Community Investments and Partnerships

Health Equity Innovation Award Recipients

Organizations were invited to apply for financial awards to help fund initiatives, programs, and research that specifically target the root causes of health inequities, with a focus on addressing structural racism. Award categories include, but were not limited to, improving the community’s physical and mental health, reducing social disparities in health care, and ensuring access to health care services. Learn more about this year's winners and learn about their innovative initiatives to address health equity issues. Congratulations to all of our 2023 Health Equity Innovation Award recipients!

Read about the 2023 Health Equity Innovation Awards Recipients

Every Bottom Covered

Univera Healthcare provided $10,000 to Every Bottom Covered, a diaper bank at the Delavan Grider Community Center in Buffalo. With these funds, the diaper bank will continue to assist low-income families in the distribution of diapers.

According to a study by Huggies and the National Diaper Bank Network, 1 in 3 families in the United States experience "diaper need," which is defined as not having enough diapers to keep a baby or toddler consistently clean and dry. This can lead to health issues like diaper rash or infections for the baby and undue stress for parents.

The need for diapers creates additional stress for the family as well. Most childcare centers, even free and subsidized facilities, require parents to provide a day's supply of disposable diapers; therefore, many parents cannot go to work or school if they cannot leave their babies at childcare.

"Receiving this grant helps Every Bottom Covered ensure that no child's bottom will be left uncovered by helping us to purchase more diapers and wipes and begin to expand into communities that may not always be able to get to the Delavan Grider Community Center, said Raziya Hill, founder and executive director of Every Bottom Covered. "We understand that in addition to the financial pinch of raising families in low-income households, transportation is a major issue in many rural communities. This amazing grant will help us truly begin to address this. We are so grateful to Univera for this opportunity."

St. Bonaventure University

Univera Healthcare supported the first annual "Social Determinants of Health in Western New York," conference in partnership with St. Bonaventure University (SBU).

The conference was organized by faculty in St. Bonaventure's Dennis R. DePerro School of Health Professions and addressed conditions in the social environment of Western New York that affect a wide range of health outcomes and the quality of life.

Open to faculty, students and health care providers in the community, the conference was an opportunity to share knowledge and experiences, and to begin to form partnerships that help present and future health care providers understand and serve the community. Workshops will focus on opioid abuse, food insecurity and other issues.

Keynote speaker for the conference is Christy Simoncelli, MPH, director of health equity and community investment for Univera Healthcare and an SBU alumni.

Habitat for Humanity Buffalo

Since 1985, Habitat for Humanity has assisted more than 300 families in achieving their dream of homeownership. Families in Habitat Buffalo’s homebuyer program can purchase a decent, safe, affordable home. This is attainable for low-income families because Habitat Buffalo subsidizes the cost of the house through grants, donations, and volunteer labor. The homebuyer repays an affordable, 30-year mortgage, which supports the Fund for Humanity, a revolving account used to build additional homes.

Families are required to complete 500 hours of “sweat equity”, a term used to describe the work completed by future homeowners towards the construction and purchase of their homes. Families help to build their house and must also attend budgeting and first-time homebuyer classes.

Univera Healthcare has provided sponsorship funding for two years to support building two homes in East Buffalo. Over 30 staff have volunteered their time to help build these homes for families in our community.

Pride Parade

Univera Healthcare employees marched in the Buffalo Pride Parade with family and friends! It was a perfect day to celebrate and support Buffalo’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community.

For the month of June, a Progress Pride Flag also flies from the flagpole at our headquarters on Park Club Lane, Williamsville.

Did you know?

The Progress Pride Flag was designed by Daniel Quasar and is an enhanced version of the more familiar Pride Flag, with five additional half-sized stripes in a triangular section of the flag along the "hoist" (the part of the flag that connects to the flagpole).

Here is what the stripes represent:

Background stripes: LGBTQ 6 full sized color stripes representing life (red), healing (orange), sunlight (yellow), nature (green), harmony/peace (blue), and spirit (purple/violet)

Hoist stripes: 5 half sized stripes representing trans individuals (light blue, light pink, white), marginalized People of color (brown, black), as well as those living with AIDS, those no longer living, and the stigma surrounding them (black).