San Jose, CA – On December 16, 2020, the Health Trust’s Board of Trustees approved seven new Health Partnership grants totaling $716,103. The seven grants are part of quarter two of the Health Trust’s $2.2 million annual Health Partnership Fund supporting community organizations and public agencies aligned with the organization’s mission of building health equity in Silicon Valley. Those grants have been awarded to Community Food Bank of San Benito County, Hunger at Home, Public Health Institute, and Valley Verde. The Board also approved two Emerging Opportunity Fund grants to The Castellano Family Foundation and Roots Community Health Center.
The approved grants will strengthen food ecosystems and infrastructure to increase access to healthy foods for vulnerable residents, support professional development in public health, improve the health and well-being of nonprofit staff, and study ways to improve maternal and infant health in African Ancestry communities through food and nutrition support.
In the first two quarters of fiscal year 2021, the Health Trust has invested $2,462,130 towards 15 organizations – 12 of those grants have been funded through the Health Partnership Fund, and three grants have been funded through a temporary $1M increase payout from the foundation’s endowment in support of communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Health Partnership Grant Awards
Community Food Bank of San Benito County
To strengthen the agency’s operations to better meet the unprecedented food insecurity needs of the community through enhanced infrastructure and capacity support, by implementing two new database systems for its clients and volunteers.
Hunger at Home
To increase access to nutritious food – targeting food insecure individuals, families, children, and unhoused individuals – by fortifying its organizational infrastructure through the purchase of a refrigerated truck to increase efficacy, expanding to an additional high-need distribution site, and developing an organizational financial business plan.
Public Health Institute
To support the Public Health Professional Development and Management Program through the placement of fellows who will work on community health issues in areas of food, chronic conditions, and health in housing.
Valley Verde
To remove barriers to accessing organic vegetables by becoming the first plant nursery in Santa Clara County to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as a form of payment for seedlings. In addition, Valley Verde will increase its production capacity of culturally preferred seedlings and implement a culturally and linguistically relevant outreach campaign targeting SNAP beneficiaries.
Emerging Opportunity Fund Awards
The Castellano Family Foundation
To pilot an innovative staff wellness grant program designed to improve the health, wellness, and well-being of Latinx community-based nonprofit staff.
Roots Community Health Center
To conduct a literature review centering on African Ancestry maternal and infant health that will drive the development and implementation of a culturally responsive “Food is Medicine” pilot focused on women of African Ancestry in Santa Clara County.
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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 have the opportunity to be healthy – especially the most vulnerable. To that end, we fund community-based organizations and public agencies whose work aligns with our mission, provide direct services, and advocate for policies and initiatives that help build health equity. To learn more, please visit healthtrust.org.
Contact: Maria Garcia | mariag@healthtrust.org | 408.513.8729