The UC Riverside School of Medicine Center for Healthy Communities has announced its 2023 mini-grants awardees. Each recipient was awarded a $5,000 mini-grant to support projects focused on community medicine and population health.
The San Bernardino Free Clinic (SBFC) – Healing Hearts Initiative
Led by first-year UC Riverside School of Medicine student Darby Graham, the Healing Hearts Initiative will offer several heart health education and heart disease prevention workshops ranging from creating awareness of different heart conditions to nutritional support such as cooking demonstrations and meal prepping. It will help uninsured and economically disadvantaged patients at the San Bernardino Free Clinic (SBFC) improve their heart health while educating future providers in the Inland Empire.
“As a recipient of the UCR School of Medicine: Center for Healthy Communities Mini-Grant, we can launch our ‘Healing Hearts’ program to support the heart health of our patients,” said the SBFC team. “This grant will transform our clinic’s capacity to assess patients with heart abnormalities and educate the community on preventative health measures. San Bernardino Free Clinic Healing Hearts is honored to receive this support, and we hope to continue paving the way to serve our patients with healing hands so they can leave with healthier hearts.”
The SBFC strives to provide increased access to healthcare and support beyond regular checkups to ensure a healthier future for underserved patients. The clinic’s patients are disproportionately affected by obesity and diabetes, leading to an increased risk of health-related chronic conditions.
The Bayanihan Project
The Bayanihan Project (buy-uh-nee-hun) stems from the Filipino language, which loosely means “spirit of community” or “community unity.” Led by third-year California University of Science and Medicine (CSUM) medical student Alexandra Celino Gacuya, the project will offer health screenings and disease prevention techniques to Filipino Americans in the Inland Empire. By providing these measures, the Bayanihan group hopes to empower Filipino Americans to play an active role in improving their health outcomes.
"As a first-generation medical student, I’m here because of the love and resilience of Filipino immigrants; I am incredibly thankful to win this grant for my community,” said Gacuya on behalf of the Bayanihan group. “We have seen far too many Filipinos lose their loved ones to strokes and heart attacks, which are life-threatening complications that can be prevented with culturally responsive care. With the support of UCR SOM CHC, we will be the change that our community needs — the change that will inspire, create, and sustain a healthier and happier future for Filipino Americans in the Inland Empire and beyond. This partnership will allow us to care for our community in ways we could not do solely alone. So again, with great gratitude, maraming salamat (thanks a lot) UCR SOM CHC for allowing us to continue our ancestors’ proud legacy of Bayanihan."
The CHC extends special thanks to their 2022-2023 Mini-Grant review committee:
- Marci Coffey, Director of Community Relations at Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)
- Jorge Delos Santos, Director of Programs & Prevention at TruEvolution, Inc.
- Fatima Baldemor, Program Director at SBX Youth & Family Services
- Mario Sims, Professor for the Department of Social Medicine, Population, and Public Health at UC Riverside School of Medicine
They also thank Nnennaya Akabogu, administrative fellow for the UC Riverside School of Medicine, for project support.
