Tackling Health Care

To help address health needs in Reno, KNPB Outreach Director Sherri Dangberg decided to get input from the community. She organized focus groups to prioritize the issues.

"We asked them what was most important and the answer was everything: from affordability, prescriptions, and elder care, to dental care and obesity," she said.

As a result, health issues have become a top outreach priority at KNPB. Now, when national health-related programs air, viewers are invited to call-in and speak to featured local experts. The response has been overwhelming. When Almost Home aired, the phone didn't stop ringing. Callers said, "Thanks so much for doing this, the information and resources you're providing are very valuable."

Local organizations are essential partners in the effort and each month more organizations get involved.

"The partners bring resources, local experts and guidance so we know we're on track. What we do in return is keep everyone informed," Dangberg explains. Each month, an "e-blast" is sent describing upcoming health-related programming. Partners then pass the e-blasts on to their colleagues and the circle widens again.

"Every month there's a new topic to tackle and KNPB is more and more becoming the hub, the place people and organizations turn to, to know what is going on," says Dangberg.