The Yale School of Medicine conducted community-based participatory research in three Porch Light communities to assess the program’s impact on individual and community-level health outcomes.  The rigorous study tracks program activities and evaluates outcomes through individual interviews, qualitative case studies, community surveys, systematic observations, comparison sites, and archival data.

The study quantified Porch Light’s impact on distressed neighborhoods, with residents living within one mile of a mural reporting increased trust between neighbors and increases in the aesthetic value and safety of the neighborhood. Results on the individual level were not significant, probably due to the variety of implementation strategies at the various agency sites. Overall, participants in well-implemented programs were more likely to report positive effects from the Porch Light programming.

National foundations, health leaders, and universities from across the country are looking at the Porch Light Program as an example of progressive public health promotion. With generous support from our sponsors, we are honing the Porch Light model and repeating our success across Philadelphia. We hope our work will become a national model for an innovative approach to promoting healthy communities. Read our replication manual, Painting a Healthy City, for a more in-depth look at how Porch Light operates.