NEW YORK and TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) announced today that it gave $13,500 in micro-grants to 11 community-based organizations across the state of New York. These micro-grants went to nonprofit and 501(c)(3) organizations that address homelessness, mental health and obesity. The micro-grants were given in denominations of $500, $1,000 and $1,500.
"Community-based organizations are vital to the social safety net, which provides critical support to low-income seniors, children and families," said Maria Auciello, supervisor for WellCare of New York's Community Advocacy team. "These micro-grants focus on helping social service agencies provide targeted, impactful community-based interventions that will help people live better, healthier lives."
"WellCare's micro-grant program is just one facet of our commitment to building partnerships with New York organizations that seek to improve the health and wellness of our residents," said John J. Burke, state president, WellCare of New York. "We understand that people cannot prioritize their health if they have more urgent unmet basic needs. These agencies all provide crucial support in the areas of homelessness, mental health and obesity, where the unmet need is significant."
The 2015 New York micro-grants were awarded to the following community-based organizations:
| Community-Based Organization |
Program Highlights |
| My Time Inc. Brooklyn, NY |
This grant will help the agency raise awareness about those who have a dual diagnosis of autism and developmental disabilities. |
| CAMBA, Inc. Brooklyn, NY |
This grant will provide holiday toys to children from low-income families, including homeless shelters and supportive housing facilities in Brooklyn. |
| Harvest Home Farmer's Market New York, New York |
This grant will pay for an intern to promote the agency's mobile phone health app to patients in health clinics, WIC centers and farmers markets to help people understand the value of good nutrition and eat healthier. |
| Food Bank of Western NY Buffalo, New York |
This grant will be used to serve the homeless and hungry of New York via the agency's mobile food truck. |
| Catholic Charities of Buffalo - Parish Outreach and Advocacy Buffalo, New York |
This grant will supply food for the agency's eight food pantries and support the agency's nutritional programs. |
| Family Cook Productions New York, New York |
This grant will pay to license and train a Food Corps member to bring the healthy cooking Teen Battle Chef program to three Bronx schools. |
| Friends of the Night People Buffalo, New York |
This grant will help feed the homeless and provide counseling and mental health support. |
| Violence Intervention Program, Inc. New York, New York |
This grant will educate domestic violence victims about healthy eating, household budgeting and available public nutrition programs. |
| National Alliance on Mental Illness – New York State Albany, New York |
This grant will pay for literature to help educate the community about mental illness. |
| Gay Men's Health Crisis, Inc. New York, New York |
This grant will provide training for seven mental health clinicians who will provide counseling for low-income individuals living with and at high risk for HIV/AIDS infection. |
| Mental Health Association of Westchester Tarrytown, New York |
This grant will provide support for a food pantry in the Sterling Community Center in downtown White Plains. |
"Thanks to WellCare's generous micro-grant, nearly 1,500 children in CAMBA's homeless shelters and supportive facilities will find gifts under the tree and the joy of knowing that others care about them," said Joanne M. Oplustil, president and CEO, CAMBA, Inc.
"My Time, Inc., and its board of directors would like to thank WellCare for this micro-grant," said Wayne Clark, creative director, My Time Inc. "This grant will help us better identify and bring awareness to mental health."
"We are grateful to WellCare for recognizing the value that Family Cook Productions' programs contribute to at-risk communities," said Lynn Fredericks, president and founder, Family Cook Productions. "Thanks to this micro-grant, our Bronx community partners will have the opportunity to put the skills of healthy cooking directly into the hands of youth through Teen Battle Chef to 'stir up change!'"
As of Sept. 30, 2015, WellCare serves approximately 112,000 Medicaid members, 47,000 Medicare Advantage members, 51,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members and 7,500 Managed Long Term Care members in New York.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. The Company serves approximately 3.8 million members nationwide as of Sept. 30, 2015. For more information about WellCare, please visit the Company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.
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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
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