As part of the Foundation’s 30th
anniversary, grants demonstrate its expanded focus on health
equity
As the AstraZeneca Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary,
the organization has awarded 12 nonprofit organizations $2,170,318
in grants across eight US states and Washington, D.C., for
innovative approaches to address healthcare disparities at the
community level, a reflection of AstraZeneca’s broader commitment
to advance health equity efforts.
Six grants were awarded through Creating Health Access for Next
Generation Equity (CHANGE), its new signature program launched
earlier this year, which aims to improve access to quality
healthcare for people experiencing disadvantages due to their race,
ethnicity, socioeconomic status and other characteristics.
Additionally, six grants were awarded to current grant awardees of
the Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM (CCH) Next
Generation program, which has worked to help improve heart health
across the US since 2020, particularly among underserved
communities, and will sunset later this year. These final grants
will provide mission support for their efforts to improve health
equity in their communities.
“As the AstraZeneca Foundation proudly reflects on its legacy
and healthy changes made in partnership with nonprofits, these new
awards demonstrate our expanded commitment to advancing health
equity in the US,” said James W. Blasetto, MD, MPH, FACC, Chair and
Trustee, AstraZeneca Foundation. “Together with our grant
recipients, who collectively serve many diverse populations across
the country, we aim to strengthen the long-term health and
wellbeing of underserved patients and optimistically look forward
to the positive impact that can be achieved.”
CHANGE builds on more than a decade of impact and learnings from
the Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM and CCH Next Generation
programs and was designed with key community insights to help
address urgent, unmet medical needs, particularly within low-income
and remote/rural areas of the US. Following an open call for
applications and rigorous review process, six nonprofit
organizations were selected for the first cohort of the CHANGE
program, serving communities across the Mid-Atlantic US in
locations where AstraZeneca operates including in Delaware,
Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
The CHANGE grants will support nonprofit organizations using
collaborative and innovative approaches to provide greater access
to quality healthcare, particularly through a focus on screenings,
early diagnosis, treatment and continuity of care for
cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and immunologic diseases and/or
cancers. The six inaugural grant awardees are each receiving
$200,000-250,000 for the first year, with renewal for up to two
additional years.
As part of the Foundation’s commitment to measure impact and
provide capacity-building support for nonprofit organizations, it
has selected NORC at the University of Chicago as its evaluation
partner. The Foundation and NORC will collaboratively develop a
robust reporting and evaluation framework with funded organizations
to measure improvements in access to quality healthcare and work to
reduce disparities. The partnership will collect and disseminate
learnings and effective practices to support potential application
in communities across the US.
The 2023 CHANGE awardees are:
AIDS Resource Alliance, Inc. in Williamsport, PA
($249,953) in Williamsport, PA for AR Health: Achieving Health
Equity for Medically Underserved Populations which aims to reduce
health disparities and improve health outcomes by providing
high-quality primary care services in a welcoming environment to
individuals living with HIV and members of the LGBTQ+ community
residing in the rural region of northcentral Pennsylvania, with the
ultimate goal of building a healthier and more equitable
community.
Community Volunteers in Medicine in West Chester, PA
($250,000) for CVIM Expanding Access to Care Initiative which aims
to further mitigate barriers to care for low-income, uninsured
community members by expanding hours, locations and transportation
services and to address specific unmet healthcare needs by
increasing staff, community partnerships and volunteer
recruitment.
Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore, MD ($250,000)
for Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Baltimoreans Experiencing
Homelessness which aims to provide consistently excellent care for
people experiencing homelessness in Baltimore when and how they
want it, including improvements in preventative care, chronic
disease management and care coordination and reducing disparities
in health outcomes for the predominantly Black and Latinx clients
Health Care for the Homeless serves.
LCH Health and Community Services in Kennett Square, PA
($250,000) for LCH Access to Care for Southern Chester County which
aims to improve the health of the community by providing
high-quality physical and mental healthcare integrated with
supportive services, such as social services, legal services and
education, to address numerous social determinants of health.
