The Health Trust Makes Health Partnership Grants totaling over $363,000

For Immediate Release: March 23, 2018
The Health Trust Contact: Maria Garcia, mariag@healthtrust.org or (408) 513-8729

San Jose, CA, March 23, 2018 – On March 21, 2018, The Health Trust Board of Trustees approved six Health Partnership grants totaling $363,002 to support The Health Trust’s mission of building health equity in Silicon Valley. Specifically, the awarded grants will support community events that promote physical activity, increase food access for individuals living in affordable, supportive housing complexes and mobile home parks not currently accessing any food services, and increase the capacity of the only community partner delivering meals to shelters during the weekend.

Breakdown of Grants

City of San Jose, Department of Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services
Modeled after other successful open street programs across the state, country and world, Viva Calle SJ reinforces the importance of engaging its residents in open space through strong promotion of physical activities in all forms, and social engagement. Viva CalleSJ plans to close six-miles of San Jose streets, the route designs promote the inclusivity of all communities, regardless of socioeconomic status, providing vulnerable communities the opportunity to engage in outdoor activities in a fun and safe way. Health Trust funding in the amount of $10,000 will support the 2018 Viva CalleSJ Open Streets Program.

Community Seva
Currently, providers that offer food assistance operate on a Monday-Friday schedule, leaving individuals who rely on food assistance without access to food programs during the weekend. Community Seva is the only community partner delivering meals to shelters during the weekend, and thus addressing a critical food security gap. In an effort to increase its capacity, Community Seva plans to open a commercial kitchen made possible by the City of San Jose, Department of Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services. By operating its own commercial kitchen, Community Seva will increase the number of meals served, as well as increase its volunteer base. Over the next ten months, and through a $13,250 grant from The Health Trust, Community Seva will purchase the necessary equipment for its commercial kitchen and host its inaugural gala fundraiser that will help generate critical funding to support its services.

Happy Hollow Foundation
The Senior Safari Walkabout serves as a model that promotes AGE friendly communities by demonstrating that programs that were originally conceptualized for children and families can also serve as a great benefit for older adults. Through Health Trust support of $10,000, Happy Hollow Foundation will host six free events, exclusively for older adults that promote physical activity and social engagement at the San Jose zoo.

John Snow, Inc. (JSI).
Understanding barriers that exist when accessing wrap-around services for individuals who are HIV+ is critical to their overall health and wellbeing. Accordingly, through a $37,752 grant from The Health Trust, JSI seeks to identify barriers that exist on an individual and policy/system level. This assessment will provide great community benefit, as it will help organizations who serve individuals that are HIV+ understand and address current barriers.

Second Harvest Food Bank
There are hundreds of individuals living in affordable, supportive housing complexes and mobile home parks not currently accessing any food services. In an effort to address this critical need, over the next 24 months, and through a $202,000 grant from The Health Trust, the Second Harvest Food Bank plans to increase its food services targeting sites identified in the Food for Everyone (FFE) report. The Food Bank currently provides services to 10 FFE sites and plan to increase to an additional 22 sites. In addition to providing immediate support to residents, the Food Bank also plans to work on long-term impact by partnering with The Health Trust and the City of San Jose’s Housing Department to guide the establishment of standards that would require food access to be a part of new housing developments.

Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation
In the County of Santa Clara, approximately 28% of children and teens are obese or overweight. Engaging in regular exercise can help improve their health and academic performance. More importantly, when children engage in physical activity at an early age, it becomes a part of their life style. In an effort to encourage and support physical activity for youth during school and after school hours, over the next 24 months and through a $90,000 Health Trust grant, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation (SVLGF) will partner with the YMCA of Silicon Valley and the Earthquake Foundation to provide physical activity equipment targeting high need communities, as well as to renovate the Boys & Girls Club, Smythe Clubhouse located in East San Jose.

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About The Health Trust
The Health Trust is an operating foundation founded in 1996. Our mission is to build health equity in Silicon Valley. We believe everyone should be afforded the opportunity to be healthy – especially the most vulnerable. To that end, we provide direct services, fund community-based organizations whose work aligns with our mission, and advocate for policies and initiatives that help advance our mission. 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.