As part of its continued commitment to improve the health of those in the communities it serves, Texas Health Resources is investing another $5 million in grants to local organizations that work collaboratively to creatively tackle the health disparities and socioeconomic hardships impacting North Texans.
The health system has awarded more than $23 million in Texas Health Community Impact grants since 2019. The grants are just one part of the outreach that Texas Health is doing in and on behalf of our communities through an initiative known collectively as Texas Health Community Hope.
The grants awarded in Denton County this cycle include:
$300,000 to Denton County MHMR’s Military Veteran Peer Network that will increase access to mental health care, peer support and long-term recovery for veterans living in Lewisville and Sanger by hosting peer events, providing mobile counseling services and offering transportation.
$300,000 to Giving Grace, in partnership with Cloud 9 Charities, Ignite U1 and the Denton County Transportation Authority, to expand outreach efforts into Lewisville and Sanger by connecting the homeless to diversion intervention, mental health, recovery support services, community relationships and transportation.
“We have witnessed the tremendous impact that can be achieved when we work with community organizations to tackle the unique challenges that residents in underserved communities face,” said David Tesmer, chief community and public policy officer for Texas Health. “From providing families free access to nutritious food and transportation to connecting residents to vital resources and support for their mental and physical health, these investments are not only meeting immediate needs but creating ripples of change for generations to come.”
The Texas Health Community Impact grants target the unique needs of residents living in 32 ZIP codes identified as disproportionately experiencing health challenges in Texas Health’s Community Health Needs Assessment, an in-depth analysis done every three years.
“With this assessment, we’re identifying the pressing needs and health issues in underserved and under resourced communities across North Texas so we can focus our efforts on where it’s needed most,” said Barclay Berdan, FACHE, Texas Health Resources CEO. “We then team up with organizations already rooted in these communities to implement innovative programs to address these health disparities and socioeconomic conditions that impact health and well-being. Together, we are building bridges to better health.”
