RWJF

We all have dreams for ourselves and our families. But we don’t all have the same opportunities to make those dreams come true. The bridge to health is built differently for some people, often based on race and class. On that bridge, you can find barriers built in front of some of us that limit prosperity and threaten peoples’ ability for a fair and just opportunity for health and wellbeing. Since people built those bridges, together we can replace them with a new bridge that carries everyone toward health. Communities across the country can unite to create a better future for everyone’s children and grandchildren. 🎥 Watch an explainer video and download a messaging guide developed to inspire broader understanding and action to dismantle structural racism in health. https://rwjf.ws/3TVBDGv

Looking for examples of organizations and networks driving community development efforts across the country? Here are some that are inspiring us.   Community development encompasses many different efforts to create flourishing communities and improve residents’ quality of life. From ensuring small business owners receive the financing they need to grow to creating shared community spaces that bring people together and beyond, there are many ways funders can support the plentiful groups working to make the U.S. healthier and more equitable.  This graphic, developed by BWB Solutions, LLC and commissioned by RWJF, highlights some key networks our team has connected with across the community development finance system. Each of these and others convene local organizations to share knowledge, break down barriers, and help each other advance their visions and missions that drive place-based solutions in the communities that need them most. 

The last 13 months have all set new records for high temperatures, with July 2024 boasting two of the hottest days ever recorded on Earth. In bouts of extreme heat propelled by climate change, everyone should have access to resources and structures to keep themselves cool and healthy. But heat affects people differently depending on where they live, work, and even their age or health status. Increasing awareness of extreme heat’s unique impacts on different bodies is paramount for protecting health during a heat wave—especially as they become stronger and more frequent. How do people across the lifespan experience extreme heat differently? Scroll to find out. 👇

Reparations beyond just cash payments must be part of a host of solutions we consider to close racial health and wealth gaps in this country – gaps worsened by centuries of racist policies and practices.   Health equity is directly tied to economic equity. Philanthropy that cares about health and wellbeing can and should do more to meaningfully address the harms of economic exclusion.   We are early in our work to do so at RWJF, and we are committed to sustaining the momentum that the New Jersey Reparations Council has built after 20 years of exploring what reparations could mean for New Jersey. As Jean-Pierre Brutus says, reparations are an ongoing process. 

All caregivers deserve to have the resources they need to raise healthy, thriving children. While caregivers make almost everything in this country possible, their contributions often go unrecognized and unrewarded. We must create new systems that truly center children and families, and the caregivers that support us all. That’s why we are excited to announce the launch of Squeezed, a seven-part series podcast produced by Lemonada Media . In this podcast, actress and caregiver, Yvette Nicole Brown, explores everything from the Sandwich Generation—adults in their 30s and 40s juggling the care of both their children and aging parents—to those who unexpectedly find themselves in caregiving roles. Listen to the stories of caregivers across America.

Black Philanthropy Month reminds us that now is as good a time as any for philanthropy to amplify the radical tradition of Black giving while repairing our historical underinvestment in Black-led movements. As funders, our present and future strategies must redress legacies of racial harm, including those perpetuated by the philanthropic sector. We at RWJF are among the many organizations who need to show up in deeper solidarity with Black communities and to recommit to this mission-critical pursuit. Doing so requires embracing bold, race-conscious approaches in both our internal practices and grantmaking, especially in a climate that discourages it. For example, we have just started to systematically track the leadership demographics and equity focus of our grant-funded projects, countering longstanding risk aversion that hinders the use of data disaggregated by race and other factors to monitor our own organizational performance. Transparency and accountability about our funding and impact in Black and other historically excluded communities is a long time coming, and will help us track and make progress toward our commitments. We are also following the lead of our partners such as Borealis Philanthropy’s Black Disabled Liberation Project, and finding inspiration from other initiatives, like California Black Freedom Fund and the Black Feminist Fund. Each is an example of how philanthropy can be bold and steadfast in centering and resourcing Black leadership, wisdom and solutions for health and social justice.

Race, class, or geography shouldn’t determine whether someone can access preventative care like effective vaccines. Yet the Bridge Access Program, which helped adults in the U.S. get access to free and low cost COVID-19 vaccinations, regardless of their income or insurance status, is set to end on August 31 amid a summertime COVID-19 wave and the start of back-to-school season. This will disproportionately affect people of color and those with low incomes, who make up most of the uninsured population. In an appearance on Good Morning America, RWJF president, Rich Besser highlights the vital role of vaccination programs in public health and encourages support for policy proposals that aim to extend and continue funding of programs to end vaccine inequity.

Narratives can advance justice and equity, influence policy, support culture change, and illuminate new ways of thinking. That’s why changing the narrative and the way stories are told away from a deficit-frame to an asset-frame is so critical. 🎞️What narratives need to change to advance health equity? 🗨️ Add your response in the comments.

We’ve talked a lot about homeownership being the best pathway for families to build financial security, but homeownership is about 70% higher among White households than Black households in the U.S. This staggering difference did not come about by chance: it is the result of harmful policies and practices, historical and present, that place uneven barriers to homeownership in front of families of color. Since owning a home can lead to positive health outcomes and improve overall wellbeing, breaking down barriers to homeownership is crucial for advancing health equity. To help families purchase their own homes, the Dearfield Fund For Black Wealth, an RWJF-investee, provides no-interest loans of up to $40,000 for prospective Black homebuyers in Colorado. This unique model helps families build financial security, generates financial returns, and creates meaningful social impact.  The Dearfield Fund aims to support 500 first-time homebuyers, generating $50M in cumulative new wealth over 10 years. And they’re already well on their way to reaching this goal. Curious to learn more about how this works? Head to this link: https://rwjf.ws/3WVZEhA