Community Outreach
Latest Community Outreach News
News12 Brooklyn Spotlights Holiday Chicken Giveaway at Chinatown Community Center
December 23, 2024–
Carlos Londono Speaks with Opcion TV on the Ways the Health Plans Team Support the Community
December 12, 2024–Host: We’re here today With Carlos Londono, to learn how some local organizations are helping our community. Carlos: As a community outreach representative for VNS Health, my team and I focus on caring for the whole person. Today, at the Dominican Medical Center in Upper Manhattan, we are conducting a free turkey giveaway for community members who are in need. Just being there for them the best we can. Within our company, we have different senior programs, and I dedicate myself to providing the community with the support they need. VNS Health also has insurance plans that help people receive medical care at home—no matter where they live in the community. We have different specialized health plans, such as our Medicare plans for vulnerable seniors. VNS Health also is also a home care provider. We are also dedicated to helping homeless individuals, those with mental health issues, the LGBT community,
See How Teams Are Working Together to Improve a Veteran’s Health Care Journey
December 3, 2024–Throughout his life, Samuel Jones,* a Home Care patient who’s also receiving services from our Care Management Organization (CMO) and Veterans Outreach program, has always been someone who cared for others. When asked to describe her father, his daughter, Donna, tells the story of when he was first undergoing radiation therapy for cancer and how he went right back to work at the phone company after the treatment was finished, doing the physical work of climbing telephone poles. “That’s the kind of guy he is,” she says. “Active, independent, humble, never complains, and doesn’t want people to do things for him.” More than 70 years ago, Mr. Jones served in the Korean War. In the citation accompanying the Bronze Star Medal he received for his service, Mr. Jones was praised for his loyalty, genuine humility, courage, common sense and devotion to others. Today, these attributes continue to shine through for
Supporting Our Washington Heights Community with Over 300 Thanksgiving Turkeys!
November 26, 2024–Last Thursday, November 21, our Health Plans team partnered with Centro Médico Dominicano to make a rainy day bright by giving out more than 300 Thanksgiving turkeys to residents in Washington Heights. This is the third straight year that the Health Plans team has given out free turkeys (as well as hot coffee and donuts to keep people warm on a cold, wet day) to the Washington Heights community. To quote Alex Diaz, Medicare Sales Director for the Health Plans, “We want to support the Washington Heights community any way we can.” Added New York State Senator Robert Jackson, who was also there that day to hand out turkeys, “We’re all in this together.” To see this uplifting 1-minute video – and to lift your Thanksgiving spirits – click on the image below!
This Video of VNS Health’s First Annual Awards Ceremony Is Sure to Put a Smile on Your Face!
November 6, 2024–On a very special October evening, team members from across the organization were honored in VNS Health’s version of the Academy Awards. VNS Health In-Action reporter Carlos Pereyra (Community Liaison from Health Plans) was on the scene to interview team members. To watch his inspiring and emotion-filled report, click here! To read the profiles of all the VNS Health Awards Ceremony honorees, please click here. To see the photos and a full recording of the event, click here.
The VNS Health Awards Ceremony Photos Are Here! Plus a Recording of the Celebration!
November 1, 2024–The first ever VNS Health Annual Awards Ceremony took place on Monday, October 28. On one special evening, 25 team members were honored. Congratulations again to all our amazing award winners! Next year, the awards ceremony will celebrate even more team members! In addition to the awards that were presented earlier this week, the new awards will include: Until next year, here are the photos of the 2024 VNS Health Awards Ceremony ceremony! And here is a recording of the event! To see profiles of the 2024 VNS Health Award Ceremony honorees, click here.
Announcing Our 2024 VNS Health Award Winners!
October 29, 2024–Read Their Stories and See the Full List of Nominees! Last night, on Monday, October 28, team members from across the organization were recognized and celebrated as the very best of the best in exemplifying VNS Health’s Mission and Core Values of Empathy, Integrity and Agility! The event included those who had received awards earlier in the year, as well as new awards for presentation to the winners of the Phyllis Mills Living Legend Award and the ESPRIT Awards. To see all the team members who were nominated for these awards, click here. Congratulations to all 16 of this year’s award winners! Click on their names here below to read more about them and their award. Rose Madden–Baer 2024 Phyllis Mills Living Legend Award (Click here for the finalists.) Arna Brammer 2024 ESPRIT Award Mossogbe Camara 2024 ESPRIT Award Ilona Furman 2024 ESPRIT Award Habeebah Haqq 2024 ESPRIT Award Jasmin
Chinatown Community Center Celebrates 25 Years with Dance and Community Spirit
October 28, 2024–The 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Chinatown Community Center and the 18th Anniversary of our Chinatown Neighborhood NNORC draws over 420 attendees on October 17, 2024. The event features Li Chen, a care manager with our MLTC health plan, performing a stunning traditional Chinese dance.
Breaking Down Siloes to Address Health Care Gaps in the Rockaways and Staten Island
September 30, 2024–Team members from across the organization roll out two strategic initiatives centered on the geographically isolated Rockaways in Southern Queens and at-risk communities in Staten Island. The goal of these initiatives is to address health care gaps in these communities, which have higher rates of chronic illness and less access to health care than other parts of the city. At the same time, the initiatives aim to increase local market share of our Provider lines of business and our Health Plans and enhance our visibility in these underserved neighborhoods.