From Left to Right: Lucinda Babers (Deputy Mayor for Operations & Infrastructure), Lester Davis, (VP & Chief of Staff, CareFirst), George Jones (CEO, Bread for the City), Tonia Wellons (President & CEO, The Community Foundation), Commissioner Karima Woods, (DC Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking), Dr. Marla Dean (Senior Director, Health Equity Fund).
Just days after the historic announcement of its inaugural $9.2 million grant round, the Greater Washington Community Foundation, partners from CareFirst and DISB, and members of the Health Equity Committee hosted a special breakfast to celebrate and network with Health Equity Fund nonprofit partners.
“You all here today, are a part of history,” Dr. Nnemdi Elias, Chair of the Health Equity Committee shared with the audience of nonprofit and community partners. “Thinking about health as it relates to socio-economic mobility is something that’s been talked about for at least 50 years. However, now – at this place, in this time, with all of you – now is the time to bring this idea to life.”
In addition to networking, the event also reinforced the fund’s commitment to a transformative vision for economic mobility in the region.
“We’re laser focused on increasing economic mobility and closing our region’s glaring racial wealth gap,” Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation added. “I’m so proud of our Health Equity Committee for taking the bold decision to make the strategic link between health and wealth.”
Given that 80 percent of DC’s health outcomes are driven by social, economic, and other factors, compared to just 20 percent by clinical care, the Health Equity Fund has adopted an economic mobility frame to address the root causes of our region’s glaring racial health and wealth gap.
Grantees such as Bread for the City’s CEO George Jones echoed their commitment to the Health Equity Fund’s vision.
“If we don’t deal with the racial wealth gap on a systemic level, organizations like ours will be around forever – doing great work, but not able to solve the larger problems that continue to plague our communities,” George observed. “We are excited to be a part of this bold approach to transform our community.”
Click here to see pictures from the event! For more information about the Health Equity Fund, including the complete list of nonprofit partners from the inaugural HEF grant round, visit our website!