Submitted by Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.
April 22, 2024, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) announced its commitment of $1.7 million to support local nonprofit organizations across the Puget Sound that address some of the region’s most pressing health issues – access to care, behavioral health, chronic disease prevention, and violence prevention. The goal of the 2024 Community Health Improvement Grants program is to improve health locally with a specific focus on underrepresented and underserved populations.
“The Community Health Improvement Grants program is a way for us to give back by partnering with local nonprofit organizations to improve the health and quality of life in the communities that we serve, advance health equity, live our mission and demonstrate our values,” said Ketul J. Patel, Chief Executive Officer of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and President of CommonSpirit Health’s Northwest Region.
Funded by contributions from eight VMFH hospitals across the region, and in partnership with CommonSpirit Health, the Community Health Improvement Grants program selected 24 grantees located in the communities VMFH serves.
“These grants are a way to invest and build capacity into community partners that are working in the community to reduce health disparities,” said Doug Baxter-Jenkins, region director, Community Health. “These projects represent increased social support, access to basic needs, and ultimately lives saved. VMFH is proud to work with organizations that share our values and commitment to health equity.”
The 24 awardees include:
- Communities in Schools of Lakewood
- Emergency Food Network
- HopeSparks
- KC HELP
- Key Peninsula Healthy Community
- Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center
- Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center
- North Kitsap Fishline
- Nourish Pierce County Food Banks
- Pacific Lutheran University
- Peace Lutheran Church
- Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank
- Plateau Outreach Ministries
- Project Access Northwest
- Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation
- Resilient in Sustaining Empowerment
- Seattle Center Foundation
- Solid Ground WA
- Step By Step Family Support Center
- Tacoma SEED – Hilltop Urban Gardens
- Tacoma Urban League
- Teen Feed
- Vine Maple Place
- YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties
Expanding access to care, increasing health equity and creating healthier communities is at the heart of VMFH’s mission, and this program is one way VMFH puts its mission and values into practice. The program also aims to provide VMFH employees with more opportunities to directly engage with community members.
For example, Seattle Center Foundation, one of the grantees awarded $35,000, recently held the multi-day Seattle/King County Clinic at Seattle Center, in partnership with VMFH, civic agencies, businesses, and volunteers. The volunteer-driven health clinic provided free medical, dental, and vision care, as well as social services to 2,900 individuals in the community who needed help accessing or affording health care. More than 30 VMFH health care providers and staff members volunteered at the clinic as well. The next Seattle/King County Clinic is scheduled April 24 – 27, 2025 at Seattle Center.
More information can be found at www.vmfh.org/community-grants
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