Sierra Health Foundation announced $700,000 in new grants to the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund and My Brother’s Keeper Sacramento collaborative. The Foundation seeded both programs through its nonprofit partner, The Center, to improve health in the San Joaquin Valley and among boys and men of color. The full amount will be regranted to community-based nonprofits through a collaborative investment strategy.
“We’re proud of how the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund and My Brother’s Keeper Sacramento advance health equity throughout the state. Each illustrates how communities are powerful in identifying and driving solutions to the challenges they face,” said Chet P. Hewitt, president and CEO of Sierra Health Foundation.
San Joaquin Valley Health Fund, The Center — $400,000
Since 2014, with funding support from Sierra Health Foundation, The Center’s San Joaquin Valley Health Fund (SJVHF) has worked to address deep-rooted inequities and poor health, social and economic outcomes throughout the Valley. The Center sought out community guidance and input to determine its approach to plans for sustained grantmaking, organizational and leadership capacity building and centering underserved populations in the region.
The Center has grown this ambitious community-first funder collaborative to more than 40 philanthropic funders and more than 170 funded community partners. The Foundation’s continuous investment in the Fund supports significant community mobilization, power building and policy change work throughout the eight counties of the San Joaquin Valley. Clusters of funders committed to special issue areas have also invested in organizations focused on safe drinking water, immigrant rights and protections, and wildfire and COVID-19 farmworker resiliency.
My Brother’s Keeper Sacramento, The Center — $300,000
In 2014, Sierra Health Foundation seeded the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Sacramento collaborative in partnership with the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County Office of Education and community organizations. The Center is the backbone organization for MBK Sacramento’s collaborative of public system leaders, advocates, community partners, youth-serving organizations and young people. Together, they are addressing health, education, employment and justice system disparities for young men of color through advocacy for key policies, systems changes and effective programs.
MBK Sacramento-funded partners’ efforts have led to pivotal outcomes including:
- Development of a mental health navigation platform for boys and men of color through a partnership with Kaiser Permanente and Brother Be Well.
- Expanded Sacramento County Office of Education’s mental health intervention strategies to include mentoring, art and academic support and a coordinated system of care.
- Launched The 1300 Campaign 9-Point Policy Resolution in Natomas Unified, Sacramento City Unified, San Juan Unified and Elk Grove Unified school districts, leading to improved access to post-secondary educational opportunities for students of color.
- Improved and expanded youth diversion strategies to community-based alternatives in Sacramento County.
- Strengthened young leaders’ skills around advocacy, organizing, research, public speaking and self-development through the MBK Sacramento Youth Fellowship.