Priority Health announces Total Health Care Foundation grant recipients, totaling over $965,000 in awards for Giving Tuesday

(Detroit – Nov. 29, 2022) As a celebration of the global Giving Tuesday movement, Priority Health announced today its next round of Total Health Care Foundation (THCF) grants, totaling more than $965,000.

The seven grant recipients share Priority Health’s goal of improving the lives of Detroit and Southeast Michigan residents by addressing the social determinants of health (SDoH), such as food and housing shortages, economic stability and physical/mental health issues. In addition to the THCF grants, Priority Health is investing an additional $20,000 during Priority Health for Good Giving Week. The grants will be distributed to four nonprofits across Michigan that help support maternal and infant health and behavioral health.

Priority Health for Good is Priority Health’s promise to improve health equity through advocacy, employee citizenship and community investment. To reinforce this promise and involve its team members, Priority Health for Good Giving Week is returning for a third year; it began November 28 and runs through December 2. Employees are participating across the state and collecting books for infants and toddlers in partnership with Reach out and Read Michigan.

Formed as part of the merger agreement between Priority Health and Total Health Care, the Total Health Care Foundation has committed to providing millions of dollars’ worth of grants over the next few years to support organizations dedicated to improving the lives of individuals they serve.

“In honor of Priority Health for Good Giving Week, Priority Health and the Total Health Care Foundation are proud to invest in these organizations so they can strengthen their public services and initiatives that contribute to overall good health,” said Shannon Wilson, vice president of population health and health equity at Priority Health and executive director of the Total Health Care Foundation. “We cannot wait to see what amazing things these organizations are able to achieve through these contributions to their causes."

The recipients of this round of Total Health Care Foundation grants are:

  • Ascension St. John Foundation ($165K) - Aspire LCP is a proposed project that will build upon the Lactation Consultant Program (LCP), a fully accredited academic training program offered in affiliation with Henry Ford College, to grow and diversify the field of lactation support and expand access to culturally humble lactation support services for Black mothers in Southeast Michigan by supporting additional didactic and clinical training cohorts to increase the number of Black International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs).
  • Ceciliaville ($50K) - Provides a safe, welcoming, inspirational environment for free or very low-cost sports and recreational activities for young people and residents in Detroit’s underserved Russell Woods/Nardin Park neighborhood and beyond. The facility’s athletic programs will promote healthy lifestyles, accompanied by mentoring and tutoring services, job training, financial literacy and mental health resources.
  • Make Your Date ($150K) – The Make Your Date In Your Neighborhood - project aims to reduce preterm birth and promote maternal health across all stages of pregnancy and the postpartum period through delivery of accessible, integrated health care within Detroit neighborhoods.
  • University of Michigan Project HEARD ($250K) – The goal of Project HEARD is to strengthen the capacity and impact of community-based organizations, in partnership with academic institutions, to advance policy change to address critical determinants of health equity impacting their communities.
  • Hurley Foundation ($100K) – Supports staffing and outreach expenses for a Patient Resource and Community Advocate (PRCA) in the greater Flint and Genesee County community.
  • New Day Foundation ($150K) - Family Support Program - works to improve treatment outcomes and lifts the financial burden of cancer through financial support for living expenses, access to mental health counseling, and grocery support.
  • Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan ($100K) - This request is part of a collaborative RFP process around improving dental health for children in Detroit.

Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are evaluated by the Total Health Care Foundation board of directors quarterly. If you are interested in learning more about the Total Health Care Foundation or would like to apply for a grant, please email THCFoundation@thcmi.com.

About Priority Health:

With over 30 years in business, Priority Health is the second largest health plan in Michigan, offering an extensive portfolio of health benefits options for employer groups and individuals, including Medicare and Medicaid plans. Serving more than 1.3 million members each year and offering a broad network of primary care physicians in Michigan, Priority Health continues to be recognized as a leader for quality, customer service, transparency and product innovation. Learn more about affordable, quality health coverage options from Priority Health.