Sentara RMH Community Investment in 2021

Sentara RMH Medical Center is pleased to announce grants totaling more than $1,200,000 have been awarded to programs, foundations, and groups within the community in its 2021 grant cycle. In all, ten organizations focusing on the health and wellness of area residents were honored in this community.

The grants are part of Sentara Healthcare's commitment to strengthening communities through its "Sentara Cares" program. Sentara Cares focuses on advancing health equity and ensuring all members of the communities we serve have access to the resources they need to live their healthiest and most fulfilling lives.

While Sentara RMH Medical Center provided $33,875,402 in uncompensated care and $616,085 in unfunded teaching costs in 2021, a number of these grants are unique as team members were able to weigh in on where some funds would be spent.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to implement a Sentara employee-led fund, allowing team members to voice how funds are distributed among charitable organizations to meet the needs of our community further," explains Catherine Hughes, vice president of operations for Sentara RMH Medical Center.

Additionally, members of the RMH Foundation Board of Directors participated in a panel to select which local organizations would receive funding from the Sentara Healthier Communities Fund to positively impact social determinants of health and improve the health and well-being of community members beyond traditional healthcare services in the Shenandoah Valley.

This means, in addition to the traditional grant application process, charitable organizations that hold a special place in team members' hearts received an unrestricted grant. Those grants are denoted by an "*" in the list below.

• Blue Ridge Area Food Bank: $65,000 *
• Blue Ridge Free Clinic: $150,000
• Blue Ridge Free Clinic: $55,000 *
• Boys & Girls Club-Harrisonburg: $15,000 *
• Church World Service Harrisonburg: $200,000
• First Step: $35,000 *
• Healthy Community Health Centers: $400,000
• Open Doors: $15,000 *
• Strength In Peers: $200,000
• United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County: $50,000
• Valley Program for Aging Services: $15,000 *

Each community Sentara serves is unique, and in order to drive lasting outcomes for the Shenandoah Valley and the other communities Sentara serves, funds such as the Sentara Healthier Communities Fund work to elevate the important missions and work of partner community organizations. "Sentara and the RMH Foundation have consistently supported local nonprofits like HCHC, Strength in Peers, Blue Ridge Free Clinic and Church World Service," adds Cory Davies, RMH Foundation executive director. "Partnerships are essential for increasing access to healthcare and addressing health disparities throughout our region."

"We went into 2021, as we do every year, with our ears and our hearts open," said Sherry Norquist, director of community engagement and impact at Sentara. "These initiatives are the result of us listening to what our communities are saying and using our capacity at Sentara to amplify the work of trusted and established organizations to improve more lives and inspire hope for the future."

Davies says, "The RMH Foundation is grateful to actively participate in the direction of the Sentara Healthier Communities Fund and how it benefits our backyard."

To learn more about the Sentara Cares program, visit sentaracares.com.