Fall 2001

Faith-based Organizations Mobilize Communities Around Health Issues

ook at your neighborhood church, temple, mosque or synagogue and you may see something you don’t expect— a strong network of health advocates who are working to mobilize communities around health access and policy issues.

“Studies have shown that low-income people are at higher risk for health problems because they often lack access to primary and preventive health care,” said Gary L. Yates, president and CEO of The California Wellness Foundation (TCWF). “Because faith-based organizations provide safe havens for people to address issues of concern, they can be effective at reaching immigrant families and others at risk with advocacy, benefits enrollment and health promotion and disease prevention services.”

Pacific Institute for Community Organization

TCWF provided a two-year, $300,000 grant for core operating support to the Pacific Institute for Community Organization (PICO) California Project, to build the capacity of its state office to provide training and technical assistance to local interfaith PICO-affiliate groups so that they can advocate on local and state health care issues. PICO California is a statewide network of 16 interfaith grassroots advocacy organizations composed of 350 religious organizations. 

 “PICO member organizations administered a simple health survey in congregations across the state,” said Jim Keddy, director of PICO California. “We discovered that in many of our congregations, more than half of the families lack private or public health insurance even though over 80 percent are working.” 

continued...

All rights reserved. Property of The California Wellness Foundation.
©2001 The California Wellness Foundation. Terms of Use Agreement.
6320 Canoga Avenue, Suite 1700, Woodland Hills, CA 91367.
Phone: (818) 702-1900. Comments to the Webmaster at tcwf@cwf.tcwf.org

Top