Health Foundation of South Florida Invests $225,000 to Establish Overtown Youth Center as a Community Health Access Hub

The three-year investment pairs onsite telehealth with dedicated Community Health Navigators to connect local families to screenings, chronic disease management, and primary care

MIAMI, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Health Foundation of South Florida today announced a $225,000 investment over three years to support the Overtown Youth Center (OYC) as it works to establish itself as a community health access hub. Building on OYC's more than 20 years of service to the Overtown, Little Haiti, and Liberty City communities, the investment will help expand the organizations capacity to connect the 5,500 individuals it supports annually with health care resources and services.

The new funding pairs onsite telehealth, delivered through an OnMed CareStation, with dedicated Health Foundation of South Florida funded Community Health Navigators. Together, these resources will connect at-risk youth and families to early disease and social risk screenings, chronic disease management, health education, and clear pathways into primary care. The program addresses a significant need in a community where 91% of OYC families earn under $51,000 annually, and where Overtown has some of the highest poverty and chronic disease mortality rates in Miami-Dade County.

"Advancing health equity means making sure every community has meaningful opportunities to achieve better health, regardless of income or zip code," said Loreen Chant, President and CEO of the Health Foundation of South Florida. "That requires investing in trusted community organizations like OYC that understand the needs of the people they serve and are uniquely positioned to help address longstanding barriers to better health. This partnership is about strengthening that community infrastructure and creating a more equitable path to better health for families across Overtown, Little Haiti and Liberty City."

OYC is implementing the program in partnership with the University of Miami Global Health Institute, which provides clinical guidance, staff training, and referral support. Over the three-year grant period, the program is projected to deliver blood pressure and diabetes screenings to 900 individuals, increase participants' health knowledge and awareness of available resources by 75%, and connect 60% of participants to an ongoing primary care or outpatient relationship.

"This investment from the Health Foundation of South Florida strengthens our ability to advance health and wellness as an essential part of building stronger communities," said Tina Brown, CEO of OYC. "Health and wellness are deeply connected to a community's ability to thrive, and this support allows us to continue creating opportunities that improve quality of life and contribute to healthier outcomes for the individuals and families we serve."

By co-locating telehealth access with trusted, on-the-ground navigators, Health Foundation of South Florida and OYC aim to remove common barriers to care, including transportation, scheduling, and unfamiliarity with the health system, while creating a sustainable model for community-based health access that other South Florida neighborhoods could replicate.

About the Health Foundation of South Florida
Health Foundation of South Florida has been serving South Florida for more than 30 years, investing more than $153 million in nonprofits that provide programs and services in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties. The Foundation's mission is to be a catalyst for collaborations, policy changes, and systems change that improve the health of South Florida communities, with a focus on vulnerable, low- to moderate-income populations. For more information, visit www.hfsf.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About Overtown Youth Center (OYC)
Overtown Youth Center is a community development organization providing comprehensive programs and services for youth, adults, and families across five core pillars: education, enrichment and exposure, family services, economic sustainability, and health and wellness. For more than 20 years, OYC has served the Overtown, Little Haiti, and Liberty City communities, positively elevating people through its mission to Inspire, Empower, Enrich, and Expose. Learn more at oycmiami.org.

SOURCE Health Foundation of South Florida