CHC: Creating Healthier Communities calls on organizations to accelerate health equity
CHC and partners driving progress to ensure every person in every community can live their healthiest life
Alexandria, VA (June 29, 2023) – Even with the country’s economic challenges and divisions, CHC and partners report positive progress in communities over the past year, with expanded health equity programs and new social impact partnerships.
More than 70% of those surveyed in the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer say to improve health, business must improve the health of local communities, including addressing health issues such as inequality and convening stakeholders to improve healthcare. With a new CEO at the helm, CHC is doing just that, partnering and driving positive progress.
“Despite headwinds, we cannot—and we will not—slow down,” said Dr. Jean Accius, CHC president and CEO. “Health equity impacts all of us. No single organization can tackle the unacceptable gap in life expectancy by zip code that we face as a nation. We’re proud to partner with thousands of local community-based organizations, multinational corporations and government agencies, all joining us to create healthier communities.”
Highlights include:
- CHC announced the next phase of a $7 million grant partnership with Elevance Health Foundation. CHC: Creating Healthier Communities announces next phase of $7 million grant partnership with Elevance Health Foundation – CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (chcimpact.org). Thanks to Elevance, CHC launched the Black Birthing Initiative to address the maternal health crisis and reduce preterm births through community-based collaborative and capacity-enhancing partnerships.
- Merck partnered with CHC to advance more equitable health outcomes in breast and cervical cancer prevention in Atlanta among Black and Hispanic women and other underserved populations, addressing the leading causes of death for women of color. CHC and Merck partner to advance more equitable health outcomes in breast and cervical cancer care in Black, Hispanic, and other underserved populations (prweb.com)
- BBB Wise Giving Alliance released an independent new case study recognizing CHC’s successful organizational transformation, diversifying revenue and increasing effectiveness. BBB Wise Giving Alliance Case Study – CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (chcimpact.org). Only two years after CHC announced our rebranding, the organization entered 2023 with over $25 million in grants, a notable surge from $243,000 in 2020.
- CHC raised more than $20 million through workplace and corporate giving, plus increased our share of Combined Federal Campaign pledges by 1%, driving resources to more than 5,000 nonprofits annually
- Mohegan Sun partnered with CHC for their annual employee giving campaign raising more than $700,000 – more than double the amount raised last year.
- The Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and Telligen provided a combined $100,000 gift to CHC to support mental health and substance use disorder programs within the Chickasaw Nation. American Indians continue to die at higher rates than other Americans in many categories of preventable illness and are three times as likely to die from a drug overdose. CHC also launched a new mental health partnership with The Steve Fund to address the nation’s growing mental health equity crisis.
- Our longstanding Ohio State Campaignpartnership saw the generosity of employees increase this year for a total of $373,000 supporting CHC and our nonprofit partners.
- King County employees raised more than $44,000 to support Doctors Without Borders’ earthquake response. King County Employees Raise More than $44,000 to Support Doctors Without Borders’ Earthquake Response – CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (chcimpact.org)
- Hilti North America sponsored a screening of the documentary Aftershock with CHC to raise awareness of the Black maternal health crisis. Several individuals featured in the film spoke afterwards, including Shawnee Benton Gibson, Bruce McIntyre, Dr. Neel Shah, and Myla Flores, moderated by Briana Stewart of ABC News, with additional expertise from Inas Mahdi. Check out the video recap. Aftershock Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion hosted by CHC – YouTube
- MetroHealth and CHC connected in Cleveland to screen the Aftershockdocumentary and raise awareness. CHC and MetroHealth Connect in Cleveland for Aftershock Screening and Discussion | CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (chcimpact.org)
- CHC collaborated with companies like Saks, Hilti, Elevance, WNBA Connecticut Sun, and Mohegan Sun and their employees to assemble Healthier Mom Kits, a volunteer activity packing kits filled with educational resources and items that support pregnant women. These have been given to more than 10 birthing centers in 10 states. CHC partnered with MetLife, Elevance, Hilti, Connexus and Saks on additional volunteer projects locally, nationally and globally.
- CHC joined theWorld Economic Forum’s Global Health Equity Network, signing the “Zero Health Gaps Pledge” to shape a healthier and more inclusive world through prioritizing health equity. Health inequities cost the United States $320 billion annually.
- CHC’s Corporate Leadership Council grew to more than 50 top CSR, ESG and DEI leaders, advancing social impact together. Corporate Leadership Council | CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (chcimpact.org).
- L.E.K. Consulting’s research demonstrated high trust in CHC, emphasizing the organization’s proven record in partnering to improve health outcomes in communities.
- CHC raised awareness of this work, earning more than 1 billion media impressions in Politico, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Black Enterprise, Forbes, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Thrive Global, The Daily Record, San Francisco Chronicle, MSN, com, Ragan PR Daily, Research!America, DotCom Magazine plus speaking engagements with Milken Institute, Amazon IMAGINE, Fast Company Impact Council, Just Economy, Washington Post LIVE Future of Work, Global MindED, Rogue Media Group, LLC, Heart and Mind Strategies, Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute, Points of Light, and many more. CHC Media Coverage | CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (chcimpact.org)
These gains are possible even as the U.S. continues to struggle with inflation, plus a decline in individual giving in 2022, one of only three declines in the past 40 years (Giving USA). The country is also facing unprecedented polarization driven by weak social fabric, lack of shared identity, systemic unfairness and other issues, per the Edelman 2023 Trust Barometer.
“This is a clarion call for businesses—and all organizations—to come together with a common purpose to advance health equity,” said Accius. “We invite every organization across the country to join us in this fight to ensure every person in every community can live their healthiest life.”
ABOUT CHC: CREATING HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES
CHC: Creating Healthier Communities exists so that every person in every community has an opportunity to live their healthiest life. We leverage partnerships to raise funds, deliver programs and elevate solutions in communities. We focus on awareness and access, education and advocacy, and philanthropy. Together with partners, we’ve been creating healthier communities for more than 65 years. Join us at chcimpact.org or @chcimpact.
