Two Cleveland not-for-profits are among five organizations in Ohio to share in a nearly $500,000 investment from Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM).
Humana announced partnerships with several Ohio community service organizations to address social determinants of health that are particularly acute during the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic downturn, according to a news release. The funds will focus on organizations that address food and housing insecurity.
More than 1.6 million Ohioans are struggling with hunger, nearly 500,000 of whom are children, according to Feeding America. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank will receive funds, along with Columbus-based Mid-Ohio Food Collective and The Foodbank, a Dayton-area organization serving the Miami Valley, according to the release.
Humana also is providing funding to Move to PROSPER (a Columbus-based collaboration to determine how safer, more prosperous, higher resourced neighborhoods can change a person’s life) and to the newly developed Harper’s Pointe in Cuyahoga County, which provides rent-subsidized permanent housing and support services for individuals who’ve spent 600 days or more homeless. It was co-developed by Cleveland-based CHN Housing Partners and is part of the broader Housing First Initiative to end long-term homelessness in Cuyahoga County. Humana’s investment will cover a funding gap for operational staff, who assist residents in finding mental, physical and social services.
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness estimates that, as of January 2019, more than 10,000 Ohioans experience homelessness on any given day.
“At CHN, we partner with organizations that are willing to tackle the advancement of health equity at the community level, which is not an easy task,” said Kevin J. Nowak, executive director of CHN Housing Partners, in a provided statement. “Humana came to the table and is contributing to the stability of Cuyahoga County, by ensuring we have continuing operations for those experiencing long-term homelessness and chronic conditions.”
The community investment announced Friday, Jan. 8, builds on an earlier initiative from Humana to provide more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief and recovery assistance in Ohio, according to the release.
Nearly 568,000 Ohioans have health coverage through Humana Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare prescription drug plans and commercial group health plans, according to the release, which notes that the TRICARE military health care program is administered by Humana.
“Healthy bodies and minds require nutritious meals and reliable housing,” said Dr. Nisha Patel, Humana’s regional vice president of health services, in a provided statement. “Humana is committed to co-creating solutions with community-based partners to address social determinants of health and the health-related social needs of our health plan members and our communities.”