Bakersfield, CA: Kern Health Systems is proud to announce that over $400,000 was awarded to seven public schools and seventy-two community organizations in Kern County to implement both school-based and community-based programs throughout the 2022-2023 calendar year.

The goal of the 2-year school-based Grant Program is to engage students, parents, and school staff in activities that promote and support the physical, social, emotional, and behavioral health as well as wellbeing of students’ and their families. The schools that were awarded this grant funding represent the North and South Kern Communities, the Kern River Valley Community, and Bakersfield. The awarded schools include:

• Alicante Elementary School (Lamont)
• Fred L. Thompson Junior High School (Bakersfield)
• Harvest Elementary School (Delano)
• Horizon Elementary School (Bakersfield)
• Kernville Elementary School (Lake Isabella)
• Louise Sandrini Elementary School (Bakersfield)
• Woodrow Wallace Middle School (Lake Isabella)

Each wellness program was developed to address the specific needs of the student population with the support of parents, staff, and community partners. Programs will focus on nutrition, physical activity, social/emotional learning, and vaping prevention. Planned activities include, but will not be limited to; edible school gardens, group sports, meditation, healthy cooking classes, family educational messaging, and much more.

The goal of the Community-Based Grant Program is to award financial grants to local non-profit organizations devoted to improving the lives of Kern County residents. In recognition of the essential role that community organizations play, the community grant program supports and encourages innovative efforts to bring beneficial services to our community. This year marks the 7th Anniversary of this Program, and over $550,000 granted.

Some of the programs Kern Health Systems is proudly supporting this year include:

• Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Kern County
• Bakersfield Senior Center
• Bartz-Altadonna Community Health Center
• CAPK – Oasis Family Resource Center
• No Sister Left Behind
• Riverstone Wellness

Grant recipients have expressed their gratitude with the funding support, some testimonials include;

The Alliance Against Family Violence:
“Thanks for supporting this project! These supplies are needed year after year for the families who reside at our shelters. We are so grateful to have you as a partner in the work we do.”

Bakersfield Homeless Center:
“A big THANK YOU for this award and all of your support!! These refrigerators help our families furnish their future homes. It is so rewarding to help them get to this stage, and we couldn’t do it without Kern Family Health Care’s help.”

About Kern Health Systems

Kern Health Systems, the County Health Authority, is an independent public agency that governs Kern Family Health Care, the Health Plan of more than 330,000 members. As a public entity, Kern Health Systems’ mission is dedicated to improving the health status of its members through an integrated managed health care delivery system.

For more information, please contact: Jacque Jans at (661) 332-6025.