GSK, The Philadelphia Foundation Announce $5 Million Charitable Grant Program For a Healthier Philadelphia
June 2, 2014 /3BL Media/ - GSK [LSE/NYSE: GSK] and The Philadelphia Foundation today issued the call for applications for a three-year, $5 million charitable grant for the city of Philadelphia. The GSK IMPACT Grant will support a network of nonprofit organizations working together to help disadvantaged youth live healthier lives and contribute to a healthier community. The grant is designed to encourage collaboration among non-profit organizations and youth leaders in Philadelphia to address some of Philadelphia’s most pressing community health challenges.
“Our health begins where we live, learn, work, and play,” said Deirdre Connelly, President, North America Pharmaceuticals, GSK. “There are many examples of innovative local organizations that are making a difference in Philadelphia demonstrating that real impact can be achieved through community-based approaches and creative collaborations and partnerships. Moreover, we believe businesses can and should play a significant role in the overall health of communities. Through the GSK IMPACT Grant, we will support a dynamic new partnership of nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia that can show the nation what it takes to build a healthier community.”
In March 2014, Philadelphia was identified by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as the least healthy county in the state of Pennsylvania[1]. Kids growing up in Philadelphia are likely to live a shorter life of poorer quality than kids in other parts of Pennsylvania.[2] Despite these challenges, there are signs of remarkable progress. Between 2006 and 2010, rates of obesity among school children fell by nearly 5 percent in the city of Philadelphia.[3] Childhood obesity has been a major focus of Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter’s signature citywide public health initiative - Get Healthy Philly.
“Commitment from businesses to work collaboratively – with government, non-profits, and community leaders – is a big reason why Philadelphia is on the right path,” said Mayor Nutter. “My administration is committed to doing all we can to support a healthier Philadelphia and we applaud GSK for the thoughtful design of the $5 million GSK IMPACT Grant for Philadelphia.”
Through the IMPACT Grant, GSK and The Philadelphia Foundation hope to better understand where collaborative approaches to improving public health, such as Get Healthy Philly, are working, and to support those efforts to bring the community together to build a healthier Philadelphia.
“The Philadelphia Foundation has partnered with GSK since 2009 on several grant and scholarship initiatives, and we are pleased to do so again for the GSK IMPACT Grant for Philadelphia – especially given its bold goals,” said R. Andrew Swinney, President, The Philadelphia Foundation. “Over the next three years, we will work with GSK and the GSK IMPACT Grant winners to advance innovative approaches for building healthier communities that can be replicated throughout the region and across the country.”
GSK IMPACT Grant for Philadelphia is one of several charitable programs GSK offers as part of a commitment to building healthier communities across the nation. This grant is from a fund that was established by GSK in 2011 to benefit young people in the city of Philadelphia, and is administered by The Philadelphia Foundation. The grant will be awarded later this year.
- To learn more about the grant, review eligibility criteria, and apply, visit: www.philafound.org/gskIMPACT.
- Interested applicants are invited to participate in an orientation session on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at 3 p.m. ET at The Philadelphia Foundation. Register to attend here.
- Eligibility questions may be directed to: gskIMPACT@philafound.org.
About GSK Healthy Communities – As part of GSK’s longstanding commitment to building healthy communities, in 2012 the company launched a national initiative designed to better understand the barriers and identify opportunities for building healthier communities in the United States. This initiative included a series of events, “Conversations on Community Health,” held in three cities: Philadelphia (September 2012), St. Louis (December 2012), and Denver (February 2013); a National Advisory Council convening in New York City (February 2013), and the release of a national survey (March 2013). Phase one uncovered new insights about what it means, and what it takes to build a healthy community. Phase two, which includes the GSK IMPACT Grants, leverages that knowledge and demonstrates innovative ways local organizations and businesses can work together to make a meaningful difference in communities.
About GSK – GSK is one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information go to us.gsk.com, follow us on twitter.com/GSKUS, #GSKimpact, #HealthyPhiladelphia, or visit our blog(www.morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog/).
About The Philadelphia Foundation – Since 1918, The Philadelphia Foundation has been committed to improving the quality of life in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. It links those with financial resources to those who serve societal needs. Through investment, it grows the more than 900 charitable funds established by its donors. In 2013, it distributed about $22 million in grants and scholarships to about 1,000 effective nonprofit organizations. Through this support, the Foundation enhances culture and recreation, strengthens children and families, advances economic opportunities and builds healthy communities. To learn more, visit www.philafound.org.
[1] County Health Rankings & Roadmaps®, an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/pennsylvania/2014/overview.
2 Philadelphia County Snapshot, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps®, an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute:
3 Philadelphia: Signs of Progress Toward Reversing the Childhood Obesity Epidemic, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, July 8, 2013:
