St. Joseph's Awards $372K in Community Grants

STOCKTON, January 10, 2020 - St. Joseph's Medical Center has awarded $372,594 in grant funding to seven local community-based organizations seeking to provide health and human services to residents most in need in San Joaquin County. 

“Caring for our community, especially those most in need, is truly at the heart of our mission at St. Joseph's” said Sister Abby Newton, OP, Vice President of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care. “We are so proud to support the work of these innovative community organizations, who are creatively and compassionately finding ways to improve the health and well-being of our community.”

Grants were awarded to organizations and projects working to address underlying causes of illness, such as lack of access to primary and preventive care, obesity/diabetes, substance use, access to housing, mental health, as well as violence prevention and youth growth & development.

Since the Community Grants Program’s inception in 1990, St. Joseph’s has distributed over $3.7 million in grant funding to deserving nonprofit community benefit organizations with an interest in building healthier communities by improving health and living conditions.

St. Joseph’s Medical Center annually sets aside revenues from operations to fund the community grant awards. 

The following seven projects were awarded funding this year, with each grant recipient working in partnership with other community organizations.

Community Health Connectors Project: Asian Pacific Self-development & Residential Association (APSARA) in partnership with Catholic Charities, Community Partnership for Families & SJ Public Health. 
Community Health Connectors (CHC’s) will provide access to resources, increase opportunities for health education and provide case management for those with multiple chronic health conditions. The CHC’s will provide one-on-one assistance to an individual through family, referral, outreach and linkage to community resources.

Mentoring for Higher Education Program: Catholic Charities in partnership with Delta College & Hispanic Apostolate of the Diocese of Stockton
The Mentoring for Higher Education Program (MHEP) will advance economic stability by increasing community college enrollment and degree completion rate among Latinos through services that include case management, academic and financial support as well as systems navigation and personal support.

Mobile Child Care Farmer’s Market: Emergency Food Bank in partnership with Family Resource & Referral Center, First 5 of San Joaquin & University of California
The project will deliver fresh produce and other nutritious foods, in addition to nutrition education, free of charge, to a minimum of 5 child care centers located in low income areas of Stockton. Participating child care center staff, parents and enrolled preschool age clients will be educated about how to incorporate fresh produce, age appropriate nutrition, and food preparation.

Project HOPE: HOPE Family Shelters in partnership with SJC Behavioral Health Services, Valley Community Counseling Services, and Community Medical Centers
Project HOPE is an emergency shelter, case management and mental/behavioral health program that services 23 families and children at a time. Interns of HOPE will help provide case management services.

Igniting Health and Opportunity: Lord’s Gym City Center in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of SJ and Stanislaus Counties & Oasis Cares
This project will ignite health and opportunity to youth by focusing on healthy eating, physical fitness and emotional strength through a series of experiences designed to prevent youth violence and poor eating habits, and provide engaging activities for youth.

Wellness Center Manteca Satellite: Peer Recovery Services in partnership with The Wellness Center of SJC, NAMI, LOVE, Second Harvest Bank, UOP School of Pharmacy & H.O.P.E. Ministries
Peer Recovery Coaches with lived experience of mental illness, with strong recovery will deliver free non-clinical and evidence-based services. These services include; groups, classes, peer counseling and support.

Families Connect Project: Reinvent South Stockton Coalition in partnership with SJC Public Health Systems, Trust Builders & Stockton Police Department
Reinvent South Stockton will partner with community-based organizations to hire local residents who will connect with residents in South Stockton and Midtown Magnolia neighborhoods. They will plan events, engage in community outreach, and refer families to case management services in order to reduce stresses and trauma.

###

About St. Joseph's Medical Center
St. Joseph's Medical Center is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital with 355 beds, a physician staff of over 700, and more than 2,700 employees. Specializing in cardiovascular care, comprehensive cancer services, and women and children's services, St. Joseph's is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and under-served. As a Sponsoring Institution for Graduate Medical Education, St. Joseph’s supports rapidly growing educational programs for both resident physicians and medical students. In addition to being nationally recognized as a quality leader, St. Joseph's is consistently chosen as the "most preferred hospital" by local consumers. St. Joseph's is the largest hospital, as well as one of the largest private employers in San Joaquin County. Founded in 1899 by Fr. William O'Connor and administered by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, St. Joseph's continues to lead the region in medical innovation. St. Joseph's Medical Center is a member of Dignity Health, a system of ancillary care sites, medical foundations, and acute care hospitals serving California, Arizona and Nevada.