cancer mortality, and twice the COVID-19 death rate compared to White populations — by funding, training, and embedding faith-based Health Navigators within a network of 120 Black churches across 13 states. Health Navigators are recruited from existing parishioners, leveraging pre-existing community trust to deliver free health screenings, COVID-19 testing and vaccination, social determinants of health screening, insurance enrollment assistance, and wellness programming. Each church operates as a community health hub, with services supplemented by Blueprint for Wellness blood-based screenings provided at no charge through a partnership with Quest Diagnostics. As of 2025, New York hosts the densest network with 30 churches including recent upstate expansion to Albany, Buffalo, Newburgh, Rochester, and Syracuse.

CHL's business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. The organization is supported by a combination of state appropriations (notably approximately $5.9M cumulative from New York State since FY2023), federal grants (including a CMS award for South Carolina enrollment assistance), corporate foundation funding (Siemens Foundation, Quest Diagnostics in-kind contributions, UnitedHealthcare and Novo Nordisk event sponsorships), and strategic partnerships with academic medical centers (EQBMED with Yale, Morehouse, and Vanderbilt). Since inception CHL has secured over $50 million in combined funding and donated services, and has reported outcomes including 12,000+ wellness events hosted, 350,000+ individuals vaccinated or tested, 37,000+ screened for comprehensive health risks, and 1.1M+ screened for social determinants of health. All services are delivered free of charge to community members.

The go-to-market motion is community-led and faith-based, leveraging the Black church as distribution infrastructure. Technology assets are limited to a Health Navigator Portal for training and coordination; there is no disclosed software product, proprietary AI/ML system, or commercial technology platform. Operational governance is led by Founder and Board Chair Debra Fraser-Howze (also founder of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, 1987) and President & CEO Rev. Kimberly L. Williams (appointed first Executive Director May 2023, previously Health Navigator Supervisor for Newark), supported by COO Ron Ticho. United Way of New York City has served as implementation partner since 2021 and will transition the New York contract directly to CHL effective July 1, 2026, completing the planned progression to direct implementation across the largest state operation.

Name

Choose Healthy Life

Legal name

Choose Healthy Life

Website

https://choosehealthylife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Choose Healthy Life is a nonprofit founded in 2020 that funds and trains faith-based Health Navigators within a network of 120 Black churches across 13 states to deliver free health screenings, vaccinations, and wellness services to underserved Black communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Chronic Condition Lifestyle Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAGAH)

Keywords

• Community health navigation
• Faith-based health programs
• Health screening services
• Health insurance enrollment
• Preventive health education

Headquarters

HQ city

East Stroudsburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grants and Government Funding: Choose Healthy Life operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through grants and government funding. The organization has secured over $50 million in combined funding and donated services since its founding in 2021. Key government funding includes New York State funding through UWNYC (initial $3.38 million in FY2023, growing to nearly $5 million in 2025 with proposals for $5.9 million in FY26), and federal cooperative grants.
2. Corporate and Foundation Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations and foundations including Siemens Foundation for Health Navigator program support, Quest Diagnostics providing free Blueprint for Wellness screenings, and event sponsorships from organizations like UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and Novo Nordisk.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Choose Healthy Life is a nonprofit organization that funds, establishes, and trains faith-based Health Navigators embedded in 120 Black churches across 13 states. Through these churches and community events, CHL delivers free health services including Blueprint for Wellness comprehensive blood-based screenings (in partnership with Quest Diagnostics), COVID-19 testing and vaccination, health insurance enrollment assistance via HealthCare.gov, and social determinants of health screening and referrals.

Product overview

Choose Healthy Life (CHL) is a nonprofit organization that does not operate as a technology product company with distinct product lines. CHL provides community health services through a network of Black churches, offering health navigation, wellness programs, and health screenings rather than software products or technology platforms. The organization operates the Choose Healthy Life Community Wellness Program, which includes Health Navigator services, the Blueprint for Wellness health screening program (provided in partnership with Quest Diagnostics), COVID-19 testing and vaccination services, and health insurance enrollment assistance through HealthCare.gov.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Health Navigator: Faith-based community health workers trained to bridge the gap between faith and science to increase access to health services in Black church communities.
• Blueprint for Wellness

Products and services

• Health Navigator Program A faith-based community health navigation program in which trained parishioners (Health Navigators) embedded in Black churches deliver free health services, education, and referrals to underserved Black community members. Each of the 120 churches across 13 states has at least one navigator who serves as a trusted bridge between faith and science.
• Blueprint for Wellness Health Screenings Free comprehensive blood-based health screening events delivered at churches in partnership with Quest Diagnostics, providing actionable results and risk assessments across multiple health conditions to community members served by CHL.
• Health Insurance Enrollment Assistance (HealthCare.gov) Free, navigator-led assistance helping uninsured and underinsured individuals enroll in health insurance through HealthCare.gov, including Special Enrollment Periods, Medicaid, and affordability savings guidance.
• COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Services Free COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and self-test kit distribution delivered through CHL's 120 church sites and community health events across 13 states.
• Social Determinants of Health Screening and Referrals Screening and referral services that identify non-medical barriers to health (housing, food access, transportation, etc.) and connect community members to appropriate support resources through Health Navigators and church-based programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 12,000 events hosted, 350,000+ individuals served with vaccines/tests/kits, 37,000+ screened for health risks, 1.1 million+ screened for social determinants of health

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• UnitedHealthcare Community PlanminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Event sponsor for CHL's Service of Hope and Healing events. Provides free information and resources on affordable health insurance at church-based events.
• BlackDoctor.orgminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Partner that presented the 'Community Voices Against Cancer' panel at CHL's 2025 National Conclave. CHL's Medical Advisory Board Member Dr. Reed Tuckson moderated the panel.
• EQBMED (Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2024Partnership to enhance clinical trial diversity through faith-based engagement. Led by Yale School of Medicine with Morehouse School of Medicine, Research Centers in Minority Institutions Coordinating Center at Morehouse, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. CHL's health navigators help address historical mistrust and increase awareness of clinical trials in underserved communities.
• Novo NordiskminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Event sponsor for CHL's Capitol Hill reception. Damon Davis, Associate Director Alliance Development at Novo Nordisk, participated in the event.
• United Way of New York City (UWNYC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022UWNYC served as CHL's original implementation partner since 2021. They administered New York State funding to support CHL's expansion. In 2026, UWNYC intends to shift the contract directly to CHL, completing the planned progression. UWNYC has a longstanding track record of incubating and scaling high-impact community initiatives.
• Quest DiagnosticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Quest Diagnostics provides the Blueprint for Wellness comprehensive health screening service at no charge to CHL participants. This partnership delivers blood-based actionable test results and connects participants to healthcare professionals for personalized risk assessments.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CHLActionPlan
• Facebookfacebook.com/CHLactionplan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/choosehealthylife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Choose Healthy Life