Humana Foundation Invests in Innovative Mental Health and Nutrition Programming for Seniors and School-Aged Children

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) for the past 41 years, today announced a series of grants advancing its regional health equity mission by supporting seniors and school-aged children in living connected, healthy lives. The 23 grants spanning four geographies – Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana and Texas – and four Health Equity Innovation Fund projects will help beneficiaries create healthy emotional connections and shape a healthier approach to nutrition for lifelong wellbeing.

Humana Foundation Invests in Innovative Mental Health and Nutrition Programming for Seniors and School-Aged Children (Photo: Business Wire)

The investment totaling $12.9 million includes a $4.9 million grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBS) to initiate and elevate mental health programs at chapters in the four geographies, including mental health first aid training for mentors and related coursework for youth.

“Today, there’s a critical need to provide young people with mental health supports. At BBBS, we know the positive impact mentorship has on youth well-being, inclusion and belonging, and social capital,” said Artis Stevens, President and CEO, BBBS. "Through our partnership with the Humana Foundation, we will harness the collective power of mentorship to expand our mental health and wellness programs, resources and training to create healthy emotional connections and empower youth."

A second national partner, Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP will receive $750,000 to pilot a new social media platform for seniors. The Foundation previously invested $3 million in 2020 to help older adults access digital health tools and maintain social connections online.

Humana Foundation Health Equity Innovation Fund grants in the amount of $750,000 each were awarded to four projects combatting loneliness and depression: the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s development of a community implementation toolkit for its Mental Health First Aid training; the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care’s effort to identify and deploy trusted community leaders to connect seniors to community health workers; Home of the Innocents’ delivery of the sanctuary model for clinical care in Louisville, designed to reduce additional trauma to children; and Fund for the Arts, to measure the impact of the arts on mental well-being via the Cultural Pass app.

“The Humana Foundation is dedicated to building partnerships that help drive change and advance health equity,” said Tiffany Benjamin, CEO of the Humana Foundation. “Today, we’re investing in new programs with trusted community partners who are innovating and scaling their services so that more school-aged children and seniors can reach their full health potential.”

In Texas, a pair of grants addressing senior nutrition were made to the San Antonio Food Bank ($1.05 million), in support of its partnership with clinicians to screen seniors for food insecurity, and the YMCA of Greater San Antonio ($400,000) to expand its nutrition and cooking classes for seniors. The screening grant builds on previous funding to the food bank totaling $2.7 million since 2018. A similar program by Feeding South Florida ($250,000) will focus on seniors of color with chronic diabetes and hypertension.

Also in Florida, grants were awarded to FLIPANY (Florida Introduces Physical Activity and Nutrition to Youth; $300,000) for nutrition education targeting seniors in South Florida; United Way of Broward County ($300,000) for a program matching seniors to college-level health professionals and monthly boxes of nutritious food; and NAMI Hillsborough ($250,000) for a project to provide mental health support, resources and training to BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ youth, as well as veterans support groups.

In Kentucky, a $250,000 grant to Jewish Family & Career Services of Louisville will fund health programming for low-income residents in senior housing facilities to improve nutrition and belonging.

Additional grants in the series include:

National

• National CARES Mentoring – $150,000 to expand culturally based social service interventions for Black teenagers in Kentucky and Louisiana, building on $250,000 received last year

Kentucky

• Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness – $144,500 for a food delivery program with Kroger serving neighborhoods in West and South Louisville
• Legal Aid Society of Louisville – $100,000 to provide legal information and representation to help low-income residents access and retain food benefits
• AMPED (Academy of Music Production Education and Development) – $50,000 to scale its mental health programming for youth in West Louisville, building on $200,000 received in 2021
• Center for Nonprofit Excellence – $50,000 to this funder-created organization, which is convening nonprofits advancing health equity in Louisville
• Elderserve – $50,000 to pilot an intergenerational mentorship program in which youth assist seniors with digital and social media literacy
• Tip It Forward – $50,000 in support of their mobile wellness clinic, bringing self-care education and kits to underserved seniors

Florida

• H.U.G. (Help Us Grow Foundation Inc.) – $225,000 to expand senior tutoring of school-aged children to Florida
• Hispanic Unity of Florida – $200,000 for their program to train community health workers to provide mental health first aid to Latinx families with children
• The 4R Foundation Inc. – $200,000 for the 4Roots program providing nutrition education, plant-forward meals and heart-healthy meals for low-income seniors at risk of food insecurity
• Pine Castle – $50,000 to introduce seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities to accessible social activities as part of their mental health services

Louisiana

• Emeril Lagasse Foundation – $75,000 to provide gardens, grow kits and nutritional education to 1,500 local students and caregivers
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana – $75,000 to expand its mobile healthy foods market for seniors, building on previous grants totaling $500,000

Texas

• Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute – $50,000 to address the mental health needs of youth experiencing trauma, building on $250,000 received last year

To learn more about the Humana Foundation’s health equity mission, visit HumanaFoundation.org.

About the Humana Foundation

The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. and is focused on health equity, working to eliminate unjust, avoidable and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare. The Foundation fosters evidence-based collaborations and investments that help people in underserved communities live connected, healthy lives. As a steward of good health, the Foundation creates healthy emotional connections for people and communities and is shaping a healthier approach to nutrition to support lifelong well-being. For more information, visit humanafoundation.org.

Humana Inc. and the Humana Foundation believe everyone should have access to the tools and support needed to have a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Our commitment to improving health outcomes for all – our members and patients, employees, the communities we serve, the healthcare system, and the environment - is the foundation of our Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) impact platform.