Samaritan Health Services released its annual Community Health Impact Report this week, a document that details the organization’s investments in various activities from charity care to community building to health research.
Last year, Samaritan reported that it invested more than $178 million in financial and in-kind support of community health activities in Benton, Linn and Lincoln counties.
“We are a nonprofit and mission‑driven organization providing care to patients in our hospitals and clinics, but we know it takes more than that to have healthy communities,” Samaritan’s chief executive officer Doug Boysen said through a press release. “That’s why we support community-based efforts to help keep people healthy.”
Samaritan lists three priority areas:
- Increasing access to medical, dental and mental health/behavioral health services.
- Increasing access to healthy and nutritious food, child care and safety.
- Increasing housing, employment and supportive services.
The report highlights three agencies that receive program funding:
- Project Healthy Smile, offered by the Boys and Girls Club of Albany and Practical Dental Assisting of Oregon.
- Stand By Me — Oregon, offered by Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments and Casa Latinos Unidos.
- Guatemalan and Latinx community cooking classes and farmers market tours, offered by Food Share of Lincoln County and Oregon State University Extension Service in Lincoln County.
The report is available in its entirety online. A printed copy can be requested by email mkerlin@samhealth.org.