UnitedHealthcare Awards Community Grants in New Mexico to Address Social Determinants of Health
27 Septiembre 2022 - 09:00AM
Business Wire
Nearly $200,000 in funds will support programs
that aim to improve health equity in underserved communities
UnitedHealthcare has awarded nearly $200,000 in community grants
to four organizations to address social determinants of health,
including access to affordable housing and food.
“Healthy living goes beyond the doctor’s office, and our grants
will enable local organizations to help people access food,
affordable housing and social services to live healthier lives,”
said Andrew Peterson, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community & State
of New Mexico. “A community-based approach to addressing social
determinants of health is essential to achieving health equity and
building healthier communities in New Mexico and across the
country.”
The grant recipients include:
- Economic Council Helping Others, Inc. (ECHO)—$32,500 to provide
emergency rental/mortgage assistance to 25-40 families for up to
two months, and food nutrition boxes tailored to chronic
conditions.
- ABQ FaithWorks Collaborative—$47,800 for housing assistance and
eviction protection, and to sponsor a community advocate who will
help people navigate community partners and managed care
organizations.
- Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico—$91,285 to implement food
assistance programs in two Southeast New Mexico public schools and
to expand programs that support people managing nutrition-related
chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension.
- Senior.One—$25,000 to empower seniors and their caregivers by
providing free resources to help them access care navigation
services in the areas of senior housing, in-home care, and
community support services.
According to America’s Health Rankings, New Mexico reports the
highest poverty rate among older adults in the nation at nearly
14%, with more than 30% of New Mexico residents over age 62
experiencing severe housing challenges, including lack of complete
kitchen facilities, lack of plumbing facilities, overcrowding or
cost burdens. More than 17% of households in New Mexico experienced
severe housing problems in 2021, with American Indian communities
impacted disproportionately at more than 29%. Additionally, nearly
13% of New Mexicans, and nearly 21% of New Mexico children,
experienced food insecurity in 2021. Studies show food insecurity
has broad effects on overall health, especially for children, older
adults and people with chronic health conditions.
“Food banks, like ours, are intentionally and purposefully
focusing on the impact of hunger on health with current and new
programs,” said Katy Anderson, chief programs officer of Roadrunner
Food Bank. “Thanks to donors like UnitedHealthcare, we can increase
the availability of nutritious food to the communities we serve.
One area this funding will assist with is through our Childhood
Hunger Initiative, which provides our school partners access to a
monthly mobile food distribution, where half of the food provided
is fresh fruits and vegetables.”
These grants are part of several initiatives launched to address
social determinants of health and improve community health.
Additionally, UnitedHealth Group has invested nearly $800 million
in affordable housing, resulting in the creation of nearly 19,000
homes for those struggling with housing insecurity. Since 2018,
UnitedHealthcare’s Empowering Health grants have invested $40
million to expand access to care through partnerships with local
communities in 29 states. Moreover, the UnitedHealthcare Children’s
Foundation funds grants to help cover medical expenses for
underserved children.
UnitedHealthcare serves more than 205,000 members enrolled in
employer-sponsored, individual and Medicare and retirement plans in
New Mexico, with a network of 41 hospitals, and over 11,000
physicians and other care providers statewide.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier
lives and making the health system work better for everyone by
simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and
wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care
providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full
spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and
Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with
more than 1.5 million physicians and care professionals, and more
than 6,700 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The
company also provides health benefits and delivers care to people
through owned and operated health care facilities in South America.
UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group
(NYSE: UNH), a diversified health care company. For more
information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @UHC
on Twitter.
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UHC Media Contact: Christina Witz (952) 931-4645
Christina.Witz@uhc.com
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