Guilds Center for Community Health Endowment
With the addition of 10 words to the mission of Valley Children's Healthcare in 2015 – to continuously improve the health and well-being of children – the next generational challenge to our organization became clear: How could we, as a hospital, do more to keep kids well where they live, learn and play so that their chances at long-term health are greatly improved?
In 2019, this challenge was presented to the Guilds to create the vision and infrastructure to improve the health of children outside the four walls of our hospital. As a result, the Guilds Center for Community Health took shape, the first of its kind in the region. The Center's intent is to bridge the “gap” that exists for kids after a hospital stay and then return to their homes, schools and neighborhoods. Through our own internal programs and services and, as important, in partnership with our community organizations, we set out to identify priority areas to increase the impact on the children we serve to ensure their chances for improved health.
Guilds Center for Community Health Endowment
$5 million: November 2019 - present
Historical Value as of 9/30/23: $3,563,642
Market Value as of 9/30/23: $3,657,222
Distributions: Interest to be distributed once commitment is fulfilled
About the Guilds Center for Community Health
Valley Children’s recognizes that the health of our kids is impacted by social determinants such as physical environment, health behaviors and economic status. According to research, of all the factors that influence our health, only 20% are linked to the clinical care we receive – and 80% are related to these social determinants. The Guilds Center for Community Health is an investment in that 80%. The Center’s work will be shaped by health data to identify kids within our service region who are in most need of our help. With the funding commitment from the Guilds, we will prioritize the 80% of social determinants that are impacting a child’s health. The Center will:
- Build a Team – Under the direction of a full-time executive leader, the team will represent the expertise of social work, nursing, psychology and analytics. Together, they will assess health data to support the direction of the Center’s priorities and put metrics in place to measure the health improvement within our communities.
- Lead Partnerships – The Center will convene organizations, local government, schools and others working in our neighborhoods to align our work in the most impactful way.
- Childhood Obesity, Nutrition and Physical Activity – Nutrition and physical activity are identified as effective tools to combat childhood obesity. Programs such as Kids Eat Smart and Communities for Healthy Kids provide children with access to healthy food choices and wellness education. The Center will expand on this work and develop additional strategies, including the building of playground structures in communities to create safe access to physical activity.
- Access to Healthy Foods – Through the success of Prescription for Food, a pilot program in one of our North Valley pediatric practices, we have successfully screened patients for food insecurity and then partnered with the local food bank to supply our families with regular monthly access to healthy foods. The Center will continue to focus on helping families gain access to healthy foods through expanded partnerships with food banks; establishing food distribution sites at our hospital and other Valley Children’s locations across the region; and collaborations with neighborhood grocery retailers to reach more kids and families.
- Additional Priorities – The Center will also support initiatives around asthma, diabetes, childhood safety, mental health and more.
Today, still in the early stages and through the diligence of our Guilds, the Guilds Center is a strong, emerging force for the health of children in this region. Our current “start-up” staff -consisting of the chief community impact officer, a Center director/medical director (.4 FTE) and with support from the director of public policy and advocacy and a 12-member internal advisory committee - has made great strides.
Early accomplishments include:
- Establishing a seven-county Safe Sleep Coalition to reduce infant mortality due to unsafe sleep to zero; obtaining a $100,000 grant to improve screening for suicide risk among our patients and to prevent youth suicide across the region
- Implementing a three-year commitment with the Central Valley Food Bank to serve more children and families in need of food through school pantries and the Fresh Foods Market (City Center)
- An innovative partnership with our Home Care team to deliver food to our families and kids in need
- Supporting more than 1,000 children with epilepsy and their families as their kids attend to school
Great things are ahead for the children of this region, thanks to our Guilds.
