Community Health Program for Low-Income Women to Expand to Jackson Heights, Queens
Grameen Promotoras Slated to Launch Summer 2020
New York, NY—Grameen Promotoras, a joint initiative between nonprofit microfinance organization, Grameen America and nonprofit health promotion organization, Grameen PrimaCare, has announced it will expand its community health program to Jackson Heights, Queens in summer 2020.
Grameen Promotoras is focused on improving the overall well-being of Grameen America members through health screenings, workshops, referrals and assistance navigating the health system in the community where they live and work.
Low-income, self-employed women from immigrant communities face significant barriers to access affordable and comprehensive health care in the United States. Grameen Promotoras’ remit is to address this inequity for members of Grameen America’s microloan program. Grameen America provides access to loan capital, training and support to women affected by poverty to start or expand a small business.
Over 3,900 women have been served by Grameen Promotoras which was first piloted at Grameen America’s Bronx branch in 2016. To date, 90 percent of participants have reported they learned about how to take better care of their health after having access to Grameen Promotoras.
As part of Grameen Promotoras, a community health worker known as a Promotora meets biweekly with Grameen America members while they make their loan repayments. In a group setting, the program seeks to improve health outcomes by increasing access to preventive care including cancer screenings, referrals to primary care physicians and other specialty care, and monitoring members’ HbA1c levels and blood pressure measurements.
Grameen Promotoras offers a 33 workshop curriculum to increase knowledge and awareness of disease management, prevention, health literacy, women’s health, nutrition, mental health, physical activity and domestic violence.
Each Promotora receives 150 hours of training annually in basic health care techniques, group facilitation, and community mapping to ascertain the availability of local health and social service resources. With an emphasis on culturally competent care, Grameen Promotoras curriculum is available in English, French and Spanish.
In its first year, Grameen Promotoras expects to serve more than 4,400 women at the Jackson Heights branch, reaching 8,500 women across Jackson Heights and the Bronx in 2020.
“We know access to health care and a woman’s wellbeing are inextricably linked,” Greg Mann, Executive Director of Grameen PrimaCare. “We have seen firsthand the effect Grameen Promotoras has had on our members’ overall well-being, and our expansion Jackson Heights will ensure more women in our program will have access to health resources in their own community.”
Grameen Promotoras, Jackson Heights will open with lead support from Seedlings Foundation, with additional support from Medtronic Foundation.
Grameen America has provided microloans to members in Jackson Heights since the organization’s inception in 2008. As of 2019, Grameen America has served over 24,000 members and disbursed over $379M in loan capital to low-income women business owners in Queens, NY.
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ABOUT GRAMEEN AMERICA
Founded by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus, Grameen America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit microfinance organization dedicated to helping women who live in poverty build small businesses to create better lives for their families. The organization offers microloans, training and support to transform communities and fight poverty in the United States. Since opening in January 2008, Grameen America has invested over $1.42 billion in more than 129,000 low-income women entrepreneurs. Opening in Jackson Heights, Queens, Grameen America has expanded to 15 cities in Austin, TX, Boston, MA, Charlotte, NC, Fresno, CA, Houston, TX, Indianapolis, IN, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, Newark, NJ, New York City, NY, Omaha, NE, Oakland, CA, San Jose, CA, San Juan, PR, and Union City, NJ.
ABOUT GRAMEEN PRIMACARE
Grameen PrimaCare envisions a world where access to high quality, affordable and comprehensive health care is a reality for all people. Our mission is to provide underserved women from low-income immigrant communities with a high-quality, affordable primary care and health promotion program, empowering them to lead healthier lives.
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