HAP Makes $75,000 Donation to Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation
This release is from Health Alliance Plan.
DETROIT, March 23, 2022 – Health Alliance Plan, a Michigan-based nonprofit health plan, is reaching out to the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to support a program that provides coats and personal care items to students throughout the district who need them. HAP’s $75,000 donation to the DPSCD Foundation will purchase all-weather coats and personal care items that students can “shop” for at DPSCD schools. The program is designed to support students and their families, eliminating barriers to attendance and attention while at school.
“We have deep roots in this community and are dedicated to the health, safety and wellness of Detroiters, especially the most vulnerable – our children,” said Margaret Anderson, HAP’s senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer. “For some time, HAP has been working to support programs that address homelessness and food insecurity, two issues that have major impact on overall health and well-being. If we can reduce the effects of these social determinants of health, students can focus on their studies, parents can focus on the family, and we can all work together to build stronger communities.”
DPSCD coordinates shopping events at schools throughout the district, allowing students and family members to select coats, care items and gift cards that fit their individual needs. Helping students address issues around routine, basic needs is critical to supporting the entire student according to Sharlonda Buckman, assistant superintendent of family and community engagement at DPSCD. “Prices are continuing to rise, and it is getting increasingly difficult for families to cover expenses,” Buckman said. “Programs like these provide a much-needed lift to the family budget and allow our students to come to school secure in themselves and ready to learn.”
“We are so grateful to HAP for this generous donation,” said Pamela Moore, president and CEO of the Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation. “This gift will profoundly impact students and families who are being squeezed on so many different levels today. It takes much more than just school supplies to support student learning. HAP’s donation recognizes that addressing the basic needs of students and families helps ensure our students have the best possible educational experience.”
DPSCD estimates that 6,000 students – about 12% of the student population – will benefit from this program. Ensuring that students have appropriate personal support such as healthy food, warm clothing and personal hygiene items relieves students and their families of a significant worry and allows students to come to school with confidence.
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