B.R.E.A.T.H.E.

A community-led path to the BLHF x Temple Hills Arts & Wellness Hub

 

Introduction

District 8 deserves trusted spaces where wellness, healing, and community care feel close to home.
B.R.E.A.T.H.E. – Belonging, Resilience, Expression, Access, Trust, Healing & Equity – is a community-centered initiative
from the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation that brings wellness experiences, community conversations, training
opportunities, and mental health resources directly into District 8 while helping shape the future BLHF x Temple Hills Arts & Wellness Hub. Through this work, BLHF is listening to residents, building local partnerships, and creating opportunities for people of all ages to connect with care in ways that feel welcoming, familiar, and rooted in community.

Building something the community can see itself in

A wellness hub does not begin the day a building opens. It begins much earlier – by listening to residents, creating opportunities for participation, and building trust over time. That is the purpose of B.R.E.A.T.H.E.

Before the BLHF x Temple Hills Arts & Wellness Hub opens, BLHF is bringing the spirit of that future space directly into District 8 through community conversations, wellness gatherings, free training opportunities, and local partnerships. This helps make sure the Hub is shaped with the community, not simply introduced to it.

This is about creating a place where residents can feel represented, supported, and connected to meaningful resources from the very beginning.

What B.R.E.A.T.H.E. stands for

B.R.E.A.T.H.E. is more than a name. It reflects the values guiding this work in District 8 and the future of the BLHF
x Temple Hills Arts & Wellness Hub.

  • Belonging

    Creating spaces where residents feel welcomed, seen, and included.

  • Resilience

    Honoring the strength already present in the community while building new pathways to support and wellbeing.

  • Expression

    Making room for creativity, voice, movement, and emotional release as part of healing.

  • Access

    Connecting residents to trusted, culturally relevant wellness resources and opportunities close to home.

  • Trust

    Building relationships through listening, consistency, and community partnership.

  • Healing

    Supporting mental wellness in ways that are compassionate, grounded, and community-centered.

  • Equity

    Helping ensure that care, resources, and opportunities are available in ways that reflect the needs and realities of District 8.

What is B.R.E.A.T.H.E.?

B.R.E.A.T.H.E. is the District 8 Healing Arts Tour created to support youth, families, adults, and seniors while laying the
groundwork for the future BLHF x Temple Hills Arts & Wellness Hub.

Listening Tours

Community outreach and engagement designed to gather insight from residents and ensure their voices help shape what the future Wellness Hub will offer.

Free Training and Certification Opportunities

Residents will have opportunities to become trained and certified Community Wellness Practitioners in modalities such as yoga, guided meditation, sound healing, Mental Health First Aid, drumming and meditation, and psychoeducation tools.

Community Wellness Gatherings

Integrative wellness experiences may include yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, dance, drumming, sound baths, art therapy, and more.

Community Partnerships

BLHF plans to work alongside schools, faith institutions, hospitals, government agencies, civic groups, arts organizations, and senior advocates to build a stronger network of support across District 8.

Digital Resource Page

A public-facing destination connecting residents to free mental health services, arts and wellness programming, and community resources.

What the future Wellness Hub will help make possible

The future BLHF x Temple Hills Arts & Wellness Hub is envisioned as a welcoming community space where youth, adults,
seniors, and families can access mental wellness resources, healing arts programming, and supportive services that reflect
the needs of District 8.

Key messages:

  • wellness resources are easier to find
  • care feels more welcoming and less stigmatized
  • healing spaces reflect the community they serve
  • families and individuals have stronger pathways to support
  • local residents are part of leading the work, not just receiving it

This is not only about opening a space. It is about building a stronger circle of care around District 8.

Wellness grows through connection

Healing often begins with feeling supported, understood, and connected.
B.R.E.A.T.H.E. is rooted in that belief. It is designed to create opportunities for residents to gather, learn, reflect, and access
care in ways that feel trusted and familiar. The future Wellness Hub will carry that same spirit forward – offering a place where people can connect not only to resources, but also to community.

Why this matters for District 8

District 8 residents deserve spaces and programs that support the whole person. That includes opportunities for
conversation, education, healing practices, creative expression, and connection across generations. B.R.E.A.T.H.E. is designed to help normalize mental wellness, reduce stigma, and expand access by meeting people where
they are.

It is helping build something that belongs to the community from the start.

What this can mean for District 8

  • residents feeling welcomed and reflected in the future Hub
  • families having more visible pathways to care and resources
  • older adults feeling included in healing spaces and community programming
  • younger adults finding opportunities to participate, learn, and lead
  • mental wellness feeling more open, more familiar, and more supported across District 8

How the community is shaping this work

B.R.E.A.T.H.E. is grounded in the idea that the strongest community spaces are shaped by the people who will use them.
Listening is positioned as a foundation for co-ownership so that when the Hub opens, residents can immediately see
themselves reflected in what has been built.
Partnership heading: A stronger circle of care
No one organization can do this work alone. The page should highlight collaboration with schools, faith communities,
hospitals, state and county agencies, civic and cultural groups, and senior advocates.

Ways to engage

There are many ways for residents, families, and partners to be part of what is taking shape:

  • Attend a listening tour
  • Join a community wellness gathering
  • Explore wellness resources
  • Learn about training and certification opportunities
  • Sign up for project updates

One community. One Hub. Built together.

B.R.E.A.T.H.E. is the beginning of a larger story for District 8 – one rooted in belonging, care, trust, access,
and healing.

A healthier future is built step by step – through conversation, connection, and care.