A Season of Reflection and Gratitude

Dear Deanna, 

I recently had the opportunity to travel overseas and visit history like nothing I had experienced in the past. I walked cobblestone streets, ancient villages, and buildings centuries old. What I was reminded of is that many generations have come before us, and many generations will come after us – and that progress in most societies has not been a linear process.

As each of us reflects on the outcome of our recent election at the local, regional, state and national level, keeping a long view is crucial. In this community where each of us voted differently on different issues, there are many goals that I believe we can all agree on.

We all want an affordable place to call home in a safe neighborhood. We all want to be able to access and enjoy healthy and satisfying foods. We all want quality education for our children and good jobs that will support a family. And we all want positive and supportive relationships with friends, family, coworkers and neighbors.

At IEHP Foundation, our mission is to inspire and ignite Vibrant Health for all residents of the Inland Empire – creating a community that reflects each of those goals above. We are committed to working collaboratively to continue building this region into a place where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, fulfilling life.

As the Thanksgiving season approaches, we want to express our gratitude for each of you and the contributions you make to improving the lives of those in the Inland Empire each day. Let’s continue working together to build a future for our region that generations to come will be grateful for!

Champion for Vibrant Health Spotlight:

Civil Rights Institute

The Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California (CRIISC) is dedicated to preserving the region’s civil rights history and legacy while inspiring the next generation of social justice leaders.  

Finding community and connecting with others is at the heart of CRIISC. The institute is a multi-use space with exhibition, media, and diversity centers – each serving a crucial role for the community. Executive Director Sabrina Gonzalez states that CRIISC advances health equity in the region by highlighting the stories of marginalized communities that health disparities have most often impacted.

“We intentionally designed the space to be a place to have difficult conversations, which are worth having. We trust that we can have these conversations in a way that allows us to build and grow and be accountable for the region’s past, present and future.”

Learn more about CRIISC and capture voices of the IE's civil rights movement to foster advocacy and build champions of tomorrow.

Leveraging Gratitude to Lift Your Health

This time of year can be particularly stressful for nonprofit leaders. You may find yourself focused on end-of-year giving, strategic planning and staff reviews. However, to ensure a healthy leadership environment, it’s essential for leaders to take care of their own well-being.

Through the Blue Zones Project, recently launched in cities and communities across Riverside County, we've been learning and reflecting on the mental and spiritual factors that can improve our health and overall wellness.

Dan Buettner, the founder of the Blue Zones Project, highlights that gratitude is commonly practiced in some of the healthiest regions around the world. Research indicates that people who regularly express gratitude tend to be happier as they focus on the positive aspects of their lives instead of dwelling on what they may lack.

How can you better incorporate gratitude into your daily rhythm? Click below to learn how to implement gratitude practices into your schedule or organization. 

Building a California for All: Accessing Your State Government Webinar

Hosted by Governor Gavin Newsom's External Affairs Team, the webinar will provide an overview of California’s transformative behavioral health initiatives, including Proposition 1 and the CARE Act.

This virtual event will occur on Tuesday, November 19, from 3:00 - 4:00 PM PST via Zoom.

 

RSVP Here

Call for Proposals from Justice Squared

Just Leaders for a Just Health System (JUSTICE SQUARED) invites healthcare organizations, patients, and community leaders to engage in a collaborative, humble, and courageous journey to confront structural racism in healthcare together. In this two-year program, teams will receive tools and hands-on guidance from experts in racial justice and systems change as they work to make organizational policies and practices more equitable. Proposals are due January 15, 2025.

Learn More

FREE Nonprofit Event and Sponsorship Workshops

RAP Foundation offers FREE workshops to help nonprofits supercharge fundraising efforts through events and sponsorships. There are two upcoming workshops in Palm Desert held on December 4, 2024, on the topics of planning successful nonprofit events and attracting sponsors and boosting events.

Register Here

Election 2024 Outcomes & Insights

While the presidential election seems to dominate the news cycle, although it is important, local and state elections often have just as much or even more impact on our local communities. Therefore, we are providing a brief highlight of the outcomes of the 2024 election, including ballot measures and state senate and assembly races.

Health Related State Propositions:

Proposition 34 Passed: Requires health care providers to spend 98% of revenues from federal discount prescription drug programs on direct patient care.

Proposition 35 Passed: Permanently authorizes a tax on managed care organizations (MCO) to fund Medi-Cal programs.

Proposition 36 Passed: Increases penalties for certain drug crimes and theft convictions and allows a new class of crime to be called a treatment-mandated felony.

Proposition 32 Failed: It would have increased the state's minimum wage to $18 per hour.

Proposition 33 Failed: This measure would have expanded local governments’ authority to enact rent control measures and would have repealed Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act (1995).

There were also some close-watch state assembly and senate races, including:

• State Senate District 19 - Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R) held her seat with a slight edge over her Democratic challenger.
• State Senate District 29 - Former Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes (D) was elected to the state senate.
• State Senate District 31 - Sabrina Cervantes (D) served in the assembly and will take over the state senate seat formerly held by Richard Roth (D).
• Assembly District 50 - Robert Garcia (D) won the competitive race for Eloise Gomez Reyes's former seat.
• Assembly District 58 - This race has not been called, but Leticia Castillo (R) has a narrow lead over Clarissa Cervantes (D), who was hoping to take over her sister, Sabrina Cervantes' assembly seat.

As we continue to navigate the various election outcomes, here at the Foundation, we wanted to share some of the articles that we are reading to prepare us for public policy in 2025:

• CalMatters - How will Trump change health care? California braces for fights over insurance and abortion
• Press-Enterprise - Did the 2024 election signal a political shift in the Inland Empire and California?
• KFF News - Health Misinformation Monitor, Distrust in Food Safety and Social Media Content Moderation