Direct Relief today announced $2 million in funding has been awarded among 10 community health centers working to address respiratory health in historically undersupported communities.
The grants were disbursed from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity, with support from Sanofi, and will address chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The funds will support prevention, education, and improved care for both children and adult patients. Community health centers in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, where Sanofi has a significant presence, are receiving the awards.
“Respiratory conditions, including asthma, disproportionately impact vulnerable communities. These funds will directly support organizations working to address and prevent these life-altering conditions,” said Dr. Byron Scott, Direct Relief’s President and Chief Operating Officer and Co-Chair of the Fund for Health Equity. “I am humbled that both Sanofi and Direct Relief can help these organizations with their goals of improving the health of people seeking care.”
Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity mobilizes financial resources for community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and other nonprofit organizations focused on non-clinical interventions that affect a person’s health – commonly known as the social determinants of health. These factors include a person’s physical, social, cultural, and economic environments.
Sanofi’s donation is part of the company’s “Breathe Easier” campaign, which focuses on the intersection of the environment and human health, and supports communities experiencing a high burden of respiratory illness.
“We are proud to support Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity and the 10 centers that will lead the way in improving respiratory care in many communities,” said Diana Blankman, Head of U.S. Corporate Social Responsibility at Sanofi. “We strongly believe in the development of community-based solutions by those who know best how to provide culturally relevant care to the patients they serve.”
The funding will support the following 10 health centers’ efforts:
- Brockton Neighborhood Health Center – Brockton, MA
- Codman Square Health Center – Dorchester, MA
- Holyoke Health Center – Holyoke, MA
- Greater Lawrence Family Health Center – Methuen, MA
- Caring Health Center – Springfield, MA
- Zufall Health Center – Dover, NJ
- Henry J. Austin Health Center – Trenton, NJ
- Valley Health Partners – Allentown, PA
- Delaware Valley Community Health – Philadelphia, PA
- Spectrum Foundation for Health Equity and Community Impact – Philadelphia, PA
