Investments will work to advance health equity, behavioral health access, and address social determinants of health
Sentara Health announced the allocation of $5.3 million in funding to support 137 partner organizations across Virginia and North Carolina. These investments, along with the more than $10 million awarded in the 2022 grant cycles, represent Sentara’s ongoing commitment to addressing social determinants of health and improving access to care for historically underserved communities. The organization’s efforts are further bolstered by grassroots partnerships with community and faith-based organizations.
Over half of Sentara’s total investment this grant cycle will support community-based health equity programs and initiatives centered around behavioral health and equitable access to health care for underserved communities.
“We believe that by investing in local, community-based health equity programs and initiatives, particularly in areas of behavioral health, health care accessibility, and affordable housing, we can make a significant impact on improving the well-being of underserved populations,” said Sherry Norquist, MSN-RN, ACM, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Impact at Sentara. “Together with our community partners, we are dedicated to creating a positive and lasting change in the communities we serve.”
One notable example of Sentara’s commitment, is the $500,000 grant awarded to the Hampton Roads Community Health Center (HRCHC) for the replacement of a mobile dental van specifically designed to serve vulnerable populations in the community. The mobile dental care van provides exams, X-rays, restorations, cleanings, extractions, and full and partial dentures. The van is also equipped with a television, speakers, and an awning to accommodate outreach events.
Sentara also announced the creation of a $2 million behavioral health innovation fund aimed at improving access to behavioral health services throughout Virginia. This fund will focus on enhancing the response system for behavioral health needs within the state.
Accessibility to affordable housing remains a focus for Sentara. In addition to the housing grants allocated this spring, Sentara partnered with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Hampton Roads to contribute $100,000 to the Hope House Foundation in the Market Heights community in Norfolk, Virginia. Additionally, Sentara invested $11 million to support the Marshall-Ridley Choice Neighborhood Initiative in Newport News, Virginia.
Sentara places a high priority on funding community partners and initiatives that align with its key focus areas: health accessibility, behavioral health, housing, workforce training and career development, food security, and social determinants of health. The community partners receiving funding from Sentara encompass the various regions it serves, including Hampton Roads, Central Virginia, Northern Virginia, Southside Virginia, Shenandoah Valley, Northeast North Carolina, as well as organizations that operate across the entire Commonwealth. These community partners include:
Hampton Roads
- Care For Me Youth Initiatives — Virginia Beach
- Center for Child & Family Services — Newport News
- Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) — Norfolk
- Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads — Portsmouth
- First Calvary Baptist Church — Norfolk
- Habitat for Humanity South Hampton Roads (SHR) — Norfolk
- Healthy Living Center — Norfolk
- Hispanic Chamber of Coastal Virginia — Norfolk
- Horizons Hampton Roads, Inc. — Norfolk
- Housing Development Corporation of Hampton Roads (HDCofHR) — Newport News
- Housing Virginia Campaign, Inc. — Richmond
- Indigo Center for Autism — Virginia Beach
- MaxStrong Memorial Fund — Norfolk
- New Hope Christian Community Center — Norfolk
- Park Place Health & Dental Clinic — Norfolk
- Paul D. Camp Community College Foundation — Franklin
- PIN Ministry — Virginia Beach
- REACH, Inc. (Reading Enriches All Children) — Norfolk
- Second Calvary Baptist Church — Norfolk
- Southeastern Virginia Health System — Newport News
- Stop The Violence 757, Inc. — Chesapeake
- Survivor Ventures — Norfolk
- T2 Fitness Foundation — Virginia Beach
- The Center for Sexual Assault Survivors — Newport News
- The Eliza Hope Foundation — Virginia Beach
- The Union Mission — Norfolk
- Tidewater Community College Educational Foundation — Norfolk
- Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Foundation, Inc. — Virginia Beach
- Western Tidewater Free Clinic, Inc. — Suffolk
- York County — Yorktown
- Your Wellness, Inc. — Virginia Beach
- YWCA South Hampton Roads — Norfolk
Virginia Peninsula
- City of Hampton — Hampton
- Olivet Medical Ministry, Inc. d/b/a Lackey Clinic — Yorktown
- Bacon Street Youth and Family Services — Williamsburg
- 3e Restoration, Inc. — Williamsburg
- Community of Faith Mission, Inc. — Williamsburg
- Ketchmore Kids — Newport News
- Ivy Community Outreach, Inc. (ICO) — Newport News
- Williamsburg Area Meals on Wheels — Williamsburg
- Empowering Transgender Services — Hampton
- Hampton Roads Urban Agriculture — Portsmouth
- Dreams of Hope Foundation — Newport News
- ECHO Orphancare Partners — Hampton
- Williamsburg Regional Library — Williamsburg
- When The Trumpet Sounds — Williamsburg
- Versability Resources — Hampton
Central Virginia
- African American Pastors Council of Charlottesville and Vicinity — Charlottesville
- Bennett’s Village — Charlottesville
