The Foundation supports non-profit organizations committed to providing quality health care services to the un/underinsured; behavioral health services when not available; improved access to health care through overcoming barriers to health care delivery;
health promotion through proactive prevention, education, and outreach; and programs aimed at addressing the social determinants of health.
June 2023 GRANT SPOTLIGHT - Gratis Healthcare
Gratis Healthcare was established in May of 2020 in recognition of the growing need for access to basic health care for those communities that are uninsured or underinsured in the MetroWest and Greater Boston area. Gratis provides free medical and mental health services to those in need by utilizing volunteer clinicians in multiple specialties along with Portuguese and Spanish interpreters. Gratis’ vision is to remove barriers to basic health care and strive to connect patients to the Massachusetts health care system and community resources. Most of the population served is Portuguese Brazilian (65%) and Central American Spanish (25%) speaking people.
Between Summer 2022 and December 2022, Gratis provided 250 children with the required back to school visits. This is most important in 2023, as the local community health center has had to initiate a waiting list for new patients. Gratis is now open on
Monday evenings to see pediatric patients by appointment for back-to-school physicals. In collaboration with the departments of public health in the MetroWest area, Gratis is working to establish a vaccination program for children. A women’s health
and screening program will be offered in late summer 2023.
Gratis warmly welcomes new volunteers. If you would like further information visit GratisHealth.org.
Your Foundation has awarded Gratis Healthcare in Framingham with two grants totaling $43,500. With our support Gratis has been able to offer (multilingual) access to healthcare for their medical, pediatric, and psychiatric patients. Recent support expands their scope with the addition of Women’s Health.
Photo Credit: Kristin Howard, MD
December 2019 GRANT SPOTLIGHT – Access to Care
The Geography of Uninsurance in Massachusetts: An Update for 2013–2017, reveals that an estimated 2.8 percent of Massachusetts residents were uninsured as of 2017. While this
is the lowest state level uninsurance rate in the country, there is still much work to be done. While enrollment in health insurance is important, the issue of access to appropriate health care and the social factors affecting health must also be
addressed to ensure that people get the health care they need and deserve. The Foundation remains committed to filling major gaps in care and services in Massachusetts and is proud to award grants that work to intervene in early predictors of poor
health outcomes.
Learn more about organizations recently receiving grants.
September 2019 GRANT SPOTLIGHT – Food Insecurity
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. The USDA’s 2018 Household Food Insecurity Report,
released in September 2019, reports an average food insecurity rate of 9.3% in Massachusetts, up from an average of 8.3% 10 years prior. Research has linked food insecurity to negative health outcomes and health disparities. Poor nutrition can increase
the risk of developing health problems, including diabetes and hypertension. This being so, the Foundation is proud to support organizations across the Commonwealth working to reduce food insecurity and improve health outcomes.
Other recent grants include:
Asian Women for Health received $10,000 in May 2019 to support the launch of “MobilizAsians
for Health”, an innovative pilot project to assess the feasibility of using WeChat® as an effective intervention tool to mobilize breast cancer survivors.
Read More »
Amherst Survival Center received $15,000 in May 2019 directed toward supplementing a free clinic provided by medical volunteers and staff.
Read More »
For more information on prior grants visit our
annual
report.
Additionally, the Foundation supports medical students and resident physicians who are pursuing international education that focuses on underserved populations by subsidizing up to $2,000 of travel expenses.
Global
Surgery in Sierra Leone
