What’s New?

2009 Champions of Health Professions Diversity Award

On June 15, Guillermo J. Camacho, D.D.S., West Covina; Shirley Flores-Muñoz, Ph.D., Watsonville; and Tomás A. Magaña, M.D., Oakland (left to right, in photo), were honored as the TCWF 2009 Champions of Health Professions Diversity. The honorees each received a cash award of $25,000. The awards were presented at a dinner held in conjunction with a two-day conference sponsored by TCWF that featured plenary speakers and breakout sessions for Foundation grantees and others working in this field. Visit the Leadership Recognition portal of www.CalWellness.org to learn more about the honorees and this important health policy issue.

TCWF Co-Sponsors Communications Conference

Through its media and civic partnership program, TCWF co-sponsored “Here and Now: With an Eye to the Future,” held in Los Angeles on May 27. The day of workshops for Asian and Pacific Islander-focused nonprofit groups was tailored to assist in development of the organizational communications, marketing and media skills as tools to increase capacity and sustainability. The conference was attended by nearly 200. Plans are underway for a similar event in San Francisco on November 3.

New Reflections Available Online

The focus of the latest in our Reflections series, “Grantmaking That Lasts: Key Findings of The California Wellness Foundation’s Responsive Grantmaking Program,” is a Harder+Company evaluation of TCWF grants made over five years. Its findings show that core operating support can have positive impacts on the organizational health of nonprofits. To access Reflections, visit the Publications section of www.CalWellness.org.

Report Reveals Many Californians Experience Medical Debt

A new UCLA Center for Health Policy Research report, The State of Health Insurance in California (SHIC), shows there is a “glaring inadequacy” in the current system of health insurance, which forces hundreds of thousands into debt even when covered by insurance policies. Funded in part by a grant from TCWF, SHIC is based on a new analysis of data from the California Health Interview Survey, the nation’s largest state health survey. The report can be found at www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu.

2008 Annual Report Highlights Leaders in Focus

TCWF’s 2008 Annual Report is now available online. The report’s cover story – Leaders In Focus – looks at the qualities of passion, vision and commitment embodied in the work of individual leaders who have received leadership recognition awards from the Foundation. It features portraits of individuals who are representative of the 118 outstanding leaders that TCWF has honored since 1993. The report also provides an update on TCWF’s activities for the year, financial statements, an overview of the grants program and a list of the year’s grants. To access the annual report, visit the Publications section of www.CalWellness.org.

Strengthening the Sector

Independent Sector, a leadership forum for charities, foundations and corporate giving programs, has recently launched “FutureLab: An Online Challenge for the Nonprofit Community to Chart a Vibrant 2020,” a forum to share ideas and identify common goals to strengthen organizations and expand individual and combined impact. For more information, visit: www.independentsector.org/future.

Health Information Network Launched

The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, a TCWF grantee, has launched the Health Information Network to provide health information, data, research and other resources relevant to Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. It also contains tools for communicating with advocates, policymakers, community leaders and health organizations. For more information, visit www.apiahf.org.

California Peace Prize Honorees Profiled

Two past TCWF California Peace Prize honorees – Cora Tomalinas and Rev. Anthony Ortiz (left to right, in photo) – were among 24 individuals profiled in a new book, Hope Matters: The Untold Story of How Faith Works in America, by John A. Calhoun. The book details Calhoun’s two-year, cross-country quest to discover how faith motivates America’s “hardest-working public servants.” The individuals selected have pursued a range of innovative and ambitious plans to help their communities.

For more information, visit www.hopematters.org.

Women’s Empowerment Graduate Profiled

A graduate of a program for homeless women operated by Women’s Empowerment, a TCWF grantee, was profiled on NBC News in June. “Kathryn,” who was enrolled in the agency’s domestic violence counseling, parenting, fitness and nutrition classes, shared how the agency guided her in restoring her life and finding a job after experiencing many years of domestic violence and homelessness. The segment aired in New York City and was picked up by affiliates nationwide. Kathryn’s story is at www.womens-empowerment.org/post.cfm/kathrynsstory.

October Declared California Promotores Month

Vision y Compromiso, a TCWF grantee and the statewide coordinating network for promotores and community health workers, has been recognized in a proclamation by the California Legislature declaring October California Promotores Month. The Legislature formally endorsed the pioneering work of promotores and duly recognized the leadership provided by Vision y Compromiso, which was founded in 2000 with a mission to support promotores in California in their effort to ensure healthy and dignified living for immigrant Latinos.

Kudos

In June, the Inland Empire Violence Prevention Coalition honored TCWF President and CEO Gary L. Yates for his support of Inland Empire agencies and for TCWF’s approach to grantmaking.

Magdalena Beltrán-del Olmo has joined the North Los Angeles County Task Force (NLACT) of the California Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders. NLACT is part of a statewide taskforce network that will support and assist the committee in addressing early identification and intervention, health insurance coverage, training/employment, and housing of individuals with autism and related disorders in California.

Staff Updates

TCWF recognizes Adriana Godoy Leiss, communications officer, for five years of service.

Fall 2009

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