Scotts Valley, Calif., April 5, 2023 — Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance), the Medi-Cal managed health care plan for over half of Merced County residents, recently donated $54,000 to Merced County Food Bank. This funding is in response to significant impacts caused by recent atmospheric river events, which displaced residents and Alliance members from their homes. As a result, local food banks are straining to provide emergency support above and beyond their normal efforts. The Alliance’s funding to Merced County Food Bank will support the procurement, distribution and delivery of food, services and supplies to residents, many of whom are Alliance members.
“Funds will be used to purchase food for victims of the flood or to provide capacity assistance to our pantry partners who are directly serving low-income flood victims,” said Bill Gibbs, Executive Director of the Merced County Food Bank. “For instance, a pantry partner may need a refrigerator or freezer to store the additional food provided through flood assistance, or they may just need bags, carts or other items that increase their capacity to safely store and distribute food.”
“Our members are among the most vulnerable in our communities and are the most likely to be severely impacted by flooding, evacuations and lack of resources,” said Alliance CEO, Stephanie Sonnenshine. “Our donation is in alignment with our vision of healthy people, healthy communities and we’re grateful to Merced County Food Bank for serving a critical role in providing the direct support our members need to survive and start to rebuild their lives.”
The Alliance is also donating funds to food banks in its services areas of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties to provide meals and other support to local displaced residents. In total, the Alliance is providing $149,999 in financial support for its local food banks, which is being distributed based on county Alliance membership numbers.
Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance) is a regional Medi-Cal managed care health plan, established in 1996 to improve access to health care for over 416,000 members in Merced, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Using the state’s County Organized Health System (COHS) model, the Alliance delivers innovative community-based health care services by connecting members with providers that deliver timely services and care, focused on prevention, early detection and effective treatment. As an award-winning managed care health plan with a vision of “healthy people, healthy communities,” the Alliance remains focused on efforts to improve access to quality health care for its members. For more information, visit www.thealliance.health.
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