Louisiana Healthcare Connections has announced the award of $150,000 in grant funding to five community organizations supporting a wide variety of health initiatives within Louisiana communities throughout the state.
Community Health Grants from Louisiana Healthcare Connections fund nonprofits, healthcare providers, and schools addressing the health plan’s strategic priorities of social determinants of health, increasing access to preventive care, promoting health equity, and improving health outcomes in Louisiana.
Chosen from more than 150 applications, these grants represent major investments into the health of communities across Louisiana. The grant recipients include:
-Second Harvest Food Bank will expand the Makin’ Groceries Mobile Market in the Acadiana and Southwest Louisiana regions, to provide 10,000 people with access to healthy and affordable food, serve as a resource to increase food literacy, and conduct SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) outreach with 500 people across nine parishes.
-Rebuilding Together New Orleans will expand their Safe at Home program to assist low-income veteran, elderly, and disabled homeowners with critical home repairs for safety and access within the Greater New Orleans and Houma-Thibodaux regions.
-Power Pump Girls combats period poverty and will add distribution channels to provide more period products to be distributed by schools, shelters, and non-profit agencies throughout the Greater Baton Rouge region.
-HGM Community Development Corporation will enhance the effectiveness of its food distribution program in DeSoto Parish by installing a commercial, energy-efficient freezer to receive and distribute frozen foods through its food pantry and food delivery programs.
-Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana will expand its Feeding Seniors food distribution programs to ensure that 6,000 seniors monthly have access to proper nutrition throughout a 12-parish area with the Senior Grocery Box Program via drive-through distributions and home delivery as well as providing 225 seniors with SNAP application assistance.
“Healthcare is so much more than access to quality medical care,” said Senior Vice President of Quality Improvement Yolanda Wilson. “We reviewed so many worthy applications from across the state and made the very difficult decision to select these five projects that aligned best with our current goals and will positively impact local communities by addressing social determinants of health.”
Louisiana Healthcare Connections will also dedicate an additional $50,000 to funding at least 25 targeted, specific investments of $2,000 or less over the next year.
"As we continue to foster health equity, Louisiana Healthcare Connections is committing $200,000 to empower local nonprofits, healthcare providers, and schools, leveraging their impact in the community,” notes CEO and Plan President Jamie Schlottman. “By prioritizing initiatives strategically aligned with our mission of care throughout the state, we strive to create a healthier, more equitable future for all Louisiana families."
Louisiana Healthcare Connections’ Community Health Grants launched in 2018 as part of the health plan’s efforts to combat food insecurity and other health issues in Louisiana.
For more information, visit www.louisianahealthconnect.com/grants.