Transformative Initiatives
Dr. Mendenhall leads groundbreaking initiatives that bridge the gap between academia and community, creating pathways for health equity, housing innovation, educational access, and community wellness.
SASH™ Homes
Smart, Affordable, Small and Healing Homes
The future of housing and healing! SASH™ Homes represent a revolutionary approach to addressing the intersection of health disparities and housing insecurity through innovative, community-centered design.
Housing As Healthcare
Discover why Champaign-Urbana is becoming a model for housing innovation and how SASH™ Homes are transforming the intersection of health and housing.
The Wicked Problems at the Intersection of Health & Housing
Poor housing conditions contribute to the spread of infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and mental health challenges. Children growing up in poor quality housing conditions, such as apartments with mold, may experience respiratory illnesses such as asthma or other health challenges.
Dr. Mendenhall's research with Black women in Chicago revealed how living in neighborhoods with high levels of violence leads to depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic headaches, digestive problems, and other serious health impacts.
"Starving a child is violence. Suppressing a culture is violence. Neglecting school children is violence. Ghetto housing is violence. Ignoring medical needs is violence. Contempt for poverty is violence. Even the lack of will power to help humanity is a sick and sinister form of violence."
— Coretta Scott King, Mother's Day Speech, 1968
The Science of Exposomes
The exposome encompasses life-course environmental exposures (including lifestyle factors), from the prenatal period onwards. This includes forces such as environment, diet, behavior, societal influences (such as racism), infections, and pandemics. Understanding the exposome is critical to addressing health disparities and creating healing environments.
SASH™ Home Features
Integrated technology for health monitoring, energy efficiency, and connected living
Designed to cost approximately $20,000, making homeownership accessible
Approximately 430 square feet with expandable design for growing families
Built with wellness principles to foster both physical and mental health
SASH™ Homes are connected to the Wellness Store, a scalable platform for people to develop their own wellness tools based on their experiences. The Wellness Store will produce SASH™ Homes and other wellness innovations, empowering communities to take control of their health and housing futures.
Leadership Team
Dr. Mendenhall brings her expertise in health disparities, community resilience, and innovative housing solutions to lead SASH Homes' mission of creating healing-centered affordable housing for underserved communities.
Emmanuel leads the technology innovation at SASH Homes, developing smart home systems and digital platforms that integrate health monitoring, energy efficiency, and connected living solutions.
Get Involved
These initiatives represent the future of community-engaged scholarship. Whether you're a student, educator, community member, or potential partner, there are opportunities to contribute to this transformative work.
Contact Dr. Mendenhall