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Continuing to listen and learn
Our community investment team continues to inform their work through hearing from communities. This keeps us relevant and connected to issues and concerns facing the places we serve.
Caitlin Sullivan, program officer, and Phillip González, director of community investments, hold open office hours each week. Please share this information with your teams or other community organizations that might be interested in support from the Foundation.
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Building toward a shared vision
Corporate citizenship is core to our values at Point32Health. From philanthropic grants and community engagement to volunteer service and giving to taking the lead on issues that matter to Point32Health's members and colleagues, we lead by our actions and our work.
Point32Health's inaugural Corporate Citizenship Report is available online. The report features business practices focusing on equity and inclusion; products and services addressing health disparities; and community engagement that is relevant and responsive to meeting communities where they are.
We share the stories of our work with diverse communities and how we are building toward a shared vision, eliminating barriers to improve health and well-being for everyone.
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Celebrating 100 age-friendly communities in Massachusetts
The age- and dementia-friendly movement continues to expand and build momentum throughout Massachusetts. This month, Worcester, the Commonwealth's second largest city, and Monson, a town in Hampden County, joined the AARP Age-Friendly Network.
There are now 100 age-friendly communities in Massachusetts, ranging from Gateway Cities such as Framingham, Greenfield and Worcester to smaller communities like Leyden, New Salem, Warwick, and Wendall, which have populations under 1,000. Eighty-five cities and towns have signed a Dementia Friendly Pledge.
A regional approach has brought together communities in Franklin County, North Quabbin, Martha’s Vineyard, the region associated with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and the 13 communities represented by the Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC).
For context, when we started funding age-friendly work, there were only a handful of Massachusetts cities and towns working with an age-friendly lens. The movement now includes several states as well as individual cities and towns. Massachusetts was the second state in the country to become an age-friendly state.
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Point32Health age-friendly employer award
Point32Health was recognized by The Age-Friendly Institute as a Certified Age Friendly Employer during the Institute's second annual Revolutionize conference in Boston late last month.
The Age Friendly Institute noted Point32Health's commitment to age-friendly policies, practices and programs, including development opportunities and competitive pay for colleagues aged 50+. Nora Moreno Cargie, president of the Point32Health Foundation and vice president of corporate citizenship at Point32Health accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
The Certified Age Friendly Employer program is the nation’s only certification that identifies organizations committed to being the best places to work for people aged 50+. It was created in 2005. Pictured below are representatives from the companies that earned the distinction.
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Working toward a more equitable and thriving Connecticut
Foundation President Nora Moreno Cargie has been invited to join the board of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. The association brings grantmakers together to promote and support effective philanthropy for the public good.
With a new strategic vision for philanthropy as a driver of change toward a more just, equitable and thriving Connecticut, the group is working to address longstanding health and other disparities that have recently become more evident as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Reducing summer food access barriers for Boston students
The City of Boston and City Fresh Foods, a Roxbury-based, Black-owned food service company, signed a $17 million contract to provide breakfast, lunch, after-school meals, fresh snacks and summer meals to nearly 50,000 Boston Public School students. The program starts this summer and is the largest non-construction contract Boston has awarded to a certified Black-owned business.
City Fresh partners with and sources food from many current and former Foundation grantees, including Ethos, Urban Farming Institute, Fresh Truck and Commonwealth Kitchen.
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Older Americans Month: Age my way
Older adults play vital, positive roles in our communities--as family members, friends, mentors, volunteers, civic leaders and more. Just as every person is unique, so too is how we age and how we choose to do it--that’s why the theme for Older Americans Month 2022 is Age My Way.
Older adults have diverse lived experiences and unique needs and preferences. Communities that offer strong support make it possible for us to age our way--in our homes and communities.
The latest issue of Boston Seniority Magazine, produced by the city's AgeStrong Commission, features a few older Bostonians who share their perspectives on Age My Way. The Foundation has supported the Age-Friendly Boston initiative.
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Training available for personal and home care aides
New virtual and self-paced training is now available at no cost to anyone interested in becoming a community-based home care worker.
The Personal and Home Care Aide State Training (PHCAST) program offered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is available online.
Home care aides are an integral part of the in-home care team. They provide services that support older adults and persons with disabilities to live and thrive in their homes and communities and make decisions about their care and lifestyle.
This 11-module online training allows participants to complete each module from their home computer or smartphone. Participants will learn about the roles and responsibilities of a home care aide, including skills like active listening, nutrition planning, housekeeping, working with consumers, and more.
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Jean Yang’s leadership in community recognized
Jean Yang, senior vice president at Point32Health and president of Tufts Health Public Plans, received the Asian Women for Health's Corporate Partner Award for "continued collaboration to support, advocate and advance Asian women's health and wellness." Jean also serves on the board of Quincy Asian Resources, Inc.
The award was presented during the annual State of Asian Women's Health in Massachusetts Conference, which celebrates collective impact and identifies priorities for advancing Asian women's health and wellbeing. "Look Back to Move Forward: Asian Communities' Access to a Healthy Future” was this year’s theme.
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Stepping towards mental health awareness
Point32Health colleagues, friends and families teamed up to build awareness and raise funds for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in support of Mental Health Awareness month.
We exceeded our goal! Funds raised by Point32Health's team of more than 70 participants, along with a match from the Foundation, total more than $14,000 to support NAMI.
Colleagues walked in-person at Artesani Park on May 21 (top photos) and also participated in their own way virtually. Our Young Professionals Network Colleague Resource Group organized a 3v3 basketball tournament (bottom photo) to support the fundraising effort.
Thank you to Jill Borrelli, vice president, Behavioral Health, and Tristan Diaz, senior manager, Integrated Care Management, who led the walk team--and everyone who participated or donated--for helping NAMI towards its goal of mental health for all.
If you or someone you know is in need of mental health support, visit NAMI's resource library or call the NAMI HelpLine, 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).
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Fostering community pride in Waltham
For Blessing Ajaero, Behavioral Health program coordinator, volunteering is as essential to her as breathing, woven into the daily fabric of her life.
Blessing and her family volunteer monthly in their community, helping to prepare and serve meals in a local soup kitchen. She has also become actively involved in the Waltham Black Future Fund (WBFF), which is committed to addressing economic disparities to improve the lives of Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) in Waltham. To address the issue of racial justice, Blessing helped write the organization’s petition to establish a community review board for the Waltham Police Department and secured a location and gathered food for the Waltham Community Fridge, where residents experiencing food insecurity can obtain fresh produce, canned goods, toiletries and other household essentials.
“People have helped me in big and small ways my whole life, sometimes without me even knowing it,” said Blessing. “I want to give back and help make Waltham the best community, where residents are filled with pride and love for where they live.”
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Point32Health Foundation in the news
Want to read more about grantee initiatives and Foundation activities?
Visit our newsroom
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Working with communities to support, advocate
and advance healthier lives for everyone.
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1 Wellness Way
Canton, MA 02021
781-612-1000
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