New York Health Foundation

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Year: 2024

LiveOn NY

The detrimental impact of climate change on the lives of New Yorkers is becoming more urgent as temperatures soar across the country and the frequency and intensity of extreme weather increases. Discourse about climate change is often centered around its impact on future generations, but little attention has been paid to its disproportionate impact on older adults. The New York State Master Plan for Aging, for example, excludes a major focus on climate change. For the 4.6 million New Yorkers who are ages 60 or older—including 400,000 living in extreme poverty—climate change can have severe consequences for their health. In 2024, NYHealth awarded LiveOn NY a grant to develop an initial statewide climate resilience policy agenda focused on the health needs of older New Yorkers.  

Under this grant, LiveOn NY will partner with Weill Cornell Medical College to help officials and partners understand how best to support hard-to-reach older New Yorkers. They will conduct surveys, focus groups, and interviews to assess older adults’ climate-related needs and perceptions; assemble an advisory board to review the findings and develop consensus policy recommendations; and create an online resource hub to help officials and partners understand how best to support hard-to-reach older adults.  

The Bodega and Small Business Group (fiscal sponsor: The Institute for Family Health)

Low-income communities of color across New York City are less likely to have access to full-service grocery stores that offer high-quality, affordable food. Residents of these communities often rely on bodegas or small corner stores; there are an estimated 8,000 bodegas across New York City. Studies have shown that individuals shopping at these stores are more likely to purchase sugar-sweetened beverages, salty snacks, and candy. At the same time, research shows that when more fresh produce is available at these stores, consumers purchase more fruits and vegetables and fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. While there have been efforts to improve healthy food options at bodegas in the past, more work must be done to address the structural issues that make it difficult for small businesses to supply them. In 2024, NYHealth awarded The Bodega and Small Business Group (BSBG, formerly the Bodega Association) a grant to test replicable models to profitably source and deliver fresh, healthy, affordable foods to bodegas in the Bronx. 

Under this grant, BSBG will engage with nine Bronx-based bodegas on a pilot project to conduct real-world testing of a scalable business model to provide healthy and affordable food options. BSBG will conduct market research with distributors, store owners, and customers to understand their needs and preferences for supplying and purchasing healthy foods; examine consumer preferences and store profitability for different products, product sizes, packaging options, and price points; study different delivery methods; and analyze data to develop a business model for a bodega purchasing collective. 

Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty

An estimated 2.3 million Jewish and Muslim Americans live in New York State. Approximately 35% of Jewish Americans keep kosher or prefer consuming kosher food, and 83% of Muslim Americans keep halal or prefer consuming halal food. Data suggest a significant number of these New Yorkers are at risk of food insecurity. One-third of all Muslim American families live near or below the poverty line, and more than a quarter of Jewish Americans have trouble paying for essential bills, including medical care, housing, and food. In 2022, NYHealth awarded Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council) a grant to build a coalition of emergency food providers and other stakeholders to make the case for a State policy agenda that supports a culturally responsive and equitable emergency food system. In 2024, NYHealth awarded Met Council a grant formalize a statewide coalition to advocate for and implement policies that improve access to healthy food for food-insecure New Yorkers with religious dietary needs, including kosher and halal needs. 

Under this grant, Met Council will advocate for and implement recommendations developed from its statewide survey to improve access to healthy kosher and halal foods. It will form a coalition of food pantry providers and other stakeholders across the State to share best practices; build a framework for setting and advocating for policy priorities; and develop and implement a policy agenda to improve kosher and halal procurement, purchasing, and distribution.  

New York Cares

During their time in service, more than half of all military veterans were likely exposed to toxic chemicals and other airborne hazards, including burn pits with open-air combustion of waste. This exposure has led to a range of health complications, including respiratory illnesses, cancer, and other chronic conditions. In addition to toxic exposure illnesses, veterans face mental health challenges exacerbated by compounding crises. Recent federal legislation known as the PACT Act significantly expanded eligibility for health care and mental health services for military veterans. While coordinated outreach efforts have led to significant increases in enrollment, many veterans remain unaware of these benefits or how to apply for them. In 2023, NYHealth awarded a grant supporting the expansion of the New York Cares Mission: VetCheck—a veteran outreach program launched during the pandemic in partnership with the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS). In 2024, NYHealth awarded New York Cares a grant to continue its outreach and education to veterans in New York City to maximize their understanding and use of expanded services. 

Under Phase 2 of this grant, New York Cares will continue its partnership with DVS and use its Mission: VetCheck program to reach eligible veterans. It has built a robust referral network to support veterans, including PACT Act enrollment from certified veteran benefit advisors, mental health services from the Military Family Wellness Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Health System, and housing and financial assistance services. Working with DVS, it will obtain a targeted, up-to-date contact list of veterans within the five boroughs; contact veterans through wellness check-in calls; offer information about expanded health care benefits and mental health services, provide education about eligibility and enrollment; screen for suicidal ideation; and connect veterans with resources.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center

In New York State, 8% of adults—about 1 million people—identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender non-conforming. Today, 25% of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers report depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues—a rate twice that of other New York residents. Other challenges, such as discrimination, stigma, and social isolation, can contribute to higher rates of mental health issues. These challenges are compounded among youth, communities of color, and low-income communities. New York City does not have enough providers who deliver affordable, accessible, and LGBTQ+-specific clinically competent mental health and substance use care and treatment. Providers that do offer LGBTQ+-focused care have months-long waiting lists. In 2024, NYHealth awarded the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center) a grant to launch the first and only LGBTQ+ comprehensive behavioral health clinic in a non-medical setting on the East Coast. 

Under this grant, The Center will provide a trusted setting for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers to access comprehensive mental health and substance use services. The Center will implement the systems needed to operate as a licensed clinic, create tailored treatment plans for marginalized patients; provide virtual and in-person individual and group mental health treatment services to community members; promote awareness of its enhanced services; and conduct outreach and share its findings, results, resources, and expertise to promote potential replication in other communities. 

 

Envision Community Health Worker Training and Technical Assistance Center (fiscal sponsor: University of South Carolina)

A core strategy of NYHealth’s Primary Care program is to enhance the role of New York State’s CHWs and integrate them into primary care teams to improve patient access, reduce clinician strain, and support equitable career advancement for Community Health Workers (CHWs). New York State is one of eight states without a statewide CHW association or coalition. In 2024, NYHealth awarded Envision a grant to provide technical assistance and enable Community Health Workers, primary care providers, and other CHW employers and supporters across the State to organize and strengthen the CHW profession.  

Under this grant, Envision, a technical assistance provider with a track record of establishing statewide CHW coalitions, will bring its model to New York. It will equip CHWs and partners with the skills needed for statewide organizing, create a policy advocacy platform, establish channels to share priorities with policymakers, and support stakeholders in determining how to sustain their collective advocacy efforts.  

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