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A Message from RMHF President & CEO

Reggie Gordon  

Friends,


Next month, a new presidential administration will take power in Washington. There is no doubt that this change in leadership will cause our community a significant amount of uncertainty, especially for those working in the health and racial equity space. While we cannot predict what the healthcare landscape will look like on the federal level over the coming months and years, we can say a few things unequivocally: RMHF will stay the course, we remain committed to our mission, and we will continue providing flexibility to our partners so that they can respond as needs arise.


Our efforts are not only essential, but illustrative of the dedicated individuals and organizations who make our region the resilient, innovative place that it is. Thank you for your tenacity, expertise, and commitment to our shared mission of a more just, equitable home. Remember: we have always been, and always will be, in this together. 


With gratitude,

Reggie

VCU Sickle Cell Program Update

Recently, Dr. Wally R. Smith, the Florence Neal Cooper Smith Professor of Sickle Cell Disease at VCU, provided an important update to the RMHF Board of Trustees about the work taking place at the VCU Sickle Cell Program. Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, the program continues to provide essential care for patients of all ages and conduct critical research. At the same time, Dr. Smith made it clear that significant challenges remain. He specifically cited social determinants of health (SDH) as playing a central role in the severity of the disease, specifically for Black individuals experiencing poverty.


RMHF is proud to have provided a $150,000 grant to the Sickle Cell Program 15 years ago, an investment which helped them build out infrastructure, increase their capacity to treat patients, and over time, has helped make positive strides in treatment. However, like so many of the issues we confront with our partners in the health and racial equity space, the intersection of different social, medical, and economic factors continues to reveal an ongoing, disproportionate impact on strategically undervalued communities. 


You can read our blog here to learn more about the Sickle Cell Program and the importance of confronting these community health issues in a holistic way.

Issues on the Horizon: the Upcoming General Assembly Session

While we continue to work with our partners to review key takeaways and implement strategic next-steps from the 2024 General Assembly session, many of the nonprofit organizations we work with have been busy gearing up for the upcoming session beginning in January of 2025.


These organizations include RMHF grantees Legal Aid Justice Center, The Commonwealth Institute, Virginia Health Catalyst, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, and Voices for Virginia’s Children.


In alignment with our Strategic Framework, our commitment to expanding health and racial equity, and our long-term efforts to continue building on our policy and advocacy efforts, we are proud to support these organizations on the range of issues they plan to focus on during the 2025 General Assembly Session. Last year, these focus areas included healthcare, workforce and the economy, and public education and child care


There will be a lot taking place in Richmond next year, so stay tuned for updates on specific priorities and  policy areas and how you can help support our partner organizations doing this critical work.


VCIC Humanitarian Awards

In late October, our friends at Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) hosted their annual Humanitarian Awards Ceremony for the Richmond Chapter. Two of the honorees, Sheryl Garland and Karen Legato, are both longtime RMHF partners.


Sheryl Garland is the Executive Director of VCU’s Office of Health Equity and a Trustee Emeritus of the RMHF Board of Trustees, while Karen Legato is the Executive Director of Health Brigade, an inclusive free clinic that RMHF has been proud to support.


Join us in congratulating Sheryl and Karen and celebrating their ongoing and transformative contributions to the Richmond region!

RMHF Partner Senior Connections Becomes The Span Center!

Beginning last month, Senior Connections changed its name to The Span Center, an update meant to reflect the many ways the organization has worked over more than fifty years to span service gaps, span generations, and span across the Richmond region. 


As their updated website states: “we’re now The Span Center, reflecting our broader vision to better serve people of all ages, abilities and generations.”


RMHF has been a longtime partner of this community organization, and we are excited about how this change will strengthen The Span Center’s impact and how we can continue to support their critical work.

Open Grant Opportunities 

Have you applied for our Opportunity Investment Grants or our Capacity Building Grants? If not, there’s still time.


As you may know, Opportunity Investment Grants are for organizations in need of time-sensitive support so they can respond quickly to unexpected challenges and opportunities. Capacity Building Grants, meanwhile, help partners increase internal staffing and capacity in order to improve long-term sustainability and effectiveness.


Due to upcoming breaks as well as a planned office relocation, grant funding decisions for applications received between now and the end of December will not be made until after January 13, 2025.


You can learn more about all of our grant opportunities and the application process here, or reach out to one of our Program Team members

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