Florida Blue Foundation Sponsors Statewide Health Literacy Grants Program
Orlando, FL, May 20, 2018 --(PR.com)-- Fourteen programs across the state of Florida have been awarded a one-year, 5,000 grant for the implementation of a health literacy program to benefit their Adult Education, ESOL, and family literacy students.
Congratulations to the following organizations: Adult Literacy League, Orlando; Atlantic Technical College, Arthur Ashe Jr. Campus; Broward Community Schools; Collier County Adult Education; DeSoto County Education Foundation; El Sol, Jupiter’s Neighborhood Resource Center; Lake Worth West Resident Planning Group, Inc.; Language Learning Center at Maitland Presbyterian Church; Learn to Read of St. Johns County; Literacy Council of Sarasota; Miami Dade College, Hialeah Campus; Sarasota Family YMCA; School District of Hillsborough County; and United Food Bank of Plant City.
These mini-grants, awarded by the Florida Blue Foundation and the Florida Literacy Coalition, will integrate health and nutrition information into the programs’ curriculum. The focus is to help students acquire the knowledge; literacy skills; and resources required to navigate the health care system and make informed health decisions. More than 16,000 students from programs throughout Florida have benefited from this Initiative since 2009.
People who lack literacy and health literacy skills are much more likely to use medications incorrectly, have at least one chronic disease, spend more time in the hospital, and are four times more likely to have poor health than people with higher health literacy skills. The potential for cost savings and improved health outcomes are significant. Adult education, literacy and family literacy programs can play an important role in helping people to acquire these skills.
“At Florida Blue and the Florida Blue Foundation, we are committed to making a difference for Florida’s communities and to finding ways to help the people of Florida in their pursuit of better health,” said Susan Towler, vice president, Florida Blue Foundation. “By partnering with the Florida Literacy Coalition and supporting the Florida Health Literacy Grant Initiative, we are making an impact and creating sustainable change throughout our communities.”
The Florida Health Literacy Initiative provides training, resources and funding to assist Florida ESOL and family literacy programs to integrate health education into their instruction. The objective is to help students develop basic literacy and English language skills while gaining information to make informed choices regarding their health and nutrition.
“The support of this Initiative reflects Florida Blue Foundation’s outstanding commitment to helping adult learners, many who are new to this country, become informed health advocates for themselves and their families,” said Greg Smith, executive director of Florida Literacy Coalition. “We are excited to partner with Florida Blue and this year’s grant recipients to help adult learners throughout our state achieve better health through education.”
Organizations received their awards on May 9, 2018, at the 35th Annual Florida Literacy Conference in Orlando, Fla.
About the Florida Literacy Coalition
Established in 1985, the Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) promotes, supports and advocates for the effective delivery of quality adult and family literacy services in the state of Florida. As a statewide umbrella literacy organization and the host of Florida's Adult and Family Literacy Resource Center, FLC provides a range of services to support more than 250 adult education, literacy and family literacy providers. Special emphasis is placed on assisting community-based literacy organizations with their training and program development needs.
About Florida Blue Foundation
The Florida Blue Foundation enables healthy communities by making grants, building coalitions and rewarding best practices. More than three million people in Florida have received direct health services as a result of grants made to nonprofit organizations since our founding in 2001. Florida Blue Foundation is a trade name of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, Inc., an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Congratulations to the following organizations: Adult Literacy League, Orlando; Atlantic Technical College, Arthur Ashe Jr. Campus; Broward Community Schools; Collier County Adult Education; DeSoto County Education Foundation; El Sol, Jupiter’s Neighborhood Resource Center; Lake Worth West Resident Planning Group, Inc.; Language Learning Center at Maitland Presbyterian Church; Learn to Read of St. Johns County; Literacy Council of Sarasota; Miami Dade College, Hialeah Campus; Sarasota Family YMCA; School District of Hillsborough County; and United Food Bank of Plant City.
These mini-grants, awarded by the Florida Blue Foundation and the Florida Literacy Coalition, will integrate health and nutrition information into the programs’ curriculum. The focus is to help students acquire the knowledge; literacy skills; and resources required to navigate the health care system and make informed health decisions. More than 16,000 students from programs throughout Florida have benefited from this Initiative since 2009.
People who lack literacy and health literacy skills are much more likely to use medications incorrectly, have at least one chronic disease, spend more time in the hospital, and are four times more likely to have poor health than people with higher health literacy skills. The potential for cost savings and improved health outcomes are significant. Adult education, literacy and family literacy programs can play an important role in helping people to acquire these skills.
“At Florida Blue and the Florida Blue Foundation, we are committed to making a difference for Florida’s communities and to finding ways to help the people of Florida in their pursuit of better health,” said Susan Towler, vice president, Florida Blue Foundation. “By partnering with the Florida Literacy Coalition and supporting the Florida Health Literacy Grant Initiative, we are making an impact and creating sustainable change throughout our communities.”
The Florida Health Literacy Initiative provides training, resources and funding to assist Florida ESOL and family literacy programs to integrate health education into their instruction. The objective is to help students develop basic literacy and English language skills while gaining information to make informed choices regarding their health and nutrition.
“The support of this Initiative reflects Florida Blue Foundation’s outstanding commitment to helping adult learners, many who are new to this country, become informed health advocates for themselves and their families,” said Greg Smith, executive director of Florida Literacy Coalition. “We are excited to partner with Florida Blue and this year’s grant recipients to help adult learners throughout our state achieve better health through education.”
Organizations received their awards on May 9, 2018, at the 35th Annual Florida Literacy Conference in Orlando, Fla.
About the Florida Literacy Coalition
Established in 1985, the Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) promotes, supports and advocates for the effective delivery of quality adult and family literacy services in the state of Florida. As a statewide umbrella literacy organization and the host of Florida's Adult and Family Literacy Resource Center, FLC provides a range of services to support more than 250 adult education, literacy and family literacy providers. Special emphasis is placed on assisting community-based literacy organizations with their training and program development needs.
About Florida Blue Foundation
The Florida Blue Foundation enables healthy communities by making grants, building coalitions and rewarding best practices. More than three million people in Florida have received direct health services as a result of grants made to nonprofit organizations since our founding in 2001. Florida Blue Foundation is a trade name of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, Inc., an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Contact
Florida Literacy Coalition
Heather Surrency
407-246-7110
www.floridaliteracy.org
Heather Surrency
407-246-7110
www.floridaliteracy.org
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