Tulare County Residents Experiencing Homelessness will be Permanently Housed Thanks to $100,000 Grant from Health Net

Date: 09/13/22

Salt + Light, Health Net and members of the community gathered on August 25, 2022, to break ground for the 52-unit TNV project, which will provide help for those experiencing homelessness in Tulare County.

At Health Net, we work to address all factors that impact health – including homelessness, which has a severe impact on the overall health of a person. The first step in improving the situation for those experiencing chronic homelessness is to find a housing solution. Once a person has stable housing, they can begin to work on other aspects of their health, such as physical and mental health. That's why Health Net provided a $100,000 grant to Salt + Light, a community-based organization (CBO) in Tulare County, to launch The Neighborhood Village (TNV).

TNV will be a permanent housing solution for county residents who have experienced chronic homelessness. It will also offer mental and physical health screenings, case management and other wraparound services to support whole-person health.

"No number of doctor's visits will make you healthy if you don't have housing and nutritious food," said Darrel Ng, Vice President for Communications and Marketing at Health Net. "That's why we are proud to be Salt + Light's first major donor and the title sponsor of Salt + Light's community kitchen. This partnership is a beautiful example of non-profits, private companies and government working together to make our communities healthier and give those experiencing homelessness the chance for a brighter future."

Health Net is the exclusive sponsor of TNV's state-of the-art Community Kitchen. The kitchen will be a place to:

• Educate TNV residents on nutritious food with a farm-to-table culinary training program.
• Provide nutritious meals to positively impact residents' overall health.
• Prepare food for mobile outreach to support others in Tulare County experiencing homelessness.
• Offer income opportunities for TNV residents through a catering micro-enterprise.

Health Net dedicates time, money and resources to partner with counties, CBOs and other organizations to expand innovative programs that address physical, behavioral, social and long-term health needs. Since 2017, we have invested more than $2.5 million in grants and programs that support the unsheltered.

Health Net will continue to support local organizations to build collaborative, whole-person solutions that reach community residents where they are. Read more about our industry-leading efforts. Learn more about TNV here.