Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Grants Fund Youth, Health and Food Security Programs

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Dignity Health Saint Francis Memorial Hospital has awarded $110,000 in grants to four San Francisco nonprofit organizations, funding programs for youth in the Tenderloin, healthcare assistance and food security.

In accordance with Saint Francis' mission, the grantee organizations were recognized for their commitment to helping the poor and disenfranchised, and improving quality of life in the community. The grants are part of the Dignity Health Community Grants program. Together with Dignity Health – St. Mary's Medical Center, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital has awarded over $3 million to more than 200 projects since the grants program began in 1990.

"Our grants program is an expression of Saint Francis' community benefit plan and the Tenderloin Health Improvement Partnership," said Abbie Yant, Saint Francis' V.P. for Mission, Advocacy and Community Health. "Our collaboration focuses on three priority areas: to increase healthy eating and physical activity, to ensure safe and health living environments, and to increase access to high quality health care and services. We are thrilled to be partnering with such committed organizations who share our vision for a healthy Tenderloin neighborhood."

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

• The Patient Navigator Program at Glide Health Services, which provides healthcare navigation services to patients without a primary care physician who need help accessing care at a community clinic.

"GLIDE is grateful to our partner Dignity Health for their depth of concern, expertise, and understanding of the importance of culturally sensitive partners to provide health care and other services to help transform people's lives for the past 16 years," said Rev. Cecil Williams, GLIDE's Co-Founder and Minister of Liberation. "GLIDE's partnership with Dignity Health is a model of how a deep mutual relationship between organizations can successfully build a holistic health care resource and meet the needs of those who suffer most."

• The Tenderloin Youth Sports Initiative through the Bay Area Women's and Children's Center, which offers a variety of sports programs for children and youth in the Tenderloin that would otherwise not be available, including ice skating, after-school team sports and daily sports activities at Tenderloin Community School.
• The Healthy Lifestyles Program at the Boys and Girls Club Tenderloin Clubhouse, a year-round program that includes activities, events and partnerships with community institutions to promote healthy eating and exercise to help kids make healthy choices for life.
• An Episcopal Food Services program to increase food security at The Crosby Hotel, which serves formerly homeless single adults, many with disabilities, by upgrading cooking infrastructure and appliances.

Saint Francis' community grants were awarded at a breakfast event on Feb. 13 at the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel. Overall, Bay Area nonprofits received $485,000 from four Dignity Health hospitals – Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco, Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City and Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz.

About Saint Francis Memorial Hospital
Dignity Health Saint Francis Memorial Hospital is an accredited, not-for-profit community hospital that has been providing exceptional healthcare in San Francisco for over 100 years. Located atop Nob Hill, near downtown San Francisco, Saint Francis is home to the Bothin Burn Center, the largest in Northern California, the Center for Sports Medicine, the Spine Institute of San Francisco and the Total Joint Center. With its close proximity to downtown San Francisco, Saint Francis also specializes in Occupational Health and Emergency Medicine. Saint Francis has been designated as a 2011 Blue Distinction Center for Spine and Hip/Knee Replacement Surgery and is a Certified Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. For more information, call (415) 353-6000 or visit www.saintfrancismemorial.org.

SOURCE Saint Francis Memorial Hospital