- Bethel Youth Alive and Multi-Purpose Center — Charlottesville
- Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative — Shipman
- Charlottesville Ballet — Charlottesville
- Charlottesville Community Bikes — Charlottesville
- Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority — Charlottesville
- Child Health Partnership — Charlottesville
- ChildSavers — Memorial Child Guidance Clinic, — Richmond
- Common Ground Healing Arts — Charlottesville
- Cultivate Charlottesville — Charlottesville
- Feeding Greene Inc. — Stanardsville
- Fluvanna Meals on Wheels, Inc. — Palmyra
- Greater Richmond Fit4Kids — Richmond
- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville — Charlottesville
- Hospital Hospitality House of Richmond d/b/a The Doorways — Richmond
- Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA) — Charlottesville
- Jeremiah Foundation, Inc. — North Chesterfield
- Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry — Charlottesville
- Market Central — Charlottesville
- Meals on Wheels of Charlottesville/Albemarle — Charlottesville
- New Beginnings Christian Community — Charlottesville
- Orange County Free Clinic — Orange
- Piedmont Family YMCA — Charlottesville
- Reclaimed Hope Initiative — Charlottesville
- St. Joseph’s Villa — Richmond
- The Confess Project of the Southeast — Richmond
- The Haven at First & Market — Charlottesville
- The Journey Home, Inc. — Mineral
- The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust — Richmond
- The Uhuru Foundation — Charlottesville
- The Women’s Initiative — Charlottesville
- United Way of Greater Charlottesville — Charlottesville
- Urban Hope Inc. — Richmond
- Viewpoint Services — Richmond
- Wintergreen Rescue Squad — Roseland
Northern Virginia
- Catholic Charities, Diocese of Arlington — St. Margaret of Cortona Transitional & Maternity Housing — Arlington
- Lorton Community Action Center — Lorton
- Northern Virginia Emergency Medical Services Council — Gainesville
- Northern Virginia Food Rescue — Manassas
- NOVA ScriptsCentral — Falls Church
- Nueva Vida — Alexandria
- Prince William County Area Agency on Aging — Woodbridge
- Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church — on behalf of Crossroads Connection —Haymarket
- The House, Inc. — Woodbridge
- The Women’s Center — Vienna
- United Way of the National Capital Area — Vienna
- Youth For Tomorrow New Life Center, Inc. — Bristow
Southside Virginia
- South Central Workforce Development Board — Charlotte Court House — Charlotte
- Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority — Danville
- House of Hope — Danville
- Community Arts Center Foundation — South Boston
- Halifax County-South Boston Public Library System — Halifax
- Lean in Project VA, — Richmond
- Feeding Southwest Virginia — Salem
- Danville Life Saving Crew — Danville
- Southern Virginia Higher Education Center — South Boston
Shenandoah Valley
- Blue Ridge CASA for Children — Staunton
- Community Gear Library — Harrisonburg
- Elkton Area United Services — Elkton
- Friends of the Shenandoah Trail — Woodstock
- Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, Inc. — Roanoke
- Health Equipment Loan Program (H.E.L.P.) — Churchville
- Harrisonburg City Schools Family and Community Engagement Department — Harrisonburg
- Harrisonburg Rockingham Community Services Board — Harrisonburg
- Hope Distributed, CDC — Harrisonburg
- Mental Health America of Augusta — Staunton
- Ride With Pride — Staunton\
- Rockingham County — Harrisonburg
- United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County — Harrisonburg
Northeast North Carolina
- Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families — Elizabeth City
- Albemarle Commission as fiscal agent for Northeastern Workforce Development Board — Hertford, VA
- Albemarle Regional Health Services — Elizabeth City
- Camden Babe Ruth Association (Camden Youth League) — Camden
- Camden County — Camden
- Dream Hunt & Fishing Program — Elizabeth City
- Elizabeth City Habitat for Humanity — Elizabeth City
- Faith & Victory Christian Church — Elizabeth City
- Grandy Primary PTO — Camden
- Kids First, Inc. — Elizabeth City
- Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Management — Elizabeth City
- Salvation Army-Elizabeth City — Elizabeth City
Statewide
- American Heart Association — Glen Allen, VA
- American Red Cross of Coastal Virginia — Norfolk, VA
- Baptist General Convention of Virginia — Richmond, VA
- Foundation for Rehabilitation Equipment and Endowment (F.R.E.E.) — Roanoke, VA
- Here for the Girls, Inc. (H4TG) — Williamsburg, VA
- Rx Partnership — Richmond, VA
- Virginia Down Syndrome Association — Richmond, VA
- Virginia Victim Assistance Network — Henrico, VA
Fall 2023 Grant Cycle opens August 1
Sentara will accept grant applications for the Fall 2023 Grant Cycle from August 1 through September 1, 2023. Community and non-profit organizations are encouraged to visit Sentara Cares for additional information about partnership and funding opportunities.
In 2022, Sentara invested $260 million to support Virginia and North Carolina communities, including $6.7 million in health education and prevention programs, $48.5 million in teaching and training opportunities for healthcare professionals, $48 million in community giving, and $157 million in uncompensated patient care. To learn more about the many ways that Sentara partners with the community, visit Sentara’s 2022 Community Engagement and Impact Report.