(SAN JOAQUIN, CA – June 22, 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 – Emergency Food Bank of Stockton/San Joaquin, which received $10,000 from SCAN and LOEL Center and Gardens in Lodi, 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 Emergency Food Bank of Stockton/San Joaquin, founded in 1968, is the largest direct provider of packaged emergency food in San Joaquin County. Over one thousand people a day are served healthy food from Emergency Food Bank services. The food bank offers “extended outreach” through two mobile farmer’s market vehicles, staffed by a nutrition educator and offering free local produce and cooking and recipe tips.
“The SCAN grant will allow us to ramp up our efforts to reach senior clients in under-served portions of the city and county,” said Tim Viall, executive director of the Emergency Food Bank of Stockton/San Joaquin. “With this program we’re helping motivate seniors to improve their diets and health. The mobile markets are hugely popular, and SCAN will help us build the program.”
The LOEL Center and Gardens is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to offering free and low-cost programs and services that help seniors remain independent, healthy, active and fulfilled in their daily lives. The grant from SCAN is being used to support the LOEL Center’s Congregate Lunch Program, a program where seniors come to the center to enjoy a meal.
"With donations such as this one, the LOEL Center can continue to provide hot, nutritious meals to seniors in San Joaquin County,” said Tracy L. Williams, CEO/president, LOEL Foundation, Inc. “Offering a place for seniors to gather and socialize together is also a large part of this important and needed program."
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.
“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.”
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.