For Immediate Release: June 30, 2017
The Health Trust Contact: Maria Garcia, mariag@healthtrust.org or (408) 513-8729
The Health Trust Makes Health Partnership Grants Totaling Over $930,000
Supporting local organizations to build health equity in Silicon Valley
San Jose, CA, June 30, 2017 – On June 28, 2017, The Health Trust Board of Trustees approved eight health partnership grants totaling $937,108 to support The Health Trust’s mission of building health equity in SIlicon Valley. Specifically, the awarded grants will help increase food security for vulnerable populations, promote physical activity and support our fluoridation initiative.
Breakdown of Grants
The Food Trust
Historically, neighborhood corner stores are known for their easy access to candy, unhealthy snacks and liquor with little to no healthy options for the consumer. Over the last four years, The Health Trust has been a leader in rewriting that narrative by transforming cornerstores into “healthy cornerstores” that offer a wide selection of healthy foods, making the healthy choice an easy choice. The Health Trust is ready to conclude its Healthy Cornerstore Program at the end of the calendar year. Through the support of a $90,320 grant, The Food Trust will ensure that every active store receives the proper technical assistance to ensure its sustainability after the program ends.
Bountiful Churchyards
Faith-based organizations have the potential to serve as a strong food access point for individuals who are homeless. Bountiful Churchyard has been awarded a $49,000 grant to partner with Farming Hope to provide weekly congregate meals to individuals who are homeless, provide them with employment training, and host monthly pop-up lunches and dinners to support program costs. Immanuel Lutheran Church is located in the Burbank neighborhood in San Jose, which has been identified in the Food for Everyone report as a high-need area with a sizeable population of individuals who are homeless and lack food resources in the vicinity.
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County
In light of the high number of independent-owned restaurants in San Jose, Catholic Charities developed a network of restaurants called the Senior Bites Network to address the lack of access to Senior Meal Programs or congregate meal sites for low-income seniors. Over the last year, Catholic Charities identified over 10,000 low-income seniors who reside within the Senior Bites Network and partnered with 12 restaurants to offer nutritious meals for seniors with a price point of $5-$6 per meal. In an effort to strengthen the Senior Bites network and through a $50,000 grant, Catholic Charities plans to recruit additional restaurants into the network, evaluate program impact, and develop a sustainability plan.
Valley Verde
In an effort to improve healthy food access and healthy eating for seniors and families, through the support of a $42,000 grant, Valley Verde plans to work at two affordable housing complexes by providing gardens and gardening classes to residents of the Cambrian Center and El Rancho Verde. The goal of the project is to improve food security and decrease food expenses for seniors and families.
California Dental Association Foundation
The Health Trust has been on the cutting edge of providing dental services to low-income children in Santa Clara County. Through this work we have seen the impact of the lack of fluoride in the water, leading to poor oral health outcomes. Building on the work of the past eight years and through a $149,000 grant, CDAF will continue to provide technical expertise, strategic advice and project management for the Santa Clara County Fluoridation Initiative.
Sun Street Centers
Substance abuse is considered one of the most pressing issues in N. San Benito County. Currently women in need of rehabilitation services are referred out to other counties because said services are not available. In an effort to address this need, The Health Trust has awarded a $50,000 grant to Sun Street Center to create an environment to support the first state-licensed residential substance abuse treatment facility in N. San Benito County, targeting women who are pregnant or have custody of young children.
City of San Jose
Promotion of physical activity is instrumental for the health and wellbeing of our communities. Through carefully designed routes that include some of San Jose’s low-income neighborhoods, and with the support of a $20,000 grant, the City of San Jose will continue the work of Viva CalleSJ. Viva CalleSJ promotes the inclusivity of all communities, regardless of socioeconomic status into physical activities in many forms, including walking, biking, or running in neighborhoods throughout San Jose.
Public Health Institute
Through the support of a $486,788 grant, The Public Health Institute will provide individuals the opportunity to advance their professional careers in the field of public health.
# # #
About The Health Trust
The Health Trust is a nonprofit foundation building health equity in Silicon Valley. It ensures that health related grants, policies and services exist to support Silicon Valley’s most vulnerable communities. With regard to grants, The Health Trust prioritizes projects that meet the following criteria:
- Bolsters health promotion and primary prevention efforts
- Includes a system, policy, practice, or environmental change that can have an impact beyond the grant period
- Includes a feasible sustainability plan
- Follows promising and best practices
For more information, visit healthtrust.org.