Tufts Health Plan Foundation Commits $1 Million to Address COVID-19

WATERTOWN — Tufts Health Plan Foundation announced it is making an additional $1 million available to efforts driven by community and nonprofit organizations supporting older people affected by the coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut.

The foundation will continue to support healthy aging by funding organizations assisting with access to food, at-home support, housing, transportation, medical supplies, and other services, especially for older people and those most vulnerable. Those with underlying health conditions and people over 60 have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. It is especially important to ensure resources are available to provide these supports and services.

“We are grateful to the local, state, and federal public-health agencies, first responders, and the many community organizations who are stepping up to respond to this challenge,” said Tom Croswell, president and CEO of Tufts Health Plan. “We hope this funding will provide local organizations flexibility in their operations to respond to pressing and emerging needs in the communities they support.”

The foundation will work with leaders from community, government, and other key stakeholders across the region to coordinate distribution of the funding. Funds will go to Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut organizations working to address the current crisis. Efforts must demonstrate coordination, collaboration, and focus on addressing disparities.

“Philanthropy makes a difference in this time of uncertainty. By increasing the resources available to communities, we all can improve response and recovery capacity,” said Marylou Sudders, Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 command-center lead. “It is important to have broad support from all sectors as we manage our response, and Tufts Health Plan Foundation is demonstrating leadership by providing flexible funding to help some of our most vulnerable residents during this unprecedented outbreak.”

Tufts Health Plan Foundation also will provide current grantees the flexibility to adjust their budgets to support new work related to COVID-19. In addition, donations made by Tufts Health Plan employees to nonprofit organizations responding to COVID-19 are eligible for a two-for-one match, effectively tripling their donations. This double match will allow employees to give to where they see the biggest needs in their communities.

“We’re grateful to our board for their swift action,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Tufts Health Plan. “It’s our responsibility to listen to community, to be nimble, relevant, and responsive.”