Local Program Spotlight

CommonSpirit Health Extends the Impact of Extraordinary Gift to Empower Organizations to Care for Arizona’s Underserved

Chicago, Ill. (May 18, 2021) – Advancing its ministry’s mission, CommonSpirit Health® is leveraging a single significant philanthropic gift in innovative ways to address the needs of Arizona’s most vulnerable residents.

The $7.7 million gift from the Healthcare Transitional Funding Corporation to CommonSpirit Health’s Dignity Health Foundation is helping to establish and expand much needed clinics and housing programs in the state’s underserved communities. This generous contribution was recently recognized as the largest philanthropic gift to the system in fiscal year 2020 at the CommonSpirit Health’s Philanthropy Education Summit 2021. It is already touching the lives of many in the region.

Proceeds from the gift have been used to establish a rotating pool of funds to be applied toward loans and grants to community-based organizations looking to expand services, improve facilities or enhance programs to meet requirements for federal approval. In many cases, these organizations would not otherwise qualify for traditional funding to nurture and support their growth.

“Funding like this allows us to truly live our mission, to make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all,” says Pablo Bravo, CommonSpirit’s System Vice President of Community Health. “We are now able to reach beyond our own hospitals’ programs and walls to help provide services that directly impact the health of our communities.”

Four programs have already been the recipients of significant funding thanks to the original gift. Hushabye Nursery and Brighter Way, both in Phoenix, received $500,000 each. Hushabye requested funding for tenant improvements for a new 12-bed facility caring for babies exposed to opioids during pregnancy. Brighter Way operates a dental clinic offering comprehensive oral health care for vulnerable adults, children, veterans, those experiencing homelessness and individuals with special needs.

In Flagstaff, Housing Solutions was the recipient of nearly $2.7 million in funding to provide 29 units of “scatter housing” for survivors of domestic violence while elsewhere in the state, Native American Connection received $420,000 for transitional housing to serve homeless Native American youth.

Programs receiving funding are directly addressing the health of area residents, in many cases focusing on the underlying issues that may often be precursors to poor health management. By strategically partnering with these organizations to facilitate their growth, CommonSpirit is better able to provide compassionate and effective care to our communities.

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