Vecinos Inc. recently announced it has received a $2 million award from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving program supporting organizations that work with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States.
Established in 2004, Vecinos provides bilingual primary and behavioral health care, wellness services and wraparound supportive services to low-income, uninsured adults with a focus on Latinx and farmworker communities and with a vision of a healthier and more equitable Western North Carolina.
In 2024, Vecinos will launch the WNC Community Health Hub in Franklin, N.C., co-locating nonprofits with a focus on highly sought-after health care and social services, including medical care, dental care, legal assistance and other services for low-income people in the region.
“The Yield Giving gift is transformational for Vecinos’ work and the movement of health equity efforts in Western North Carolina,” said Marianne Martinez, CEO of Vecinos. “This funding will help increase access to services for those who otherwise would have no access to health care while also deepening the impact of collaborative relationships throughout the region.”
Vecinos was one of 361 awardees receiving a total of $640 million from Yield Giving, which launched an Open Call in March 2023 to community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources.
The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each, but after a multi-stage review by peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount. Vecinos ranked in the top tier of scores.
“We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, which managed the Open Call. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”
More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found HERE.