PHILADELPHIA — The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today that it has awarded a total of nearly $ 3.5 million in new grants as part of its continued commitment to help Philadelphia area residents and organizations as the region continues to grow. is recovering from the impacts of COVID-19. The awards include approximately $ 3.2 million to help three nonprofits achieve more equitable health and education outcomes for low-income adults and children, plus $ 300,000 to strengthen the more the country’s former botanical garden and enhance its community programs and opportunities for residents of Southwest Philadelphia. .
The new beneficiaries of Pew are:
- The Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA) received the second growth grant from the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services, totaling $ 2 million over five years, to help the organization increase the number of chronically ill people receiving medically appropriate meals and nutrition. tips for improving health outcomes and overall quality of life. Good nutrition is essential to help patients heal, especially those with serious illnesses such as cancer, HIV / AIDS, diabetes and kidney disease; and data shows that access to therapeutic nutrition and education can dramatically reduce health care costs and hospitalizations. Pew Growth Grants are large, flexible, long-term investments designed to strengthen an organization’s ability to expand services and improve efficiency. This support will help MANNA develop a strategy to increase the number of residents of the Philadelphia area it serves by 50% by the end of the five years, with a focus on identifying and increasing the outreach to underserved communities.
- PolicyLab Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia received $ 1 million over four years to support PolicyLab’s ongoing efforts to inform effective national and local policies and practices that achieve equitable and optimal health outcomes for children and adolescents. Specifically, Pew’s funding will help PolicyLab research and promote universal health insurance for children and families, explore and address the ways COVID-19 has affected racial disparities in health outcomes. of children and families, and to promote intergenerational programs and policies that recognize that children’s health is directly linked to the physical, mental and social well-being of their caregivers. It will also help PolicyLab provide advice to higher education leaders on effective vaccine policies for colleges and universities and examine ways in which pediatric health systems can optimize preventive care for women, especially women. women of color, before and after childbirth, stressing the importance of maintaining insurance coverage during the postpartum period.
- Springboard Collaborative received a Pew Fund venture capital grant totaling $ 180,000 over two years to help the organization improve student literacy and address learning losses exacerbated by school closures during the pandemic. Business grants are designed to fill a service gap or an emerging need for an underserved population. Pew’s support will help expand the Springboard Learning Accelerator program, which has been successful in Detroit, New York and other cities, to more schools in lower-income neighborhoods in Philadelphia. The approach, which can be implemented remotely or in person, actively engages parents and teachers to help set and achieve measurable reading goals for students in Kindergarten to Grade 3.
- Bartram’s Garden received $ 300,000 over two years to support the restoration, maintenance and improvement of the garden’s 50 acres after unprecedented use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key projects include improving public spaces, benches and other amenities for visitors; improving recreational and educational activities such as public boating; and continue to work with community leaders in Southwest Philadelphia to highlight the priorities and talents of local residents through targeted programs, investments and paid development opportunities for youth.
“With these latest grants, The Pew Charitable Trusts is pleased to continue to help the Philadelphia area and its residents recover from the health and economic impacts of the pandemic,” said Frazierita Klasen, senior vice president leading the work of Pew in Philadelphia. “The four recipient organizations provide essential programs and resources that will improve the overall well-being and quality of life for Philadelphians of all ages, backgrounds and neighborhoods. “
“Adults and children in our region have long experienced disparities in health and educational outcomes, and COVID-19 has been a stark reminder of the need to work for meaningful and equitable change,” said Kristin Romens, project director of the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services in Philadelphia. “The Pew Fund is pleased to award our second Growth Grant to MANNA to support its critical role in ensuring more low-income and chronic disease patients have access to the nutrition they need.” to achieve optimal health and well-being. We are also delighted to award a new grant to Springboard Collaborative for improving local literacy and education outcomes, and to CHOP’s PolicyLab for its continued efforts to inform equitable health policies and programs for people. children and adolescents.
For more information on Pew’s support to residents and organizations in the Philadelphia area during the pandemic, and the city as it seeks to achieve an inclusive recovery.
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The Pew Charitable Trusts is committed to helping Philadelphia by informing the discussion of important political issues facing the city, fostering a thriving arts and cultural community, supporting the health and well-being of the most vulnerable populations in the region, and by pursuing civic initiatives to make the region more attractive to residents and visitors. Learn more about pewtrusts.org/en/projects/supporting-the-greater-philadelphia-area
