The Cigna Group Foundation Supports Healthcare Access

Four Hartford-based nonprofit organizations will receive funding from The Cigna Group Foundation for programs that enable culturally appropriate care and transportation to health care services.

Foundation officials said the investment continues their work of addressing root causes of specific health disparities most prevalent in local communities. 

“As a company whose mission is to improve the health and vitality of those we serve, we cannot overlook the health disparities that are especially pronounced in our own backyard,” The Cigna Group Foundation board member Andrea Nelson said.

Health Equity Impact Fund

The four Hartford-based organizations named mark the second cohort of The Cigna Group Foundation’s Health Equity Impact Fund.

Through the fund, The Cigna Group Foundation will invest $9 million over a three-year period with a focus on addressing health disparities in specific locations.

Last year, the fund partnered with 15 organizations in Hartford, and Houston, Texas.

“As a company whose mission is to improve the health and vitality of those we serve, we cannot overlook the health disparities that are especially pronounced in our own backyard.”

The Cigna Group Foundation’s Andrea Nelson

Hartford grantees focused on increasing healthcare access, while Houston grantees addressing obesity and diabetes.

The Cigna Foundations recent recipients include:

• American Heart Association, Connecticut Chapter to improve equitable treatment for hypertension and diabetes through culturally appropriate care and community-clinical linkages.
• Hartford Hospital to expand its Food4Health program with transportation support and community health workers to ensure consistent access to nutrition services.
• Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center to launch a hybrid hypertension clinic that integrates virtual care, community health workers, and personalized education
• YMCA of Metropolitan Hartford to implement their Health Passport Program, by providing tailored wellness plans and transportation support for underserved residents.

“We are committed to helping remove barriers so that more people in Hartford can get the quality health care they need, when they need it,” Nelson said.

“We are proud to collaborate with these incredible nonprofits to advance health equity for all.”

Last year, The Cigna Group Foundation announced a philanthropic and community engagement initiative that committed more than $27 million in grants over the next three years to nonprofit organizations focused on improving youth mental health, improving veteran mental health through housing stability, and reducing barriers to health equity.