Summer 2002

Central Valley Grantees Strive To Increase At-risk Resident's Access to Health Services

alifornia’s Central Valley is best known for its tremendous agricultural output. Yet this association with healthy produce belies the realities facing many of its residents, one in four of whom lives in poverty and struggles to access adequate health care. This large area, which stretches from the Sacramento Valley south through the San Joaquin Valley, also leads the state in unemployment.

“Scarce resources, long distances to health care facilities and differences in culture and language can be formidable obstacles that low-income, Central Valley families face when trying to access health care,” said Gary L. Yates, president and CEO of The California Wellness Foundation (TCWF). “At TCWF, we see a great need to support and sustain agencies that understand their communities and the issues facing those most at risk for health care problems.”

TCWF has provided grants to help a number of nonprofit, health-related organizations reach and work with communities in the Central Valley. The following are just a few examples of TCWF-funded projects.

Culturally Sensitive Services

The Merced Lao Family Community, Inc. (MLFC), provides a wide range of human services designed to reach the county’s Southeast Asian immigrant population.

“The Southeast Asian population in Merced County is primarily Hmong natives from the mountains of Laos, who often find themselves very isolated after they arrive in this country,” said Ruth Holton, TCWF program director. “MLFC’s programs are effective at reaching this population because they are designed by Hmong for Hmong.”

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