Austin, Texas, March 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It’s Time Texas recently announced that it was awarded a Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® (HKHF) grant by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX). The HKHF funding will support BCBSTX’s commitment to community-based organizations supporting children and families who have been impacted by the health, economic and social implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statewide nonprofit organization, It’s Time Texas, whose mission is to bring people, communities, and organizations together to take action that supports health for all, now and for generations to come, is making funding available to community-based organizations in partnership with BCBSTX. Through a Collaborative Innovations for Community Health (CICH) project, It’s Time Texas will award sub-grants to community-based organizations that address social determinants of health to improve health outcomes.
Through the project, It’s Time Texas will award multiple sub-grants up to $50,000 each to qualified organizations leading efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities across four designated areas of Texas, including the metro area of Austin, Texas, and Beaumont, Texas, and the regions of Brazos Valley including Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson and Washington counties and the Rio Grande Valley including Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties.
The CICH grant application process is now open and will close at 5 p.m., April 6. The application is accessible at https://cich.itstimetexas.org.
Grants will be awarded to community-based organizations that are able to rapidly deploy resources and deliver impact through programs or projects that are improving critical health outcomes, addressing root causes of health disparities, removing barriers to access, and advancing community conditions for health and wellness, building resilience in the face of COVID-19. Efforts that directly impact housing, youth/family services, unemployment, and economic stability, access to health care and mental health support, maternal health, aging population support and transportation within the designated regions of Texas will be given priority consideration.
“We are honored to be among the 2021 HKHF grantees and to be working in partnership with BCBSTX to empower local communities to address health inequities,” said Amy McGeady, CEO of It’s Time Texas. “Together we will mobilize this shared investment to target the root causes of social and health inequities that COVID-19 has only exacerbated, especially in communities of color. It’s Time Texas embraces the voices of community members, leaders, and champions, many of whom serve as the heartbeat of their communities, to guide our equitable and inclusive sustainable solutions for optimum impact.”
Launched in 2011, HKHF started as a three-year project designed to improve the health and wellness of at least one million children through community investments. The program was extended as BCBSTX’s ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of the children and families across Texas.
“This year’s grant process was especially important given the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sheena Payne, BCBSTX’s director of Community Investments. “So, we are happy to award these grants that will support and nurture meaningful and transformational projects across Texas. Strategically, it is also important that we continue to aid community-based organizations that are directly supporting children and families who have been impacted by the health, economic, and social implications of this pandemic.”
The HKHF program – which centers on nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention and management, and supporting safe environments – has awarded $14 million in funding and impacted the lives of close to three-million children and their families in Texas.
Collaborative Innovations for Community Health applications are now open via the It’s Time Texas website at https://cich.itstimetexas.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and early application is encouraged.
Interested applicants can begin the application process and also attend a virtual live Q&A session hosted by It’s Time Texas via Zoom on April 1. Find details at https://cich.itstimetexas.org or email questions to cich@itstimetexas.org.
About It’s Time Texas
It’s Time Texas is a statewide 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our mission is to bring people, communities, and organizations together to take action that supports health for all, now and for generations to come. At It’s Time Texas we believe that every Texan should have an equal opportunity to live a long and healthy life, but we recognize that social and environmental factors have long prevented that vision from becoming a reality. To truly address health for all Texans, we root our work in the knowledge that unjust systems have created disparities for communities of color, low-income communities, and other marginalized populations. Dramatically improving health and equity requires a systemic approach that centers and values community voices to address the root causes of poor health and also the shaping of the environments in which we live and work to make healthy choices possible and practical for all Texans. We work to create a culture of health where health is a shared value and health equity is a reality. Join us at www.itstimetexas.org and follow us on social media @ItsTimeTX.