What does whole health really look like when it’s rooted in community?

In this episode of ReCity Chronicles, we sit down with Tonita Flowers, Program Coordinator with PIRE (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation) and the TakeCare initiative—bringing a powerful, research-backed model of well-being from the VA space back into the community, right here in Durham.

Tonita shares how TakeCare centers mind, body, spirit, and community through a nine-week cohort experience (plus a new two-hour introductory experience) designed to help people move from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What matters to me?”—without judgment, without therapy talk, and without anyone being told what to do.

Instead, TakeCare creates space for peer-to-peer learning, storytelling, and practical goal-setting that supports real, lasting behavioral change.

Together, we talk about:

• Why Durham was chosen as the pilot city (and its connection to Whole Health and integrative medicine)
• How TakeCare supports both community members and the leaders serving them
• The power of cohort-based wellness: “standing shoulder to shoulder” with others and realizing you’re not alone
• The three core questions at the heart of the program: Why, What, and How
• What’s next for Take Care Durham, including a youth component coming in 2026
• How to get involved (and why it matters that all programming is free)

Get Involved / Learn More:

• Email Tanita: tflowers@pire.org
• Visit Take Care: https://takecare.org
• Learn about PIRE: https://pire.org

If you’re a community organization, leader, or team looking to strengthen wellness and resilience from the inside out, this conversation is for you.