The WHOLE Program was created in response to a 2017 survey conducted by CORE (formerly known as Cambridge Community Health Network Area - CHNA17). The survey examined how the Black community in the Cambridge area engaged in mental health services. The results showed that there is an enormous stigma associated with mental health in the Black community, especially communities of faith. Some of the findings showed that people don’t talk about mental health inside the church. People also often said that they fear being told that they “simply need to pray more” or having to explain their faith to a provider but then being labeled as “crazy”.

Under the leadership of Rev. Lorraine A. Thornhill, Kingdom Empowerment Center (KEC) was awarded a grant from CHNA17 to address mental health in the Black faith community. Rev. Thornhill’s passion is to see individuals WHOLE and thriving in every area of their lives. She has seen how the current climate in the country is affecting people of color (POC) and has made it her goal to address the mental health crisis of POC. This has propelled her into action to create safe spaces for individuals to know that they are heard and are not alone. Rev. Thornhill founded the WHOLE program to continue to serve the community on an ongoing basis. Through WHOLE, Rev. Thornhill began to address the mental health crisis by organizing events such as Healing Racial Trauma for Women seminars, a Black Men and Trauma virtual gathering, mental health trainings, a Clergy Support Group, and a mental health symposium. Over the years, WHOLE has expanded its programs in hopes of meeting more of the needs within the Cambridge community and surrounding areas.