The is excited to announce first-round recipients of resources from the Íæż½ã½ã Social Equity Fund (SEF), in partnership with the . The fund was created to help reduce the social and economic barriers to health equity in the Metro Detroit and South Bay/Silicon Valley areas over three years. By partnering with organizations based where we live and work, Íæż½ã½ã is developing long-term relationships with our communities, investing in the compassion of those around us, and helping to create upstream solutions for sustainable change.
Over 60 nonprofits submitted applications, of which :
¡°The selected organizations reflect our shared belief that local individuals and organizations drive meaningful social change. While unrelenting in fulfilling their mission, they can¡¯t do it alone. Support must come from many places, and through the AHA-Íæż½ã½ã Social Equity Fund, we can identify, support and champion those who are transforming the communities they serve.¡±
John Van Camp | Íæż½ã½ã Executive Vice President of Human Resources
Metro Detroit
aims to reduce food insecurity and improve health in several of Michigan¡¯s lowest-income zip codes by increasing accessibility to fresh fruits and vegetables through a brick and mortar produce store, a mobile market and door-to-door delivery. They also contract with hospitals and health insurers to provide produce to patients, and are partners in a citywide fresh food prescription program. Peaches and Greens will use SEF funding to provide healthy, nutritious food to over 600 individuals on a monthly basis.
“We are so excited to receive this grant. The potential to make an impact is incredible and we are honored to be recipients¡ As valuable as the grant is, I am equally pleased to have a team of people¡ who truly care about us and the project. They are invested and are rooting for our collective success.”
Lisa Johanon | Peaches and Greens Founder
is a nonprofit interrupting the cycle of community violence through a hospital-based violence intervention and wellness hub. D.L.I.V.E.’s innovative, health-centered, evidence-based approach combines trauma-informed mental health services, group support and customized therapeutic plans that address critical social determinants of health. They plan to use their SEF support to deliver mental health services to low-income young adults in Detroit and develop the infrastructure necessary to provide custom therapeutic plans.
¡°DLIVE is grateful, excited, and poised to grow in its ability to serve as Detroit’s premier Health and Wellness hub designed to impact the public health crisis of Community Violence on an individual and population health level.¡±
Dr. Tolulope Sonuyi | D.L.I.V.E. Medical Director
is committed to aiding Detroit growers, particularly growers of color, by minimizing the barriers to entry they face in bringing their produce to market and helping them build capacity as small business owners. Their programs connect growers to opportunities to sell their produce directly to consumers at outlets ranging from farmers¡¯ markets to online farm stores and more. SEF support will help Keep Growing Detroit secure market outlets for over 60 growers to cooperatively increase their community¡¯s access to fresh, healthy and sustainably produced food.
South Bay | Silicon Valley
provides community education and support services to combat issues surrounding mental health and violence in the South Bay Vietnamese American community. SEF support will help ICAN increase capacity and reach during a time of heightened importance amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial assistance will help ICAN directly address mental health issues that disproportionately impact the Asian American community through cultural sensitivity.
“Stigma surrounding mental health coupled with the lack of culture-specific services have led to a disparity in mental health in our community. Asian Americans are the least likely ethnicity to seek mental health services. We applied to the Íæż½ã½ã Social Equity Fund to help address social determinants of health for our community.”
Anne Phan | ICAN
is a San Jose-based nonprofit that provides comprehensive housing services for families that are homeless or at the brink of becoming homeless. Support from the SEF will help Midtown Family Services launch new co-housing communities and provide mental health and job placement services for homeless individuals. Through housing, support services and case management, individuals will be supported in becoming financially self-sufficient.
“Being safely housed is a social determinant of health as being connected with others, having personal agency and control, and being treated with respect.”
Stuart | Midtown
It was so exciting to connect with our first-round investees in our virtual celebratory gathering. We were humbled and inspired as each nonprofit organization spoke about their impactful community work and how the funds will be used to strengthen and expand their services. These five organizations are transforming their communities, and we are proud to partner with them to help provide resources that enable them to further uplift and empower those that they serve. Íæż½ã½ã thanks the American Heart Association¡¯s Maria Olson and Raymond Guthrie for outlining the importance of this work and the strategy behind the AHA-Íæż½ã½ã Social Equity Fund. Learn more about the Íæż½ã½ã Foundation and our many ongoing projects by .
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