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      Health Zones

      Connecting communities to the care and support they need

      By bringing together trusted community health care and social service organizations, Health Zones make it easier for residents to connect to primary care, nutritious food, chronic condition support and other essential services – all in one coordinated effort. We aim to meet people where they are, address the real life challenges that affect their health and help people with complex needs get the care and resources they need to live their healthiest lives possible.

      An individual wearing an apron standing inside a grocery or market setting, with shelves of produce and food items visible in the background.

      Health Zone: Atlanta, Georgia

      Supported by $1.5 million in funding from the Foundation, Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta offers wrap-around clinical services, care navigation through a nurse navigator, diabetic education and transportation services. As part of this grant, Open Hand Atlanta provides medically tailored meals, diabetic education and cooking classes.

      Since the program launched, 60% of diabetic participants screened had measured improvements in blood sugar levels (A1c) and 73% of hypertensive participants had improvements in blood pressure.

      People seated in folding chairs outdoors facing a presentation area with a mobile Project Health clinic vehicle and branded tents visible behind the speaker.

      Health Zone: Fresno, California

      Despite being one of the country’s top agriculture-producing counties, Fresno County has one of the highest levels of hunger, with a food insecurity rate of 17%.*  To help address this gap, First Fruits Market — Fresno’s first free grocery store — opened in September 2023, offering a dignified and accessible source of nutritious food for residents in need.

      The Foundation’s Health Zones funding is helping Central California Food Bank (CCFB) and its cross-sector collaboration of nonprofits integrate access to nutritious food, comprehensive social support services, critical health screenings and job training. Using First Fruits Market as the central hub, individuals can overcome barriers to health, address hunger and support their total well-being.

      Watch: Healthier happens in California: Central California Food Bank

      *Healthy Fresno County Food Insecurity Rate Data, 2023.

      Health Zone: Hartford, Connecticut

      In Hartford, the Foundation’s Health Zone is focused on making it easier for Harford residents to get the care and support they need. With a $2 million investment, the Foundation is helping the Hispanic Health Council and its partners offer services like preventive care, nutrition counseling, mental health support and community health education — all available to residents across the greater Hartford area. And by funding three new patient navigators, the Foundation is helping to ensure that individuals who often struggle to access care have someone by their side to guide them, answer questions and help them stay connected to resources that can keep them healthy.

      Since the program launched, 158 patients have received tailored support, 99 patients with social health needs were identified and 87 completed referrals to additional support resulted from patient navigation 

      Dive deeper into our Hartford impact.

      Health Zone: Phoenix, Arizona

      The Foundation’s Phoenix Health Zones program is focused on two initiatives: diabetes prevention and management and tailored clinical support through home-based health care. With $2.1 million in funding from the Foundation over three years, three organizations — Valleywise Health, Home Assist Health and Advance — are supporting integrated diabetes management services, including home health and monitoring, medically tailored food boxes and educational resources. 

      Since the grant launched in 2024, the Foundation has helped residents better manage diabetes and hypertension:

      • 55% of diabetic participants had improved blood sugar (A1c) 
      • 47% of participants had improved body mass index (BMI) 
      • 42% of hypertensive participants had improved blood pressure 
      • 200+ program graduates of the diabetes prevention program

      And there had been improvement in other areas of health:

      • 53% drop in emergency room visits
      • 69% decrease in hospitalization readmissions

      Health Zone: Columbus, Ohio

      The Foundation is investing $2.2 million to expand Health Impact Ohio’s Pathways HUB model in Columbus, strengthening care coordination for residents on the South and East sides of the city. The funding supports additional  Community Health Workers, enhances training and data systems, and increases the capacity of local agencies that connect residents with the medical, behavioral and social services they need. This work will help more residents access reliable care, reduce avoidable emergency room visits and address key barriers to long-term health.

      Two people standing together outdoors in front of a mobile clinic vehicle, wearing name badges and posing for a photo.

      Health Zone: Charlotte, North Carolina

      The Foundation is investing $2.2 million to launch a new Health Zone that supports the expansion of the Westside Wellness Collaborative in Charlotte, led by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Charlotte and its partners (Care Ring, Deep Roots Farm Foundation and Charlotte Community Services Association). This collaboration improves access to holistic, community based care for residents of the Historic West End. With this funding,  the Foundation will offer mobile health clinics, fresh food distribution, community engagement services and build a coordinated referral system. Over the next three years, this support will help serve thousands of residents, reinforce local infrastructure and create a model that can be replicated across the city.