Northern Counties Health Care (NCHC) and its community partners awarded $307,300 in grant funds to ten projects working to address health equity and improve the lives of residents in the Northeast Kingdom.
The projects build capacity to combat systemic inequities and ensure everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be healthy–especially those who have experienced socioeconomic disadvantage, historical injustice, and other avoidable inequalities that are often associated with social categories of race, gender, ethnicity, social position, sexual orientation, and disability.
Northern Counties Health Care (NCHC) acts as the regional backbone organization and works with two accountable health communities in the Northeast Kingdom—NEK Prosper! and Vibrant ONE (Orleans & Northern Essex). These groups work to bridge the gap between clinical care and community services to build healthy and thriving communities. NCHC facilitated a process to award the grant funds, and the ten projects receiving grant funds were all designed with input from the intended beneficiaries.
“Northern Counties is committed to making sure everyone in the community has the opportunity to live a healthy life,” said Michael Costa, NCHC CEO. “Addressing health equity takes a sustained and inclusive effort, and we look forward to continuing this work with NEK Prosper!, Vibrant ONE, and our community partners.”
“These projects are a tribute to the passion and creativity of our community members,” said Kari White, NCHC’s Director of Community Health Equity. “They demonstrate that there is so much more to health than health care services.”
Information on the grant process and projects funded can be found at: nekprosper.org/resources-tools/nek-community-health-equity/community-grants/
This grant process was made possible by The VT Community Health Equity Partnership—a project of the Vermont Department of Health and the VT Public Health Institute—and a COVID related grant from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The VT Community Health Equity Partnership is helping communities across the State focus on improving health equity. This includes identifying and funding projects that address the root causes of health inequities.
NEK Prosper!, an accountable health community, is a network of community members, organizations, and institutions with the Mission of Improving the health and well-being of the people of Caledonia and Southern Essex Counties by integrating their efforts and services with an emphasis on reducing poverty in our region. Learn more at nekprosper.org.
Vibrant ONE, an accountable health community, has the vision of a vibrant, thriving, safe and inclusive Orleans and Northern Essex Counties.