North County Health Services and Tri-City Hospital Foundation Awarded Grants for Community Education Programs
SAN DIEGO, Calif., June 21, 2010 – The Walmart Foundation’s California State Giving Council today announced two $25,000 grants to North County health nonprofits, North County Health Services and Tri-City Hospital Foundation. The grants will support community awareness and resource accessibility programs in the areas of pediatric physical fitness and youth prescription drug abuse.
The North County Health Services Pediatric Physical Activity Program links pediatric patients to existing community resources, such as neighborhood parks, recreational centers and local gyms to encourage physical fitness. In addition, the patients’ parents will be able to attend educational workshops and medical professionals will be able to help patients move beyond obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes and asthma.
Irma Cota, CEO of North County Health Services said, “Thanks to the Walmart Foundation’s support we can expand our efforts in reducing childhood obesity. We will be able to link 500 of our pediatric patients to free and discounted community resources such as gyms, parks and activity classes so they and their parents can exercise and lose weight.”
Dr. Edward Curley, Pediatrician at NCHS Mission Mesa Pediatrics in Oceanside said, “We couldn’t be more thrilled Walmart Foundation is helping us address the problem of obesity by creating opportunities to change lives.”
Walmart Foundation’s California State Giving Council also awarded a grant to the Tri-City Hospital Foundation to support its Prevention of Teen Abuse of Prescription Medications community awareness program. With the $25,000 grant, hospital pharmacists will seek to educate 1,200 parents of teens through a series of forums about the prevalence of prescription medication abuse.
“Teenagers everywhere can easily obtain and abuse prescription medications and parents are not informed of all the potential hazards within their own home,” said Craig Lindholm, Foundation Chair of the Tri-City Hospital Foundation. “The Walmart Foundation’s support will not just help parents keep their children safe, it will support a community’s vision to reduce substance abuse.”
“The Walmart Foundation’s California State Giving Council supports community organizations focused on helping people live better lives, and we are proud to support the unique health programs offered by the North County Health Services and Tri-City Hospital Foundation,” said Kimberly Sentovich, Senior Vice President of the Pacific Division of Walmart. “Both of these programs are committed to providing essential services that will help young people and their parents improve their quality of life.”
The Walmart Foundation’s California State Giving Program is accepting grant applications from non-profit organizations across the state. Interested organizations may apply online at www.walmartfoundation.org.
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About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. The Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From Feb. 1, 2009 through Jan. 31, 2010, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $467 million in cash and in-kind gifts, including donating 127 million pounds of nutritious food to U.S. food banks. Internationally, Walmart gave $45 million in cash and in-kind gifts to charitable organizations. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.
*Ed. Note: Walmart operates Foundations in the U.S., Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom. In addition to its Foundation giving, Walmart makes charitable contributions locally in every community where it operates.
North County Health Services
Accredited by the Joint Commission (TJC), North County Health Services is a private not-for-profit organization that serves over 60,000 patients annually at 11 health centers in Carlsbad, Encinitas, Oceanside, Ramona and San Marcos, and through two mobile clinics. NCHS provides quality comprehensive healthcare to members of our north San Diego County communities. Services at NCHS include pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, internal medicine, adolescent medicine, dental care, and radiology as well as community health outreach, prevention and disease management programs. NCHS is one of only five percent of community health centers nationwide to earn this prestigious designation. For more, visit www.nchs-health.org or call 760-736-6767.
About Tri-City Hospital Foundation
Tri-City Medical Center is administered by the Tri-City Healthcare District. Founded in 1957 to serve the healthcare needs of coastal North San Diego County the district includes most of Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista. Tri-City is a San Diego County Designated Heart Attack Receiving Center and Nationally Accredited Chest Pain Center, a Primary Stroke Center, and is nationally accredited for both Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation.