Cancer Client Health Equity Initiative

Cancer Client Health Equity Initiative is sponsored by Healthbridge Foundation (via Connecticut Community Foundation). This initiative aims to expand outreach and program usage in Greater Waterbury and continue to support existing Health Equity Initiative clients.

Healthbridge Foundation - Grants - Connecticut Community Foundation Please Support the Foundation’s Fund for Urgent Response: Help Our Neighbors with Immediate, Critical Needs.

Donate to the ImpactNOW Fund >> Healthbridge Foundation – Grants Zakiyah Gathers 2026-08-04T09:49:05-04:00 Healthbridge Foundation of Greater Waterbury Funding Gaps in Healthcare Through specific bed funds housed with Healthbridge Foundation, the following organizations receive annual support to provide free/reduced-cost medical care to people in their community.

These funds were created by donors to support certain organizations continually, and the Foundation continues to honor our donor’s intent.

Ann’s Place (Danbury): Cancer Client Health Equity Initiative to expand outreach and program usage in Greater Waterbury and continue to support existing Health Equity Initiative (HEI) clients, with the goal of reducing disparities in access to mental health and cancer support services for people of color, individuals facing financial instability, and those identifying as LGBTQ+.

Center for Human Development (Waterbury): Community Navigator Project to enhance targeted case management, offering clients with complex behavioral health and/or substance use disorder needs extra support in navigating the recovery system and obtaining public benefits.

StayWell Health Care (Waterbury): Waterbury Community Care Team to respond to the growing need for coordinated, cross-sector bilingual case management and crisis response, and link residents with insurance coverage, medical, home, and critical supports that address the social drivers of health.

StayWell Health Care (Waterbury): Waterbury Health Access Program to cultivate an expanding network of local clinical and community providers, which supports individuals in gaining access to health insurance, benefits navigation, intensive case management, medical care, substance use and mental health treatment, housing programs, and emergency food and financial assistance.

Waterbury Bridge to Success (Waterbury): Prenatal Sparkler to meet expecting parents where they are — offering a digital companion that walks them through pregnancy with developmentally rich activities, early milestone guidance, and real preparation for the newborn days ahead.

With a deliberate focus on Black and Latine families, this program works to close the gap in access to quality prenatal support before a baby ever takes their first breath.

Waterbury Bridge to Success (Waterbury): Day 43- Black Mama Health Matters to address the crisis of Black maternal mortality head-on, Day 43 works to build a landscape where comprehensive mental, emotional, physical, and socioeconomic support is equitable and ensures that everyone gets the care they deserve.

Western CT Area Agency on Aging (Waterbury): Diabetes Care Kits to purchase diabetes care kits as part of local evidence-based Live Well workshops. Over the past four years, Healthbridge Foundation has provided more than $34,000 of scholarship support to 10 applicants in our community. Our scholarship recipients reside across our service area, including Beacon Falls, Naugatuck, Waterbury, Watertown, and Wolcott.

Healthbridge Scholars have studied at the following institutions: Central CT State University University of Connecticut Click here to learn more about the Healthbridge Foundation at Connecticut Community Foundation.

Research, articles, data sets, and other helpful resources: Connecticut Town Equity Reports Maternal Health Equity: A Blueprint for Connecticut Disability in Connecticut: Insights from the DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey Understanding How SNAP Impacts Connecticut Communities Through New Data from DataHaven and State Sources Coverage at Risk: Projected Losses in Medicaid and Access Health CT by Town and Community Greater Waterbury Health Partnership: 2023-2026 Community Health Needs Assessment CT Dept.

Of Public Health: Public Health Data, Statistics, and Research CT Data Collaborative: Health Data Statewide Health Care Facilities and Services Plan The Burden of Medical Debt in the United States CT Medical Debt Levels Declining, New State Law Will Help Even More For more information, please contact: Andrew Oravecz, Senior Community Health and Strategy Officer aoravecz@conncf. org | 203. 753.

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