Downey agency lands $50K grant for Community Promotores Initiative

DOWNEY – Downey-based St. Louise Resource Services (StLRS) was awarded a grant of $50,000 from Health Net in support of StLRS’ Community Promotores Initiative (CPI) to help reduce health disparities by educating families across marginalized communities and areas where healthcare systems may be challenging to access due to socio-economic, cultural, or linguistic barriers.

St. Louise Resource Services’ mission is to empower people to access health care benefits and social services they may need, and this grant will support those efforts through the Community Promotores Initiative.

“This grant will enhance our outreach efforts by connecting us with grassroot individuals involved in the community we aim to help while simultaneously promoting job development skills,” stated the executive director of StLRS, Lydia Ramirez. “Health Net’s funding to our health initiative helps StLRS achieve its goal of promoting community health. When families have access to healthcare benefits and nutritious foods, it strengthens them and their children. They are better prepared to attend school, learn, and obtain higher education.”

The Community Promotores Initiative will recruit individuals as volunteers within the community who have a close relationship with the obstacles and struggles their community faces regarding health knowledge and accessibility. Their unique connection to their community will make them effective in increasing the awareness of health insurance benefits, social services, food assistance programs, and preventative health topics. Aside from addressing community health, this initiative will also invest in our Promotores by providing them training, skill development workshops, and work experience, thus preparing them for careers in the healthcare industry.

Promotores will conduct workshops and outreach events at locations that are regularly accessed by community members, such as schools, neighborhoods, and local churches. The initiative is an extension of StLRS’ work to connect individuals to government-sponsored programs such as Medi-Cal, Covered California, and CalFresh.

For the past six years, StLRS has served thousands of families within the community through free services aimed at increasing the awareness of healthcare benefits and social programs, as well as application assistance, case management, and advocacy.

StLRS confronts the urgent need for clients to get connected and enrolled into healthcare benefits and food assistance programs daily. With the generous grant from Health Net and the launch of the Community Promotores Initiative, StLRS will be able to expand its efforts to address the health inequities in marginalized communities across LA County.

Interested individuals should email with their interest to shernandez@stlrs.org or call (844) 245-1900. StLRS is also hosting information sessions on the following dates: Thursday, October 13, 5:30 - 6:30 pm; Saturday, October 15, 12:00 - 1:00 pm; Monday, October 17, 12:00 - 1:00 pm; Friday, October 21, 12:00 - 1:00 pm; Tuesday, October 25, 5:30 - 6:30 pm; Saturday, October 29, 12:00 - 1:00 pm. 

Meals will be provided at all information sessions. Future information sessions will be announced on our website at www.stlrs.org.