Sentara Healthcare awards nearly $5 million to support 71 community partners in Virginia and North Carolina

Sentara Healthcare today announced nearly $5 million in funding to 71 partner organizations throughout Virginia and North Carolina. These investments will directly support programs and initiatives that address social determinants of health and promote health equity by eliminating traditional barriers to health and human services.

Sentara is committed to supporting community-based health equity programs that focus on improving public health, tackling health inequities, and promoting equitable access to care in traditionally underserved communities. Sentara prioritizes funding for community partners and initiatives that align with the company's primary focus areas: behavioral health, housing, workforce training and career development, food security, and social determinants of health.

"Hope is truly at the center of every partnership we embrace and every program we support — hope that health disparities and inequities can be addressed, that opportunities for better careers can continue to expand, that healthy food can make it to every table," said Sherry Norquist, MSN-RN, Sentara director of community engagement and impact. "We know these hopes are high, but if the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that even when hope comes in small doses, it can last a lifetime."

These investments – part of the Sentara Healthier Communities Fund – build on Sentara's longstanding commitment to improve the quality of life for those most in need and to create healthier communities through partnerships with community organizations and faith-based leaders.

Community partners receiving funding from Sentara include:

Hampton Roads

• Autism Society Tidewater Virginia – Virginia Beach, VA
• Cancer Care Foundation of Tidewater – Norfolk, VA
• Capital Center of Virginia dba Urban Baby Beginnings – Richmond, VA
• Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia – Norfolk, VA
• City of Williamsburg – Williamsburg, VA
• Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads – Portsmouth, VA
• Enjoying Life & Leadership Coaching – Norfolk, VA
• FACT (Families of Autistic Children of Tidewater) – Virginia Beach, VA
• FEAST Virginia, Inc. – Norfolk, VA
• Global Action Platform – Norfolk, VA
• Helping Others Out Daily – Chesapeake, VA
• Ketchmore Kids – Hampton, VA
• Literacy for Life – Williamsburg, VA
• Mother Seton House, Inc. T/A Seton Youth Shelters – Virginia Beach, VA
• Nauticus STEM Discovery Lab – Norfolk, VA
• Norfolk Festevents, Ltd. – Norfolk, VA
• Olde Towne Medical & Dental Center – Williamsburg, VA
• Peninsula Agency on Aging – Newport News, VA
• Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority – Portsmouth, VA
• Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless Inc. – Portsmouth, VA
• Shining Light Homes – Portsmouth, VA
• STOP Inc. – Virginia Beach, VA
• Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts – Suffolk, VA
• The Focus Center – Chesapeake, VA
• The Philippine Nurses Association of Virginia, Inc. – Virginia Beach, VA
• The Salvation Army A Georgia Corporation – Norfolk, VA
• The Urban League of Hampton Roads – Norfolk, VA
• Transitions Family Violence Services – Hampton, VA
• VersAbility Resources – Hampton, VA
• Virginia African American Cultural Center – Virginia Beach, VA
• Virginia Living Museum – Newport News, VA
• Walk In It Inc. – Suffolk, VA

Central Virginia

• Brave Souls on Fire – Charlottesville, VA
• Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority – Charlottesville, VA
• Common Ground Healing Arts – Charlottesville, VA
• Commonwealth Catholic Charities – Richmond, VA
• Girls On The Run Central Virginia and Blue Ridge Inc. – Lynchburg, VA
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville – Charlottesville, VA
• Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Inc. – Charlottesville, VA
• Meals on Wheels of Charlottesville/Albemarle – Charlottesville, VA
• Orange County Free Clinic – Orange, VA
• The Women's Initiative – Charlottesville, VA
• Thomas Jefferson EMS Council – Charlottesville, VA
• Tour of Faith Mobile (Virginia Organizing) – Charlottesville, VA

Northern Virginia

• Action in Community Through Service – Dumfries, VA
• House of Mercy – Manassas, VA
• Legacy Impact – Manassas, VA
• Medical Care for Children Partnership Foundation – Springfield, VA
• Northern Virginia Family Service – Oakton, VA
• SPARK the Education Foundation for PWCS – Manassas, VA

Southside Virginia

• Friends of the Halifax County South Boston Regional Library – South Boston, VA
• Southside Outreach Group, Inc. – South Boston, VA
• Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc. – South Boston, VA

Shenandoah Valley

• Blue Ridge CASA for Children – Staunton, VA
• City of Harrisonburg Fire Department – Harrisonburg, VA
• Open Doors – Harrisonburg, VA
• Rockingham County – Harrisonburg, VA
• Valley Program for Aging Services – Harrisonburg, VA

Eastern North Carolina

• Albemarle Regional Health Services – Elizabeth City, NC
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Albemarle, Inc. – Edenton, NC
• Cale Community Foundation – Hertford, NC
• Dream Hunt & Fishing Program – Elizabeth City, NC
• Mid-Atlantic Christian University – Elizabeth City, NC
• Sawyer's Creek Baptist Church – Camden, NC
• The Elizabeth City State University Foundation – Elizabeth City, NC
• The Salvation Army A Georgia Corporation – Elizabeth City, NC

Systemwide

• Federation of Virginia Food Banks – Richmond, VA
• Link of Hampton Roads, Inc. – Newport News, VA
• Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia – Richmond, VA
• Project Nana, Inc. – Norfolk, VA
• Voices for Virginia's Children – Henrico, VA

In 2021, Sentara invested $254 million to support Virginia and North Carolina communities, including $23 million in health education and prevention programs, $48 million in teaching and training opportunities for healthcare professionals, $16 million in community giving, and $167 million in uncompensated patient care. To learn more about the many ways in which Sentara is partnering with the community to improve health equity, visit Sentara's 2021 Community Engagement and Impact Report.

Visit SentaraCares.com for more information about partnership and funding opportunities with Sentara.