Transforming the Marketplace

Trinity Health

2017 Progress Report

Year Committed: 2016

Length of Commitment:

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Committed to implement a new Transforming Communities Initiative that will provide grants for communities to reduce tobacco use, lower childhood obesity rates, support early childhood health and wellness and improve access to nutrition and physical activity opportunities.

Verified Results

Implementation Date
May 2021
Reporting Date
July 2017

Commitment Element
Provide six identified communities up to $500,000 annually for up to 5 years to work with community partners to reduce tobacco use and lower obesity rates.
Progress To Date

In 2016, Trinity Health provided four-year grants to eight organizations totaling $2,900,000. The organizations were each located in a unique community. Key activities of the grantees included coalition and community engagement and policy and program initiatives to support breastfeeding, school wellness, gardening programs, and food and beverage standards for small retail locations.
Implementation Date
May 2021
Reporting Date
July 2017

Commitment Element
Make $40 million available in Socially Responsible Investments in housing, early childhood health and wellness, and food access issues.
Progress To Date

An investment was made in the Wellspring Greenhouse project, a for-profit, worker-owned cooperative that will provide job training and employment to low-income residents while also offering locally grown produce to area residents, businesses and schools. There was no information provided on the amount of the investment made in the project.
Implementation Date
May 2021
Reporting Date
July 2017

Commitment Element
Maximize the impact of these investments by assisting communities with identifying and securing up to $22.5 million in cash match awards.
Progress To Date

Communities that received grant awards to reduce tobacco use and lower obesity rates provided $1,400,000 total in cash match, 6% of the cash match goal.

Partner Statement

“Trinity Health launched Transforming Communities Initiatives (TCI) in 2016 as a way to help transform the communities we serve into healthier places. TCI is a five-year, $65M grant, focused on reducing tobacco use, childhood obesity and addressing the social determinants of health.

"The eight awarded sites include Fresno, CA; Hartford, CT; Boise, ID; Silver Spring, MD; Trenton, NJ; Maywood, IL; Springfield, MA; and Syracuse, NY.

"TCI sites’ top accomplishments emphasize progress in coalition building and partner capacity, as well as policy wins and progress toward PSE objectives. Tobacco 21 policies were passed in four TCI communities: Maywood, IL; Trenton and state-wide in New Jersey; Springfield, MA and Onondaga County, NY. Additionally, TCI is providing an investment loan to the Wellspring Greenhouse project, the first commercial greenhouse in Springfield. Organized as a for-profit worker-owned cooperative that will provide job training and employment to low-income residents, it is expected to bring healthy, locally grown produce to area hospitals, schools, businesses and residents.

"TCI increased motivation, cohesiveness and accountability, and moved partners from programs to policy change. TCI increased collaboration with schools to improve food and beverage choices and increasing physical activity. Partners are now working in local communities to create economic opportunity through food system development; are enhancing local neighborhoods by creating safe places for children to play; and are continuing to work in communities to reduce tobacco use through education, cessation programs and petitioning local lawmakers to raise the age for tobacco purchase to 21 years old.”