$500,000 Kaiser Permanente health grants to Santa Cruz County

Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to 28 community non-profits working to improve the health of the community.

The grants to Santa Cruz County community non-profits will focus on programs to improve access to health care (4 grants), encourage Healthy Eating and Active Living (8 grants), enhance mental health in the community (6 grants) and improve safety/security for children and families (6 grants).

The grants are part of Kaiser Permanente’s Community Health program, and they range from $6,700 to $80,000. The grants are from Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County, and Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California Regional headquarters in Oakland.

“These yearly grants continue our mission of improving the health of the neighborhoods we serve,” said Irene Chavez, Senior Vice President and Area Manager of Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, which oversees the Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County Area. “I’m particularly pleased that 6 of the Kaiser Permanente Community Health grants here in Santa Cruz County support mental health programs, since reducing stigma about mental health conditions is a way to enhance healthy living.”

For example, the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Grant to Scotts Valley Educational Foundation will help support school counselors, who’ll meet with students to identify and screen for issues. The counselors will be able to advise, refer students to outside resources, and involve parents to ensure students get the mental health support they need.

Also, a grant to the Diversity Center of Santa Cruz will support members of the transgender community in Santa Cruz County.

“Our goal is that participants show positive mental health outcomes, including a greater sense of emotional well-being and mental health,” said Sharon Esther Papo, Executive Director of The Diversity Center. “The (Kaiser Permanente) grant will help support 18 monthly transgender support groups which will help create a sense of physical and emotional safety, and a sense of belonging.”

A grant to a Watsonville-based non-profit, Monarch Services Housing program, supports its efforts to improve safety for children and families facing homelessness in Santa Cruz County because of domestic violence.

“Kaiser Permanente’s grant to fund Monarch Services' Housing program will increase our clients’ access to safe, permanent housing as well as wrap around services that are necessary as clients rebuild their lives after experiencing domestic violence,” said Kalyne Foster Renda, Acting Executive Director of Monarch Services in Watsonville. “Services provided will include comprehensive case management, housing navigation, rental assistance, therapeutic services, education and job training resources, childcare assistance, transportation, and legal services. Providing these vital services for our clients will greatly reduce the risk of clients living in and/or returning to abusive and unhealthy living conditions.”

Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County expects to announce more grants to non-profits here in the coming months. Since it opened services in the community in 2017, Kaiser Permanente has awarded up to a $1 Million each year to Santa Cruz County non-profits enhancing health care. Nationally, Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit and Community Health Grants total $2 Billion each year.

Below is a list of the Santa Cruz County grantees.

Central Coast YMCA

Coastal Kids Home Care

Coastal Watershed Council

Community Bridges

CASA of Santa Cruz County

Physicians for a Healthy Center Coast

First 5 Santa Cruz County

FoodWhat, Incorporated

Friends of Santa Cruz County Parks

Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services

Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower (commonly known as Kidpower)

LIFELAB

Live Oak School District

Monarch Services- Servicios Monarca

Motion Pacific Dance

O’Neill Sea Odyssey

Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes

Pajaro Valley Unified School District

Diversity Center (formerly Santa Cruz Gay and Lesbian Community Center)

Scotts Valley Educational Foundation

Teen Kitchen Project

Santa Cruz MAH

United Way of Santa Cruz County

Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County

Warming Center Program

Homeless Service Center (Regional Grant)

Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust (Regional Grant)