Adventist HealthCare’s Community Partnership Fund (CPF) supports organizations working to improve health equity and wellness across Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. It does this by investing in programs that expand access to primary, specialty, mental and behavioral healthcare for low-income and uninsured residents. These programs also promote preventive screenings, food security, chronic disease management and stronger community conditions such as education, livable wages and housing stability. Guided by priorities identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment conducted every three years, CPF awards about 40 grants annually, including event sponsorships up to $5,000 and program grants exceeding $5,000, helping community partners expand their impact. 

Since 2021, CPF has supported the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless’s Harm Reduction program, including a $12,500 grant to Gaithersburg HELP. The program is led by a Peer Support Specialist (PSS) with lived experience of homelessness, mental health challenges and substance use recovery. Through this work, the program empowers individuals in recovery, trains hundreds in harm reduction strategies and helps reduce emergency calls. It has also helped MCCH become Maryland’s first homeless shelter certified as an Overdose Response Program and inspired another shelter to launch its own PSS team.

Why We Did It

Adventist HealthCare created the Community Partnership Fund to invest in community-led solutions that improve health and well-being for residents across the region. Funding priorities are updated every three years through the Community Health Needs Assessment process to ensure resources are directed toward the most pressing health disparities. By supporting organizations that expand access to care and address social determinants of health, CPF helps strengthen programs that make a measurable difference for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured populations.