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For Immediate Release:
March 25, 1999

Community Leaders Receive Statewide Public Health Champion Awards

Unsung heroes honored at reception in Los Angeles, March 18, 1999

Los Angeles – Thirteen community leaders from around the state have been selected by their peers to receive the Public Health Champion award, presented by The California Wellness Foundation’s (TCWF) Health Improvement Initiative. Individuals from 13 California communities are being honored for their leadership and commitment in addressing health concerns that directly affect the quality of life of their fellow residents.

"These local heroes inspire others by turning first-hand knowledge of community needs into health services with immediate and measurable impacts for families," said Gary L. Yates, President and CEO of TCWF. "Their contributions have come to life through empathy, action and perseverance," he added.

The Public Health Champions are:

• Don Avant of Humboldt County, a retired hospital administrator and reproductive health care advocate;

• Concha Hernandez Greene of Oceanside, a longtime community activist and liaison to the city police department;

• Johnnie B. Morris of the Del Paso Heights area of Sacramento, a community organizer known for his work on affordable housing and health care issues;

• Sister Gloria Heese of Tehama County, founder and director of Home Help for Hispanic Mothers, an organization that provides resources and services to Spanish-speaking women and their families;

• Jay Hudson of Monterey, a former president and chief executive officer of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula who now serves as a consultant to local hospitals and community clinics;

• Janet Kaufman of San Diego, coordinator of the Children’s Dental Health Project;

• Susan Kujawa of Pasadena, vice-chair of the Pasadena Family Community Council and executive director of the Mothers’ Club Community Center;

• Cindy Lassotovitch of Mendocino, instructor and coordinator of the Mendocino Adventure Ropes Course, a youth development and mentorship program;

• May See Lee of Merced, a health educator who works to improve communication and trust between Western physicians and Southeast Asian refugees;

• Carmen Mason-Browne, a community health specialist and pastor known for her efforts to promote culturally specific health education and spiritual awareness;

• Catherine McMillan of Coachella Valley, associate director of Catholic Charities and administrator of the Coachella Valley Health Care Connection;

• Leticia Romero of Santa Rosa, a community organizer whose skills as a neighborhood activist have helped to drastically reduce the number of calls to local police;

• Margery Woodard of Richmond, a longtime community health advocate and outreach care provider for disabled and homebound seniors.

"We are proud to draw attention to the success of the Public Health Champions in bringing leadership, vision, accountability and justice to community decision-making," said Alicia Procello, Program Officer for the HII.

The Health Improvement Initiative (HII) is a five-year, $20-million strategic grantmaking program created by The California Wellness Foundation in 1995. The Initiative proposes a significant change in the way individuals and organizations think, plan and act with regard to the health of their communities. This new approach - known as population health - advocates for the integration of services among different health and social service agencies with a particular focus on prevention.

 Now in its second year, the HII seeks to build collaborative approaches to improving population health such as forging alliances among schools, health departments and community centers to offer a range of health-related services.

The California Wellness Foundation is an independent, private foundation, created in 1992, whose mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention. Toward that end, TCWF proactively develops, implements and evaluates health promotion and disease prevention programs throughout the state. Since our first year of grantmaking in 1992, TCWF has awarded 1,460 grants totaling more than $251.6 million.

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