OneFuture Coachella Valley Receives $200,000 Grant from Desert Healthcare District
OneFuture Coachella Valley recently received a two-year, $200,000 grant from Desert Healthcare District (DHCD) to provide scholarships and support services for African American students from the Coachella Valley who are studying in the healthcare field.
DHCD believes that providing this scholarship fund will help expand racial diversity in the health profession workforce. It gives black students in the Coachella Valley who have a passion for healthcare and a pathway to get the education they need and to enrich the community through their knowledge and service in the future.
“We are pleased to be working with OneFuture Coachella Valley in this effort,” said DHCD CEO Dr. Conrado Bárzaga. “When looking at sustained racial equity in healthcare, you must also consider access to education and economic opportunities. OneFuture has a history of advancing higher learning and the career dreams of valley students, and we are confident they will help us achieve our goals through the Black and African American Healthcare Scholarship and Student Success Initiative. It gives black students in the Coachella Valley who have a passion for healthcare a pathway to get the education they need and to enrich the community through their knowledge and service in the future.”
OneFuture Coachella Valley is organizing a culturally appropriate advisory team to help guide and structure the program for long-term success. This program will work with Coachella Valley school districts to surface and build a cohort of African American students and help guide these students throughout their college graduation to gear them towards success.
“We are grateful for the generous support of Desert Healthcare District,” says Sheila Thornton, President and CEO of OneFuture Coachella Valley. “We are confident in the talent and potential of our local youth to serve as the future healthcare workforce. This grant will have a direct impact on local students and will help us support them as they pursue college and health careers and return to our region as health professionals.”
About Desert Healthcare District and Foundation
The Desert Healthcare District is a local government agency formed in 1948. Its mission is to achieve optimal health at all stages of life for all District residents. The District includes more than 400,000 residents and encompasses the entire Coachella Valley. The District and Desert Healthcare Foundation, together, are one of the largest funders in the valley. These funds are used to assist residents — especially the underserved — in accessing vitally needed resources, such as primary and behavioral healthcare, housing, food, and transportation to medical appointments.