(LOS ANGELES, CA – June 30, 2010) — SCAN Health Plan has furthered its longstanding commitment to healthy, independent aging with financial contributions to two local nonprofit organizations that support senior nutrition – The Food Bank of Southern California, which received $10,000 from SCAN, and Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC), which received $5,000. The local donations are part of SCAN’s ongoing commitment to supporting seniors in the communities it serves.
“Significant decreases in state and federal funding have created financial shortfalls for many community-based organizations,” said David Schmidt, CEO of SCAN, a senior-focused not-for-profit health plan. “At SCAN we feel strongly about ensuring that critically important resources remain open and available to seniors who rely on them, especially for something as basic as a warm meal.”
SCAN’s community giving program is focused on helping to meet immediate needs – and close gaps – in community services. Funding is provided to community-based, nonprofit organizations that provide direct services to seniors, particularly those providing basic human needs such as food.
To date SCAN has donated $85,000 to organizations supporting senior nutrition across California. In 2009 SCAN launched this outreach effort by donating approximately $385,000 to 44 not-for-profit, community-based organizations statewide. The majority of these contributions focused on senior nutrition, with dollars also going toward long-term care and caregiver programs.
The Food Bank of Southern California is the primary food provider to more than 700 community-based organizations throughout the Southland, providing food to churches, shelters, senior centers, soup kitchens and other organizations, distributing about 1.3 million meals each week. The funds from SCAN are specifically to support the Food Bank’s Brown Bag program, which provides free nutritious food to more than 2,700 low-income seniors on a biweekly basis.
The Watts Labor Community Action Committee is a nonprofit community-based organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents in South Los Angeles. Since its founding in 1965, WLCAC has focused its attention on developing programs and services that address the community's complex needs. The funds received from SCAN are dedicated to supporting the organization’s intergenerational gardening programs.
“The growth of the older adult population is impacting communities and families all across America,” said Schmidt. “There has never been a greater need to support community organizations through meaningful and purposeful giving.”
SCAN’s community giving program is part of the health plan’s larger community outreach efforts, which also include the SCAN Van mobile resource center for seniors and caregivers launched earlier this year, SCAN’s “Trading Ages” senior sensitivity program, the SCAN Resource Centers in California and Arizona, and many other initiatives.
For more than 30 years, SCAN Health Plan has been focusing on the unique needs of seniors and is now the country’s fourth largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plan. The company currently has nearly 130,000 members in California and Arizona. Further information may be obtained at scanhealthplan.com.