Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi Awards $140,000 in Health Policy Grants

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi has awarded $140,000 in community benefit grants to the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice and Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute, two organizations striving to improve the health of Hawaiʻi residents through health policy and social services programs.

“Critical to our mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve,” said Greg Christian, president, Hawaiʻi Market Kaiser Permanente, Health Plan and Hospitals. “This starts at the state and county level, by supporting policies and programs that create a stronger foundation for community health.”

The Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice received $50,000 for its “Flattening the Next Curve” project, which focuses on preservation of housing, a key social determinant of health. The program aims to strengthen housing assistance and eviction prevention services for residents struggling with homelessness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute received $90,000 to support its work to improve the health of all Hawaiʻi residents, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations that suffer greater health disparities. Funding will go towards advocating for comprehensive health policies, strengthening food systems to reduce food insecurity, and developing COVID-19 information tailored for underserved communities.

These grants are the latest in a series of contributions from Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi to help residents throughout the state receive vital support services in response to socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the past year, Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi has gifted more than $2 million in current or planned grants to nonprofits serving communities across Hawaiʻi. It also hosted 16 community support events, including food distributions that have provided more than 280,000 pounds of food to more than 7,000 local families.