Dignity Health Awards More than $342,000 to Five Stockton Community Organizations

St. Joseph's Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center have jointly awarded $342,621 in grant funding to five local community-based organizations seeking to provide health and human services to residents most in need in San Joaquin County. 

“The Community Health Improvement Grants program perfectly aligns with our organizational mission of caring for the common good.” said Sr. Abby Newton, Vice President of Mission Integration for St. Joseph’s Medical Center. "This year's award recipients are looking to address the root causes of poor health outcomes, and we are confident that they will make a significant impact in the Stockton community through their programmatic efforts.”

Grant funds are used to provide services to underserved populations, specifically in priority neighborhoods identified in the tri-annual Community Health Needs Assessment. Organizations that receive grant funding are working collaboratively to address identified needs and to identify sustainable ways to continue to deliver impactful community services for the most vulnerable San Joaquin County residents. 

Since the Community Health Improvement Grants Program’s inception in 1990, St. Joseph’s has distributed nearly $4 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 five projects were awarded funding this year, with each grant recipient working in partnership with other community organizations.

Boys & Girls Clubs at Sierra Vista: SMART Moves at Sierra Vista Program 

SMART Moves will engage 125 youth in focusing on building the key attitudes and skills necessary to make good decisions about health and wellness, filling the gaps that are related to social-emotional needs, mental health challenges and risky behavior such as substance abuse.

Emergency Food Bank of Stockton/San Joaquin: EFB Collaborative Street Outreach Project 

The EFB Collaborative Street Outreach is a nutrition education and food distribution program that reaches low and very low income residents of San Joaquin County, delivering fresh produce, nutrient-dense foods, education, one-on-one interaction, live cooking demonstrations and recorded (ZOOM and YouTube) education.

St. Mary’s Dining Room: Health Ambassadors

Health Ambassadors will be trained in and use the Pathways Community HUB Institute Model. The project aims to find and engage with homeless or extremely low-income patients who may be transitioning from incarceration, experiencing chronic illnesses or in acute conditions, or struggling with mental illness. Ambassadors contribute to the continuum of care by making sure risk factors are identified and addressed via the PHCHI Model.

The Edible Schoolyard Project Stockton: The Edible Schoolyard Community Farm - Post Pilot Sustainability

ESY has transformed a farm in South Stockton into a vibrant community garden and teaching kitchen. The Edible Schoolyard Community Farm (ESY Community Farm) will foster a culture of care, belonging, and beauty while welcoming students and families from across San Joaquin County to engage with food and nature in a meaningful, culturally relevant way.

Trust for Public Land: Increasing Park Equity in Stockton

Trust for Public Land will analyze data from the mapping studies and begin to activate and involve the community as they move forward with park creation and transformation, maximizing health benefits and park access in the most cost-effective and equitable way. Partners will begin to engage the City of Stockton and more residents in this phase and begin to identify if schoolyards can also serve as publicly accessible park sites, and assess walk times to parks and recreation facilities.

 For more information about Dignity Health’s Community Grants Program visit dignityhealth.org/about-us/community-health/grant-programs/community-grants. To arrange for an interview, please contact Kellie Ryan at [email protected].