Sentara Healthcare has announced an additional $5 million in funding to support nearly 100 partner organizations throughout Virginia and North Carolina through its Fall 2022 Sentara Cares grant cycle.
These investments expand on Sentara’s longstanding commitment to address social determinants of health and promote equitable access to care in traditionally underserved communities – efforts that are strengthened through numerous grassroots partnerships with community and faith-based organizations.
Nearly half of Sentara’s total investments this grant cycle will directly support community-based health equity programs and initiatives centered around housing and behavioral health – two of Sentara’s primary focus areas. More than $1 million has been committed to organizations working to address food insecurity in 2022.
“Addressing the most pressing needs of our communities and improving total health and wellness are the foundation of our mission at Sentara,” said Sherry Norquist, MSN-RN, Sentara director of community engagement and impact. “We are hopeful that through our ongoing investments and collaboration with community partners and faith-based leaders who share our mission, together, we will continue to create opportunities to advance health equity and eliminate disparities in the communities where we live, work, and play.”
Sentara prioritizes funding for community partners and initiatives that align with the organization’s primary focus areas: behavioral health, housing, workforce training and career development, food security and social determinants of health.
The community partners receiving funding from Sentara include:
- Albemarle Area United Way, Inc. – Elizabeth City, NC
- Albemarle Commission Area Agency on Aging – Hertford, NC
- Albemarle Hopeline, Inc. – Elizabeth City, NC
- Beloved Haven, Inc. – Moyock, NC
- Boys & Girls Club of the Albemarle – Edenton, NC
- Food Bank of the Albemarle – Elizabeth City, NC
- River City Community Development Corporation – Elizabeth City, NC
- SOULS Ministry – Elizabeth City, NC
Earlier this year, Sentara awarded nearly $5 million in funding to 71 partner organizations working to address social determinants of health. In 2021, Sentara invested $254 million to support Virginia and North Carolina communities, including $23 million in health education and prevention programs, $48 million in teaching and training opportunities for healthcare professionals, $16 million in community giving, and $167 million in uncompensated patient care.
To learn more about the many ways in which Sentara is partnering with the community to improve health equity, visit Sentara’s 2021 Community Engagement and Impact Report. Visit SentaraCares.com for additional information about partnership and funding opportunities with Sentara.
