Spotlight on Your Funds

March 2026

This Month, the Benefit Funds Highlight Colorectal Cancer Awareness and Kidney Health

The Benefit Funds are marking both Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and National Kidney Month with campaigns encouraging 1199SEIU members to get screened for colon cancer and to adopt lifestyle habits that promote kidney health. The Benefit Funds are reminding members to talk with their primary care physician about getting screened for colon cancer—the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. Montefiore and Northwell Health are running special screening programs this month, and the Benefit Funds are promoting them to members who get their care from these hospital systems. To schedule a screening, members can call the Montefiore Einstein Colorectal Cancer Screening Program at (718) 920-7183 or visit Northwell Health directly. In support of kidney health, this month’s Health Is the Key podcast features Dr. Kristin Meliambro, a kidney specialist and associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The episode launches March 4, and listeners can tune in and subscribe to Health Is the Key wherever they get their podcasts.

Reminder: Eligible Members May Receive Thousands in Their Tax Return by Filing for the EITC

The Benefit Funds are reminding 1199SEIU members they can access free tax preparation services and assistance in filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) by visiting  the Benefit Funds  website  to connect with programs directly.

TEF’s Spanish Language Program Addresses Members’ Needs

The Training and Employment Funds’ (TEF) Spanish Language Program helps members deliver the best customer service, care and comfort to patients in their own language. Duane Johnson, a hospital clerk at Montefiore, said TEF and the program “afforded me the opportunity to expand my horizons and attain lifelong skills.” However, when Duane started taking Spanish language classes, he noticed the program was not geared toward customer service workers. “What the Spanish Language Program was doing was teaching medical professionals, and I needed something for clerks and for secretaries, to help us understand the patients we were dealing with,” he explained. After reaching out to his 1199SEIU representative, Duane received a call to discuss his concerns. “If you work with the Funds, they will work with you,” Duane said. “The Spanish Language Program was just one thing, but it shows that the organization is dedicated to the members and wants them to be satisfied with all that they provide.”  

For more information about the Spanish Language Program, email Dania.Martinez@1199Funds.org.

Child Care Funds Announce 30th Annual FALC Science Fair

The Child Care Funds' Future of America Learning Center (FALC) is pleased to announce its 30th Annual Science Fair, taking place on Saturday, March 28. This milestone event highlights FALC’s ongoing commitment to early childhood education and inquiry-based learning. This year, Preschool, 3-K and Pre-K students will explore the engaging theme “How Do Containers and Simple Machines Help Us in Our Daily Lives?” Through thoughtfully designed, hands-on projects and interactive exhibits, FALC students investigate real-world applications of scientific concepts while collaborating with classmates, teachers and families.

The Science Fair provides young scholars with meaningful opportunities to develop critical and analytical thinking skills as they form hypotheses, conduct experiments and present their findings with confidence. The event not only showcases students’ curiosity and creativity but also reflects FALC’s dedication to cultivating a dynamic and enriching academic environment.

FALC remains steadfast in its commitment to providing children with a nurturing, safe and stimulating educational environment that embraces cultural, racial, ethnic and economic diversity—fostering transformative experiences for every child. For additional information, members can visit the FALC website.

The Institute for Continuing Education Presents Upcoming Programs

The Training and Employment Funds’ Institute for Continuing Education strengthens the healthcare delivery system by offering 1199SEIU members training and education programs designed to help improve patient outcomes and provide quality care. Please share these opportunities with members at your institution or facility. (The full schedule is available on the program calendar.) 

Food as Medicine and AI in Nutrition

Thursday, March 5

5:30 pm to 9:00 pm

This three-hour seminar for dietitians and nutritionists will focus on integrating “food as medicine” into clinical and community-based care and the growing role of artificial intelligence and digital health technologies in nutrition care.

The Mental Health and Behavioral Crisis vs. Technology and Digital Health

Thursday, March 26

5:30 pm to 9:00 pm

This three-hour seminar for social workers will focus on current trends and risk factors contributing to mental and behavioral health crises and the role of technology and digital health in contemporary mental healthcare.

For more information, members should visit the Institute for Continuing Education’s web page, call (212) 894-4390 or email Institute@1199Funds.org.

Check Out Our Podcast

Health Is the Key is dedicated to 1199SEIU members—healthcare workers who, all too often, put the health and well-being of others ahead of their own.

Meet Our Featured Member

Merlene Hardy from Northwell Health

Why did Merlene Hardy begin her health journey?

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1199SEIU Funds News is a monthly email produced by the 1199SEIU Funds. Copyright 2026.

For further information, contact the Communications Office at Communications@1199Funds.org.