COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than 68 organizations brought health services and community resources to the Near East Side on Saturday, Sept. 26, for the second annual All of Us Block Party, organized by state Rep. Dontavius Jarrells. A section of Mount Vernon Avenue was closed for the event, where residents could access offerings that included massages, stroke screenings and a blood drive. The participating groups also addressed needs such as housing and rent assistance, which Jarrells said residents frequently raise with his office. Jarrells said the event was designed to provide direct connections to services rather than simply give people phone numbers or instructions to seek help later. Bringing providers together in the neighborhood, he said, could reduce the number of steps residents face when trying to find support. Health care providers included AndHealth and PrimaryOne Health. Kevin Hoggatt, AndHealth’s vice president of industry and government affairs, said PrimaryOne offers primary, dental and behavioral health care, while AndHealth partners with the health center to connect patients with specialists in fields including rheumatology, dermatology and neurology. Hoggatt said community-based partnerships can help people overcome barriers to specialty care, including cost. He noted that patients may be able to receive medication through health centers’ sliding-fee arrangements. Jarrells said the event’s value should be measured not only by attendance, but also by whether people felt welcomed and connected to help. The gathering brought multiple kinds of support into one neighborhood setting, aiming to make services easier to reach for Near East Side families.