Health Equity and Social Justice

Research over the decades has indicated that factors, such as education, income, occupation, housing, neighborhood environment, race, and ethnicity, have a powerful influence on health and are often referred to as the “root cause” of poor health.

Place-based philanthropy brings together a wide range of local actors around an ambitious community-change agenda, with the foundation providing resources to implement key components in whatever strategy the community develops.

Several years ago, Hallmark Health System, which includes Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford and Melrose-Wakefield Hospital and is located north of Boston, realized it had a substantial challenge: while its patient population had changed dramatically in terms of language and culture, its staff and management had not.