Two Kent nonprofits received grants from Seattle-based HealthierHere to develop or enhance initiatives that address pressing health care workforce challenges.
Living Well Kent received $110,000 and Kent Youth and Family Services $80,000, according to a spokesperson for HealthierHere, a nonprofit collaborative dedicated to eliminating health disparities and advancing equity in King County through collective action.
In total, HealthierHere awarded $5 million to help support 39 King County organizations.
HealthierHere is devoting funding it has received for its work as the Accountable Community of Health for King County to invest in the effort, with an emphasis on increasing diversity of the overall workforce to ensure it reflects the communities served.
“It was critical to us that these resources were equitably invested in a variety of HealthierHere’s partners actively working to address health disparities,” said Marya Gingrey, HealthierHere’s chief equity and strategy officer. “We wanted to make sure that Black, Indigenous, people of color, limited English proficient, refugee, immigrant and LGBTQI communities are represented in the workforce, and that organizations have the flexibility to decide for themselves what is needed to achieve that goal.”
The initiatives are funded through November 2023, and span focus areas including staff wellness and burnout prevention; recruitment and retention; health care and social service apprenticeships and internships; academic partnerships; and licensure supervisory support.
Kent Youth and Family Services, 232 Second Ave. S., in downtown Kent, promotes healthy development of children, youth and families in South King County by providing professional counseling, education and support services.
Living Well Kent, 24604 104th Ave. SE, specific goals include a community where residents enjoy widespread access to healthy and affordable food; safer streets and public spaces that encourage physical activity; greater equity; and a strong sense of community and inclusion.
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