New Foundation is Launched to Improve the Health and Wellness of East Orange and Surrounding Communities
A new foundation has been created to address the healthcare needs of residents of East Orange, Orange, Irvington and the South and West Wards of Newark. The Health Care Foundation of the Oranges, Inc. (HCFO) located in East Orange, New Jersey, was formed in 2016 from the sale of a local community hospital to a for-profit entity. The Foundation was established to focus on ensuring the community, once served by the local community hospital, continued to have access to quality healthcare, health education and a multitude of other health resources and services.
HCFO Board Chair, Leonard Murray II, said, “The HCFO is a unique organization with an extraordinary opportunity to impact the health and wellness of the people in the communities we serve.” He continued, “We see the Foundation as a convener, bringing together community partners to help us address social determinants of health.” He added that as the HCFO grows, the goal is to bring awareness to the need for local government, community and faith-based partners to work together to improve the overall health of the community. He added, “It is our hope that our shared initiatives will have a beneficial and lifelong impact on the individuals in the communities we serve by making health and wellness a priority for their daily lives.”
The vision of the HCFO is focused on healthcare awareness, education and funding for healthcare initiatives within the designated service areas. The HCFO takes a holistic approach to health, focusing on the emotional, mental and physical health of the community. The Foundation has created a new program, entitled, “Taking Care of You; Mind, Body and Soul” and supported a number of other initiatives aimed at raising awareness and creating a culture of wellness in the designated cities.
The HCFO’s signature program, “Taking Care of You; Mind, Body and Soul” is a 12-month initiative that focuses on health awareness, education, prevention and ailment management. The program follows the Centers for Disease Control calendar of observances, highlighting many of the observances in the clinical work, discussions and health assessments that are part of the program. With “Taking Care of You” the Foundation takes a multi-disciplinary approach to healthcare that includes traditional healthcare with physicians and nurses. The Foundation is also expanding their reach to include non-traditional and growing practices such as incorporating doulas, life coaches and access to practitioners of eastern medicine. HCFO partners include local government agencies, faith-based, and community-based organizations.
The Healthcare Foundation of the Oranges held a Friendraiser at the Newark Museum on December 3. The purpose of the event was to formally introduce HCFO to organizations working in the health and wellness space. During the event the Chairman provided an overview of the Foundation and announced the first set of grants to several community-based organizations.
For more information about the Healthcare Foundation of the Oranges, please visit us online at hcfoinc.org.
