The Daily Tell

Kaiser Permanente approved $19 million in new grants for nonprofit organizations in the third quarter of 2009.

The nonprofit healthcare provider said the donations would go to 465 nonprofit organizations focused on improving public hospitals and community clinics, creating respite care programs for the homeless, providing communities access to healthy foods, and awarding scholarships to young people interested in health care.

"We are continuing our long-term commitment to improving the quality of care at public hospitals and community clinics and to support innovative programs that prevent chronic illnesses for the uninsured and underserved," said Kaiser Permanente senior vice president Raymond J. Baxter.

Much of the Kaiser money will go to "safety net" health care providers for low-income families. About $5.7 million in funds, for instance, will go to community clinics and public hospitals in California to support staffing, processes, tools and infrastructure.

Other grants will go to organizations that focus on homelessness, hunger, and education. Three grants will to organizations in Northern California to develop, create and improve respite care for the homeless. Other grants will go to community groups in California, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta that promote healthy eating among low-income youth. Another $309,000 will go to an Oregon program that awards scholarships to young people who are interested in health care but who could not otherwise afford college tuition.

"As part of our strategic partnership with our communities, we are addressing the immediate needs of people who are struggling to put food on the table coupled with our long-term goal to ensure access to healthy foods," said Baxter.

Kaiser Permanente is a nonprofit managed care organization founded in 1945 and based in Oakland, California. Its health plans and hospitals serve 8.6 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia.