The establishment of the market was just the first phase in the development of the ProMedica Ebeid Institute, a community health hub started with a $1.5 million gift from a Michigan philanthropist, Russell Ebeid. Today leaders from ProMedica announced plans to expand its services beyond the grocery market to offer a variety of community programs including cooking and nutrition classes, health screenings and job training.
As part of this expansion, a newly renovated second floor now houses the Ebeid Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), a career and personal finance service center that helps low- to moderate-income people establish smart money habits, improve their financial outlook and move out of poverty. ProMedica is based in Lucas County, Ohio where more than 20% of the population lives in poverty.
“ProMedica’s mission is to improve health and well-being and this does not end with the care we provide in our hospitals and healthcare facilities. We are also committed to improving peoples’ quality of life which significantly impacts health outcomes,” said Randy Oostra, president and chief executive officer. “One of the best things we can do to improve someone’s health is to help provide them with the tools, education and resources to find employment.”
Philanthropist Russell Ebeid said, “As the Institute continues to expand its scope of services, we are writing a new chapter in the way healthcare systems collaborate with neighborhoods and communities to improve health. These are essential services to help lift people out of poverty and offer them a hand up in life – not a hand out.”
Financial services center already having impactThe FOC model is a national best practice from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and operated by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and United Way Worldwide. There are 80 FOCs in 30 cities nationwide. FOCs offer a broad range of integrated services that include job placement assistance, career counseling, financial coaching and low-cost financial products that help build credit, savings and assets. FOC participants engage in credit-building activities, such as making regular payments on existing or newly obtained loans or credit cards.
ProMedica is the first health system in the nation to establish an FOC, which offers an integrated strategy with three core services that include: financial coaching/counseling, income supports counseling, and employment coaching.
ProMedica’s FOC has already seen significant positive results with its first 100 clients:
• 30% have had a boost in net income• 17% experienced gains in their credit scores• 61% of the clients have seen a counselor five times or more• 32% are receiving all three services provided by the FOC
“This is an outstanding program and I have had the opportunity to witness numerous success stories,” said Michelle Gorsuch, FOC coach. “Along with helping individuals, we (ProMedica) will work in partnership with other Toledo area FOCs to increase access to local job training programs, educational opportunities and housing.”
Since 2014, ProMedica has taken a lead role in raising national awareness about hunger as a health issue. ProMedica co-founded The Root Cause Coalition, a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing underlying causes of health disparities by focusing on hunger and other social determinants of health.
The U.S. Surgeon General will speak during The Root Cause Coalition’s Inaugural National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health Dec. 5 – 6 at The Drake Hotel in Chicago, Ill. The nonprofit organization is bringing together experts from across the country to share actionable solutions to addressing hunger and other social issues that impact health.
For more information about ProMedica, visit http://www.promedica.org/aboutus.
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