Three Community Coalitions Receive Funding to Advance Health Equity
San Antonio, TX (January 9, 2025) – Three community coalitions from across South Texas have been selected for the fourth cohort of Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ (MHM) Prosperemos Juntos | Thriving Together (PJTT) Implementation Phase. MHM has committed $4.6 million in funding over the next three years to enable the coalitions to advance their work. Earlier this year, the coalitions completed the six-month PJJT Learning Collaborative that began in March 2024. Through the Learning Collaborative, the coalitions explore various frameworks to equip themselves to develop and implement a health equity strategy with their community.
Launched in 2021, PJTT accompanies communities in their journey toward health equity. MHM believes communities hold the solutions to improve their health and well-being. The goal of the annual PJTT Learning Collaborative is to equip coalitions with skills and resources to shift power and address root causes of health equity using the Pathways to Population Health framework as a guide.
The coalitions are based in two geographic areas: the Mid-Border region (Dimmit, Edwards, Kinney, LaSalle, Maverick, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde and Zavala counties), and the Laredo area (Webb, Zapata and Jim Hogg counties). Coalitions funded in the implementation phase receive continued support through convenings, coaching, peer learning, funding and focused capacity-building. The support provided by MHM is for the purpose of advancing each coalition’s health equity strategy.
“Methodist Healthcare Ministries endeavors to advance health equity through the Prosperemos Juntos | Thriving Together program, which exemplifies our strategic focus of strengthening communities,” said Jaime Wesolowski, President & CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. “Seeing these coalitions move into the implementation phase is inspiring as we witnessed their deep level of engagement with the learning collaborative while they identified the solutions, they want to pursue for the people who live, work, pray, and play in the communities we all serve.”
The coalitions selected for this cohort include:
Mid-Border Region Coalitions
- Community Transformation Alliance
- Election Nerds LLC, Eagle Pass SAFE, Eagle Pass Firefighter Union Local 5490
- Manos Unidas
- MCHD Foundation, Organization for Disaster Relief, Consulado de México
Laredo Area Coalitions
- Fight Like a Kid
- Smiles From Heaven, Bondoc Security Services, South’s Boot Camp
The Manos Unidos coalition is located in Maverick County and is primarily focused on the issue of domestic violence. By improving the understanding of and delivery of available resources for individuals affected by domestic violence, the organizations in the coalition have come together to address this issue that impacts so many in their community. The coalition stated, “No one should live in fear. It is not acceptable, not inevitable, but together, we can make it stop.”
To advance to the Implementation Phase, the coalitions completed the Learning Collaborative in good standing and were then invited to apply for the Implementation Phase. This phase lasts three years, during which MHM will continue to support and journey alongside the coalitions as they implement their visions for healthy, thriving communities. Since 2022, MHM has committed nearly $24 million to support coalitions through the Implementation Phase.
For more information on the Prosperemos Juntos | Thriving Together Learning Collaborative, visit: https://www.mhm.org/thriving-communities/.
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About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
Methodist Healthcare Ministries broadens the definition of health care by providing low-cost clinical care for the uninsured and by supporting community-led efforts that improve living conditions that cause people to be sick in the first place. We use our earnings as co-owners of Methodist Healthcare to ensure that people who are economically disadvantaged and uninsured can live their healthiest lives. We do this by advocating for, investing in and providing access to quality clinical care and addressing factors that affect health—including economic mobility, supportive relationships, food security, broadband access, and safe neighborhoods. Ultimately, we fulfill our mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God” by advancing health equity so that more resilient individuals and families living in the 74 counties we serve can thrive.
