Award will fund Collaborative Innovations for Community Health in Texas

Austin, Texas, (January 6, 2022), — It’s Time Texas announced today it was awarded a Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® (HKHF) grant by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX). The HKHF funding will support BCBSTX’s commitment to community-based organizations supporting children and families who have been impacted by the health, economic, and social implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year (2022) will be the second year of It’s Time Texas’ Collaborative Innovations for Community Health (CICH) project thanks to the generosity of BCBSTX HKHF grant. The project will fund multiple sub- grants to qualified community-based organizations who are able to mobilize and rapidly deploy resources where they are needed most in various communities throughout Texas.

The statewide nonprofit organization, It’s Time Texas, whose mission is to bring people, communities, and organizations together to take action that supports health for all, now and generations to come, is making funding available to leading organizations in communities who work to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities.
Launched in 2011, HKHF started as a three-year project designed to improve the health and wellness of at least one million children through community investments. The program was extended as BCBSTX’s ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of the children and families across Texas.

“This year’s grant process was especially important given the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sheena Payne, BCBSTX’s director of Community Investments. “So, we are happy to award these grants that will support and nurture meaningful and transformational projects across Texas. Strategically, it is also important that we continue to aid community-based organizations that are directly supporting children and families who have been impacted by the health, economic, and social implications of this pandemic.”

The HKHF program—which centers on nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention and management and supporting safe environments—has awarded $14 million in funding and impacted the lives of close to three-million children and their families in Texas.

“We are honored to be among the 2022 HKHF grantees and to continue our Collaborative Innovations in Community Health project,” said Amy McGeady, CEO of It’s Time Texas. “Our organization empowers community leaders and health champions across the state to take action by targeting root causes of social and health inequities, and creating equitable and inclusive, sustainable solutions to make optimal impact in their community. In partnership with these leaders, we will create a healthier Texas.”

About It’s Time Texas

It’s Time Texas is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our mission is to bring people, communities, and organizations together to take action that supports health for all, now and generations to come. At It’s Time Texas, we believe that every Texan should have an equal opportunity to live a long and healthy life, but we recognize that social and environmental factors have long prevented that vision from becoming a reality. To truly address health for all Texans, we root our work in the knowledge that unjust systems have created disparities for communities of color, low-income communities, and other marginalized populations. Dramatically improving health and equity requires a systemic approach that centers and values community voices to address the root causes of poor health and also the shaping of environments in which we live and work to make healthy choices possible and practical for all Texans. We work to create a culture of health where health is a shared value and health equity is a reality. Join us at www.itstimetexas.org and follow us on social media @itstimetx to learn more.