FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2012 Contact: Nikki Reen (267.295.3859 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Event at Clinic Celebrates Community Commitment to the Homeless
PHILADELPHIA— On Tuesday, February 2, Lorina Marshall-Blake, president of Independence Blue Cross Foundation, visited Mary Howard Health Center to present its staff and patients with a check for $50,000 to support the Center’s work as part of the foundation’s Blue Safety Net program. The initiative supports nonprofit privately-funded health clinics in medically underserved communities in southeastern Pennsylvania. “We’re very pleased to partner with the Mary Howard clinic to provide funding that will help them offer vital health care services, with compassion and dignity, to our most vulnerable people, ”said Lorina Marshall-Blake, IBC Foundation president.
“We’re delighted that the Independence Blue Cross Foundation continues to show its support for the Mary Howard Health Center,” says managing director of health Melissa Fox, who oversees Public Health Management Corporation’s Federally Qualified Health Clinics, which include Mary Howard, and it’s Healthcare for the Homeless programs. “During this economic recession, more and more people find themselves on the streets and in crucial need of health care.”
Mary Howard Health Center opened in Center City in 1997, recognizing a crucial need for comprehensive primary care, including behavioral health and social support services, for people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. Named in memory of a woman known for her vibrant personality who died due to health conditions exacerbated by homelessness, Mary Howard Health Center currently serves 2,100 patients and receives 7,000 visits each year.
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About PHMC
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance and a prepared workforce. PHMC has served the region since 1972.
About The Independence Blue Cross Foundation
Launched in October 2011, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation is an independent, private foundation whose mission is to transform health care through innovation in the communities it serves. The foundation complements and expands upon Independence Blue Cross's 73-year commitment to improving the health and wellness of the people of southeastern Pennsylvania. For more information about Independence Blue Cross Foundation, please visit www.ibxfoundation.org
