4 Valley Groups Get Health-Care Grants From Foundation

To cap off its first fiscal year Friday, the Woodland Hills-based California Endowment released a list of awards totaling nearly $32 million issued during the past several months.

Four San Fernando Valley organizations were among the 147 statewide recipients.

The private, nonprofit foundation was established last spring with $900 million in public benefit assets transferred from Blue Cross of California. Using two main grant programs--the Community Health Investment Program and the Children’s Health Initiative--the foundation seeks to improve access to affordable, quality health care.

“A significant number of the projects represent first-time collaborations between individuals from communities and institutions committed to addressing key health issues,” said Steven Uranga McKane, the foundation’s president and CEO. “These projects truly have the potential to enhance the health of Californians and their communities.”

Valley recipients will use the awards for the following projects:

* Basic Adult Spanish Education of Canoga Park, $164,671 to establish a program to train low-income and unemployed people to become certified nurse and home-health aides.

* Meet Each Need With Dignity in Pacoima, $98,979 to increase access to basic medical care from one day a week to five days a week over the next two years.

* Asian & Pacific Islanders Council of San Fernando Valley in Van Nuys, $16,500 to support its fifth annual Family Health and Cultural Day for health information and screenings.

* Valley Community Clinic in North Hollywood, $225,000 to expand the agency’s capability to offer primary health care to low-income residents.