Mary’s Center in Washington, D.C. ($200,365) for
Providing Breast Care Services to Uninsured Participants which aims
to increase breast cancer screening for participants and provide
care coordination to all participants with a cancer diagnosis by
providing high-quality culturally affirming care and services for
uninsured and under-resourced participants in Washington, D.C. and
Maryland through community partnerships with local hospitals,
radiology and oncology providers and mobile mammography
services.
SOME, Inc. in Washington, D.C. ($250,000) for Breaking
Barriers, Boosting Care: SOME & the AstraZeneca Foundation’s
Whole Person Approach to Healthcare which aims to empower and
catalyze transformative change in the lives of medically fragile
individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty in DC by
providing equitable access to whole-person, comprehensive
healthcare that proactively addresses each person’s unique
challenges and needs, ensuring they receive the highest standard of
care so they can reclaim their health with dignity.
The Foundation also awarded final grants of $120,000 to six CCH
Next Generation grant awardees for their efforts to advance health
equity in communities across the US:
Camino Health Center [Camino Community Development
Corp.] in Charlotte, NC to expand the focus of its Camino Vida
program to address obesity for uninsured Latinos in Mecklenburg
County and support patients in developing nutritional habits and
patterns of exercise that promote lifestyle changes and reduce the
need for medical intervention through culturally sensitive
nutrition and fitness programming.
Central Oklahoma American Indian Health Council, Inc. dba
Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC) in Oklahoma City, OK to
pilot an initiative to provide Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)
technology to eligible American Indian patients with diabetes in
Central Oklahoma with the aim of improving blood glucose control
and preventing and reducing complications from diabetes.
Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio in Columbus, OH to
continue to provide quality pharmacy services, health education,
access to free healthy food and connections to wrap around services
to reduce the identified risk factors of health inequities, poverty
and food insecurity for underserved, low-income patients in
Franklin County, and further increase access to its food pantry and
other community resources through Community Health Workers.
Good News Clinics Inc. in Gainesville, GA to provide
increased clinical care and patient education for low-income,
uninsured patients with diabetes through a focused clinical day
each week; increase access to fresh produce for patients and the
neighboring low-income community through the development of a Food
as Medicine Market; and connect patients with social needs related
to poverty to community resources in Hall County through a closed
loop system of referrals supported by a Licensed Clinical Social
Worker.
HealthVisions Midwest Inc. in Hammond, IN to implement an
evidence-based, multicultural, bilingual, diabetes self-management
education curriculum, to help reduce the risk for diabetes
complications and improve quality of life among low-income, racial
and ethnic minority populations with pre-diabetes or diabetes in
Lake County, Indiana.
The Wellness Coalition in Montgomery, AL to support its
founding program, Wellness Case Management, which aims to help
improve health behaviors and clinical outcomes for individuals at
risk for chronic disease who live in underserved communities in
Central Alabama and have little or no health insurance. Through the
program, Navigators provide outreach, referral acceptance and
services, including linkages to a medical home; assistance with
health insurance applications; access to free/low-cost medications
and community resources; and chronic disease education.
Since 2010, the CCH and CCH Next Generation programs have
collectively awarded over $26 million to more than 50 nonprofits,
reaching over 1.7 million people. To-date, more than 71,000 program
participants have had their heart health progress tracked, and as a
result, many are making changes to help lower their risk for
cardiovascular disease and lead healthier lives.
About AstraZeneca Foundation
The AstraZeneca (HealthCare) Foundation works to advance health
equity and foster community wellbeing in the US through strategic
grant-giving and capacity building support for nonprofit
organizations. The Foundation also provides financial support for
AstraZeneca employees affected by federally declared disasters in
the US and its territories. Established in 1993 as a nonprofit
charitable organization, the Foundation is a separate legal entity
from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals with distinct legal restrictions.
For more information and updates, visit
www.astrazeneca-us.com/foundation.
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