In August 2003, documents were signed establishing the REACH Healthcare Foundation. REACH’s early years were ones of forming, storming and norming as the foundation’s 27-member Board of Directors came together to formulate a vision and set a course toward greater health equity in a six-county region. Twenty years, and more than 2,000 grants later, the most diverse and equity-focused Board in REACH’s history has established itself as a champion of closing the health equity gap, bridging the coverage divide, and strengthening the safety net.

In 2023, REACH’s 20th anniversary year, the foundation memorialized its commitment to racial equality and health equity when the Board of Directors adopted a Racial Equity Narrative statement. The statement marked the culmination of 20 months of learning and frank dialogue among our Board and staff, and was grounded in candid feedback from our grantee partners and other community stakeholders about the conditions that contribute to health disparities and persistent underinvestment in community-led initiatives.

With that statement, REACH introduced several significant changes to its grant-making processes and strategic investments.

We expanded our multi-year, unrestricted Core Operating Partner portfolio to 33 critical safety net service providers, advocacy organizations, and regional planning partners, adding four of our Centering Black Voices (CBV) pilot participants to the core partner cohort. The two-year CBV pilot had expanded REACH’s awareness of the disparities in philanthropic resources available to Black nonprofit leaders and their organizations. We recognized these organizations are essential contributors to the region’s health.  

The CBV work inspired other new funding opportunities in 2023. The Rapid REACH Equity Fund, Centering Black Voices Core Consultants, and a Wellness grant opportunity designed to address burnout and stress in the health care workforce — all launched in 2023 — helped us direct resources to existing and new partners addressing social drivers of health. And knowing the resource challenges faced by rural counties, REACH dug deeper and listened harder for ways we could better partner with public health departments, school districts, mental health service providers, and grassroots organizations in the rural counties within the foundation’s service area.  

On the advocacy front, REACH doubled down on its investments and involvement in the campaign to expand Medicaid in Kansas through grants to support research, education, and communication activities as well as well as our own direct outreach to elected representatives. Partnering with health funders in Kansas and Missouri, we collaborated with state government leaders and dozens of nonprofit organizations to mitigate coverage losses resulting from the post-COVID public health emergency unwinding, a complex process that continues to affect coverage and access to health care today. We’ve tackled this particular work by supporting health navigators, assisters and other care connectors who help Kansas and Missouri consumers bridge the coverage divide, and by joining these providers in advocating for state system improvements. In addition, we repeatedly opposed attempts in both Kansas and Missouri to roll back voting rights and protections.  

To leverage the foundation’s resources, REACH staff invited our nonprofit partners to use our available community space for education, professional development and planning efforts. Presented with the opportunity to weigh in on the Kansas Medicaid Managed Care program, REACH hosted a gathering of 50 health partners and state leaders to identify areas for improvement in the administration and outcomes of Kansas’s Medicaid managed care program. We continue to draw on these recommendations in our own advocacy for health equity.  

We recognize that advocacy work — like our grantmaking and all the many tools we deploy in service to our mission — is a long game, and we don’t always get it right. But when we fail, we learn, dust ourselves off, and try again. Even though political roadblocks seemingly keep some sound policy decisions out of reach, we take our cues from our partners who continue to dismantle challenges to our health, democracy, and our very future in keeping with our experience that civically engaged citizens and communities experience better health outcomes.

The REACH team ended 2023 with a sweet ray of hope and reminder of why achieving our mission is critical — a new baby was born to our team member, Jasmin Avakyants. Her son, in the words of author, educator and cultural critic Neil Postman, is “the living message we send to a time we will not see.” With the unwavering support of the REACH Board of Directors, staff, and our passionate community partners, REACH will continue to advance a vision of the world that is more just, equitable and healthier for this precious newborn and for all.