Originally published on Humana.com
Funding has supported vital community needs including food security, housing, virtual learning and diabetes support
Atlanta is also one of six communities that will benefit from The Humana Foundation’s $3 million investment in a partnership with the March of Dimes
Together, Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) and the company’s philanthropic arm, The Humana Foundation, have committed more than $1 million in COVID-19 relief for communities in Georgia to date.
“The COVID-19 health crisis has created many challenges for people across Georgia, depleting local resources and stretching nonprofits struggling to meet the growing needs in our communities,” said Matthew Moore, Humana Georgia Medicare President. “We’ve been working together with our Humana Foundation to help ensure that local nonprofits have the resources to support immediate needs related to health care, food security and housing, as well as to build partnerships to provide long-term relief and recovery to communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.”
Support from The Humana Foundation includes a $500,000 commitment to the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund. In addition, food security has been a major focus of the company’s support, including:
- Contributing $350,000 to the Grady Health System Food as Medicine program
- Donating $50,000 to the Morehouse School of Medicine and School of Public Health COVID-19 Community Support for Food Insecurity and Social Isolation Services
- Sending 58,000 meals to its Medicare Advantage members in Georgia
- Supporting seven food banks in Georgia serving rural communities as part of the Humana Foundation’s $2 million commitment to Feeding America®, including:
- Atlanta Community Food Bank – Atlanta
- Feeding the Valley Food Bank – Midland
- Food Bank of Northeast Georgia – Athens
- Golden Harvest Food Bank – Augusta
- Middle Georgia Community Food Bank – Macon
- Second Harvest of South Georgia, Inc. – Valdosta
- America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, Inc. – Savannah
- Providing $10,000 to support Open Hand Atlanta’s medically-tailored food delivery program
Additionally, Humana has contributed to health and housing initiatives in the state, including: $25,000 to the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation for eviction rental assistance and utility support; $15,000 to the ARCHI Diabetes Telephonic Coaching Line; $10,000 for personal protective equipment provided to several rural hospitals in Georgia, in partnership with HomeTown Health; $8,000 to HOPE Atlanta’s COVID-19 response housing initiative; and $4,000 to the American Diabetes Association’s Virtual Diabetes Forum.
“Humana is also looking beyond COVID-19 to determine how we can build greater health equity in our communities,” said John Barger, National President of Humana’s Medicaid business, Humana Healthy Horizons. “We know that sustained impact requires intention and a longer term commitment to our community partners.”
According to America’s Health Rankings, approximately 21% of children in Georgia live in poverty. This is making it difficult for some students to access meaningful virtual learning during the pandemic. Humana has also stepped up to fund programs to support those needs, including $25,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Central Georgia’s Virtual Learning Hub, $15,000 to the Community Foundation of Central Georgia; and $5,000 allocated to four local Boys & Girls clubs across the state.
Recently, The Humana Foundation also announced that Atlanta was one of six communities that will benefit from its $3 million investment in the March of Dimes as they work together to address racial disparities and social determinants of health that contribute to the U.S. maternal and infant health crisis.
Since the pandemic began, Humana has also donated about 800,000 masks to Humana members, employees and community organizations in Georgia.
