Six community organizations awarded grants to advance justice and health equity

EAGAN, Minn. – The Prime Together Foundation today announced six new grants totaling $150,000 to support community organizations working to address inequality and injustice in all its manifestations, particularly racism, poverty, health, and hunger. This is the first round of grants allocated by the Foundation, after Prime Therapeutics (Prime) started the nonprofit in 2020.

“We are happy to award grants to six worthy organizations in the Foundation’s inaugural process,” said Erin Feigal, chief human resources officer for Prime and Foundation board chair. “We are confident that the grants will have a meaningful impact for these organizations and our communities.”

The new grants, awarded through the Foundation as an extension of Prime’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, will help the organizations further their capacity to serve local communities.

Grant Recipients

The Bridge for Youth

The Bridge for Youth centers youth voice, justice, and equity in all it does, and empowers youth experiencing homelessness through safe shelter, basic needs, and healthy relationships. The funding will be used to prevent youth homelessness and increase the stability and social and emotional wellbeing of youth currently or at-risk of experiencing homelessness. The grant will support effective, youth-centered programs that increase the safety, well-being, and self-sufficiency of youth in crisis, including 24-hour prevention/intervention, outreach, emergency shelter, supportive housing, counseling, case management and aftercare.

Dakota Child and Family Clinic

Dakota Child and Family Clinic serves the health needs of children and adults from Dakota County and the surrounding areas, is a resource to the community and provides educational opportunities for health professionals. The Clinic will use the grant for general operating support, which includes primary care access and related services such as group education, counselling sessions and educational outreach and materials for those in-need.

Hennepin Healthcare Foundation

The Hennepin Healthcare Foundation connects the generosity of the community to the mission of Hennepin Healthcare. Through partnerships with community, patients and their families, Hennepin Healthcare ensures access to outstanding care for everyone while improving health and wellness through teaching, patient and community education, and research. The Foundation will use the grant to support their Muslim Spiritual Care initiative. Over 14% of all foreign-born patients receiving their care at Hennepin Healthcare are Muslim, but prior to this program, there was an absence of spiritual care for those practicing the Muslim faith. The Muslim Spiritual Care initiative aims to close this gap by providing culturally appropriate and informed care.

Jeremiah Program

​​​ Jeremiah Program’s mission is to disrupt the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children two-generations at a time. Jeremiah Program will use the grant to support year-round programming for single mothers attending college and their children. This includes empowerment and leadership programs, safe and affordable housing, coaching, high-quality early childhood education and activities and more.

Normandale Community College Foundation

The Normandale Community College Foundation provides philanthropic resources to help Normandale achieve its full potential as Minnesota’s largest two-year college. The grant will support the college’s new Black Men in Teaching program, which provides Black, African and African American men with a viable pathway to become K-12  teachers. This program will help Black men of color to enter careers in the education field, while also helping meet Minnesota’s critical need to have teachers that better reflect the populations they teach. The program provides financial, academic, and professional development support to eliminate socioeconomic and other barriers to a college education.

SEWA-AIFW

SEWA-AIFW is a nonprofit organization committed to serving, supporting, and enhancing family wellness for the South Asian community in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. Its main areas of concentration include domestic abuse, senior care, and community health initiatives. The grant will help provide those served by SEWA-AIFW access to meals and general support, as many in the South Asian community have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The most prominent group needing support includes seniors and victims of abuse.

Prime Therapeutics employees also support the community through the company’s PrimeCares community giving and service program. Prime employees support five charity partners and the Prime Together Foundation by volunteering, participating in local events or donating. PrimeCares offers employees a matching and volunteer matching gift program and volunteer time off.

About Prime Together Foundation
The Prime Together Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) closely connected to Prime Therapeutics’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Founded in 2020, during the wake of ongoing social injustices, the Foundation’s mission is to work together with communities to address inequality and injustice in all its manifestations, particularly racism, poverty, health and hunger. Charitable giving funds are raised through employee donations and the Prime Therapeutics company match. Email primetogether@primetherapeutics.com for more information.