CONNECT, along with Mission Edge and Impact without Borders, is supporting Alliance Healthcare Foundation’s Innovation Initiative as five finalist companies hone their business models and pitch presentations.
Alliance Healthcare Foundation (AHF) works to advance health and wellness for the most vulnerable – the poor, uninsured and underinsured, children and the homeless in San Diego. AHF developed the Innovation Initiative (i2) to support transformational thinking and action to improve systems related to health and wellness. In 2016, AHF awarded $1,718,604 through the i2 pitch contest, Mission Supports Grant, and Responsive Grants.
Through the Mission Support Grant program, AHF aims to catalyze real, sustainable change in San Diego & Imperial County by funding organizations that are advancing health and wellness for those in need. As stated in its mission statement, AHF looks to the community for the solutions to overcoming the barriers that keep us from achieving our mission. Organizations with goals that align with AHF’s directive to advance health and wellness are most likely to be acknowledged with funding.
This year five companies are competing for a prize award of $1M. The mentoring engagement started on June 1st and ends on July 6th.
The five companies competing for this award are listed below:
Somali Health Initiative for Access to Healthy Care (SHIFA)
Somali Family Services is developing a virtual reality (VR)-based platform that is customized in context and is linguistically and culturally appropriate to serve 1,000 East African community members, including educating 300 parents on the importance of immunization, nutrition, and health education on how to recognize pediatric learning impairments and autism. To read more, click here.
Our program provides supportive housing, transitional training and employment, and most importantly – hope. The roof over their heads is a significant part of the solution, but the array of case management and mental health services undergirding the housing part is of even greater importance. This is where the hope begins. To read more, click here.
To prevent and reduce obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes in the four targeted communities, Bastyr will create “pop up” naturopathic clinic rotations with nutritional gardens in community based organizations including La Maestra, Olivewood Gardens, EJE Academies and the Community Resource Center. The services will include nutritional instruction, botanical medicine, manipulative therapy, homeopathy and acupuncture. To read more, click here.
Abused children need a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) right away, not only to find safe homes, but to have more timely access to vital services including medical care. VCF’s Case Liaison Program is helping to offer early intervention for these children. Case Liaison professionals are stationed in each of San Diego’s six dependency departments, triaging urgent cases in real time and expediting CASA matching. To read more, click here.
Successful Transitions program (ST) is a comprehensive model to respond to the needs of Transition Age Youth (TAY) with mental, emotional or behavioral (MEB) disorders. The methodology involves a structured assessment of all dimensions of need (independent living skills (ILS)/education/health/job/career/housing) to then develop individualized plans, while addressing mental health challenges preventing successful transition to adulthood. To read more, click here.
We are proud to be a partner in the endeavor to improve health and wellness in some of San Diego’s most underserved populations. Check back here soon for company profiles and competition updates!