Dignity Health Awards Nearly $335,000 to Five Stockton Community Organizations

(STOCKTON, CA) February 20, 2024 - Dignity Health’s grant program helps to improve community health and health equity, and enhance local service systems, via restricted charitable contributions for defined projects. St. Joseph’s Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center’s $334,922 funding for local nonprofits is part of Dignity Health California's statewide total of $5.2M that was provided via community grants to nearly 100 organizations. The 2024 local grant funding benefits five community-based organizations seeking to provide health and human services to residents most in need in San Joaquin County.

"Dignity Health's annual community grants program is a testament to our dedication to improving the health and well-being of Californians," shares Julie J. Sprengel, California Region President, CommonSpirit Health. "By awarding over five million dollars in grants to nearly 100 non-profit partners, together, we are addressing some of the more challenging public health issues, such as food and housing insecurities, domestic violence, and mental health."

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. 

“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 the various organizations will make a significant impact in the Stockton and surrounding communities through their programmatic efforts.”

Since the Community Health Improvement Grants Program’s inception in 1990, St. Joseph’s has distributed over $4.7 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 five projects were awarded funding this year, with each grant recipient working in partnership with other community organizations.

APSARA: Community Health Improvement Grants

This project will serve the marginalized Southeast Asian (SEA) immigrant families in the San Joaquin County region that have long been dealing with severe behavioral and mental health issues. Nearly 80% of SEA refugees suffer from PTSD, and cancer has been a cause of high mortality rates amongst SEA individuals due to the lack of knowledge regarding cancer screenings and often refuse treatment. The project will also address gang violence and suicide, focusing on ages of 14-24.

San Joaquin Community Foundation: San Joaquin Pathways Community HUB

Pathways Community HUB creates a sustainable, community-based care coordination system driven by community health workers to identify individuals with modifiable risk factors, connect them to services, and track outcomes to reduce health disparities. The project will serve individuals who are under-represented and under-resourced individuals; in particular Black maternal and infant health and those living in poverty and experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin County. 

Second Harvest of the Greater Valley: Fresh Food 4 Kids

The project, Fresh Food 4 Kids, will address the Healthy Eating Active Living need identified in the county assessment, partnering to improve food security and health outcomes for low-income families with children in San Joaquin County by providing easy access to healthy supplemental groceries at schools. It will deliver nutrient-rich food to an anticipated 1,130 families. In addition to the number of unduplicated households served, the total pounds of food we delivered and the number of bags of groceries given out at each food distribution will be tracked to measure impact.

St. Mary’s Dining Room: Health Ambassadors

The project aims to find and engage with homeless or extremely low-income individuals 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 using the Pathways HUB-Model.

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 here. To arrange for an interview with St. Joseph’s Community Health Department, please contact Kellie Ryan at [email protected].

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About St. Joseph’s Medical Center:

Dignity Health 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 underserved. 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/CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit Catholic health system with care sites across 21 states dedicated to advancing health for all people. For more information, please visit DignityHealth.org/Stockton.

About St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center:

Dignity Health St. Joseph's Behavioral Health Center (SJBHC) is a licensed, not-for-profit facility, providing comprehensive behavioral health services for psychiatric and chemical dependency disorders. Located in Stockton, California, SJBHC includes a 35-bed inpatient hospital, day treatment programs, and outpatient services. The specially trained staff of board certified psychiatrists, physicians, and licensed professionals are committed to providing compassionate, quality care and creating an atmosphere that fosters communication, trust and personal growth. In FY21, St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center provided over $1 million in charity care, community services, and unreimbursed patient care. SJBHC is a member of Dignity Health/CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit, Catholic health system with care sites across 21 states, dedicated to advancing health for all people. For more information, visit our website dignityhealth.org/stockton/behavioralhealth.