AstraZeneca Foundation team at Mary’s Center, a Creating Health Access for Next Generation Equity (CHANGE) nonprofit grant awardee, in Washington, D.C.
By: Bridget Therriault, Head of Internal Communications, US & Executive Director, AstraZeneca Foundation
International Day of Charity was established by the United Nations in 2012 to mobilize people all around the world to help others and enhance social responsibility through volunteer and philanthropic activities. The day serves as a reminder that community action serves as an essential ingredient in advancing health equity and creating sustainable change in our communities.
As part of my roles at AstraZeneca and the AstraZeneca Foundation, I have the privilege to advocate for community-based interventions and foster a philanthropic collaborative where nonprofit partners can share, learn and build sustainable programs that help create a more equitable healthcare system.
Nonprofit charitable organizations play a crucial role in addressing disparities and ensuring individuals have access to resources and opportunities they need to achieve their optimal health. AstraZeneca and the AstraZeneca Foundation are proud to invest in our communities through grantmaking, volunteer and capacity-building initiatives that illustrate the true power of collective action in creating positive change:
Accelerate Change Together (ACT) on Health Equity
Through ACT, AstraZeneca is serving as a community partner to improve health equity across medically underserved populations in the US by collaborating with nonprofit organizations that understand the unique needs of their communities and are taking innovative approaches to address them. Since 2021, we’ve provided $8.7M+ in contributions to 140+ organizations across areas of housing, environmental and neighborhood safety, nutrition, and healthcare access; and increasing access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and career readiness for historically excluded and disenfranchised populations in the US. In 2024, through ACT, we will provide additional financial contributions through our fourth annual Community Solutions Challenge and National Strategic Collaborations. Funding will support tailored solutions to help reduce barriers to care and address the impact of social determinants of health, as well as creating pathways to successful careers in STEM for youth in medically underserved communities.
US Corporate Affairs team members creating dignity bags during team-building event.
The Power of Us
AstraZeneca’s employee giving and volunteerism program, The Power of Us, encourages our US-based employees to donate their time and resources to the causes that matter most to them. We provide paid time off to volunteer, as well as a 100% company match on employee donations made to eligible nonprofit organizations. In 2023, The Power of Us saw nearly 600 employees dedicate over 7,600 hours of volunteering, as well as employees donating towards more than 4,000 causes, making a substantial impact in their communities. For instance, a recent team-building activity by the US Corporate Affairs Team resulted in dozens of dignity kits for a Baltimore-based nonprofit, Health Care for the Homeless. This is one of hundreds of examples that employees put into action across our US business over the course of the year.
Creating Health Access for Next Generation Equity (CHANGE)
CHANGE, launched in 2023, is the AstraZeneca Foundation’s signature program that aims to advance health equity and improve access to quality healthcare for people experiencing disadvantages due to their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and more. CHANGE is more than a grantmaking program–it’s a philanthropic collaborative that brings grant awardees and partners together to create meaningful dialogue and exchange, foster shared learning and implementation, and help build and strengthen organizational best practices and capacity. Already in 2024, first year CHANGE grant awardees have collectively reached 18K+ people through direct services, events and programming, with many gaining greater access to health screenings, healthcare services and navigation support, health insurance, culturally tailored health education and more.
AstraZeneca Foundation team at Health Care for the Homeless, a Creating Health Access for Next Generation Equity (CHANGE) nonprofit grant awardee, in Baltimore.
I’m proud to work for organizations taking a collective impact approach to improving community health, and I look forward to sharing details of additional investments and progress we’re making within health equity in the coming months. If you’re interested in supporting the Foundation’s grant awardees, we encourage you to learn more about the nonprofit organizations and volunteer.
For more information about the AstraZeneca Foundation, visit www.astrazeneca-us.com/foundation.
The AstraZeneca (HealthCare) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity organized for charitable purposes and is separate from the commercial entity, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.
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