Community Organizations Receive $12 Million in Grants From Kaiser Permanente

OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente awarded $12 million in grant funding to more than 500 community organizations during the second quarter of 2011. This brings total grant making to $19.7 million for 2011.

"Partnering with local organizations – whose work touches the critical health care needs in the communities where our members, physicians and employees live and work – is at the core of Kaiser Permanente's philanthropic programs," said Raymond J. Baxter, senior vice president, Community Benefit, Research and Healthy Policy. "We are committed to working with our community partners to make health programs and services available during these challenging economic times and beyond."  

Kaiser Permanente awards grants in distinct categories including, but not limited to; promoting healthy communities; expanding access to health care; and developing and disseminating knowledge. This is a sampling of the grants awarded in the second quarter of 2011.

Promoting Healthy Communities

To promote healthy communities, Kaiser Permanente works with community-based organizations to design, deliver, and sustain long-term programs that engage residents in improving the conditions of their neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools.

• A $96,500 grant was awarded to the Baltimore Office of Sustainability to support the Baltimore Food Policy Initiative. BFPI embraces health prevention and greening strategies to address priority outcomes such as increased access to healthy foods, reduced urban blight, and increased healthy food retail within the city of Baltimore.
• Contra Costa Child Care Council (in Northern California) received a $50,000 grant for the Healthy and Active Before 5 program, which aims to prevent childhood obesity by inspiring community partners to become role models for good health through new organizational policies and practices. The project's goal for 2011 is to promote physical activity policies and practices that make a difference for families and young children.
• Hawaii Foodbank was given a $2,500 contribution to support its 22nd annual food drive, which is their largest fund raiser for collecting canned goods and monetary contributions to help ensure no Hawaii family goes hungry.

Expanding Access to Health Care

Kaiser Permanente is committed to building and maintaining partnerships with community health centers, local health departments, and public hospitals – collectively referred to as the "safety net" – to help these vital health care providers improve care and expand treatment capacity for the communities they serve.

• Legal Aid Society of Cleveland's Community Advocacy Program was awarded a $25,000 grant. The Community Advocacy Program is a medical-legal partnership, which integrates lawyers in health settings to help patients navigate government and community systems that hold solutions to social determinants of health, such as utility shut-off-protection during winter months, mold removal, and income supports for food-insecure families.
• Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services in Maryland was awarded a $95,000 grant. Focused efforts are underway to expand Medicaid participation in several of the County's health care programs, including HIV/AIDS services and school-based health care centers. Funds are also provided to Montgomery Cares, a program that delivers primary care services to low-income, uninsured adults through an independent network of non profit clinics.
• Seniors First received a $25,000 contribution to Health Express, a free, non-emergency medical transportation program for Placer County (in Northern California) citizens of all ages, including seniors, disabled, uninsured and other underserved populations. With support from Kaiser Permanente and other sources last year, Placer County residents took nearly 7,500 trips on Health Express, an increase of 40 percent over the previous year.

Developing and Disseminating Knowledge

Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to advancing health through research, education and training. We aim to improve health care by sharing our knowledge – educating practitioners, advancing research, empowering consumers, and informing policymakers – about the evidence base for care and health.

• Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center is the oldest free-standing speech and hearing center in the United States. The center received a $15,000 grant to support the Regional Infant Hearing Program, an outreach, evaluation and education program for families of newborns who don't pass the hospital-administered screening that Ohio requires for all newborns.
• The Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta received a $60,000 grant to provide a one-year honors scholarship to a medical school student who has achieved academic and leadership excellence. The scholarship will cover fees, books, room/board, and tuition. Students are encouraged to work in Georgia after graduation to provide health care for underserved communities.

For more information about Kaiser Permanente's Community Benefit programs visit www.kp.org/communitybenefit. The 2010 Community Benefit Annual Report can be found at www.kp.org/communitybenefit/annualreport.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.8 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente