News & Commentary

Media Contact:

Chris Palmedo, Director of Public Affairs, 503-505-5699

News Item Press Release Commentary

December 23rd, 2011

Health Care Reform is Working in Oregon

NWHF senior program officer Chris DeMars writes in the Salem Statesman-Journal that no matter what’s happening — or not happening — on the national stage, Oregon is working to create a better health care system for everyone in the state.

Reform Working in Oregon

November 30th, 2011

Health Coach Seeks to Improve Health of Cowlitz County Community

Elizabeth Haeck is a “Community Coach” in Longview Washington, part of a grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Fund.

Highlands

September 28th, 2011

Thomas Aschenbrener Announces 2012 Retirement from NWHF

Thomas Aschenbrener, founding president of the Northwest Health Foundation will retire from the foundation in June 2012.

Aschenbrener Retirement

September 23rd, 2011

Philanthropy and Business: It’s personal AND professional

According to Kevin Johnson’s piece in the Portland Business Journal, we may be in for new changes in philanthropy that could be even more dramatic than what the world witnessed in Carnegie and Rockefeller’s time.

Kevin Johnson - Business Journal

September 7th, 2011

NWHF and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Partnership Announces 11 New Grants for 2011

NWHF and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation partnership announces 11 new grants across 12 States.

PIN 2011

August 14th, 2011

Senator Mark Hatfield: An Appreciation

Senator Mark O. Hatfield served as the founding board chair for Northwest Health Foundation from 1998-2005. NWHF president Thomas Aschenbrener wrote this remembrance of the Senator, which was published in the Oregonian online on Sunday, August 14.

Hatfield: An Appreciation

July 14th, 2011

Can Produce Stands at a Convenience Store Improve Community Health?

Through a Northwest Health Foundation grant, Lane Coalition for Healthy Active Youth has helped install produce stands at select Dari Mart locations in the Eugene-Springfield area. As a Community-Based Participatory Research project, the effects of placing these stands will be studied in relation to purchasing choices, and even the health of the local population.

Dari-Mart - Register Guard

March 31st, 2011

Oregonian: Access to Care Not Only Key to Health

In a front-page article in the Oregonian on the recently released County Health Rankings, David Rebanal, NWHF’s senior program officer points out that, “Much of the opportunity for improving health exists in our schools, our homes, our jobs and other settings outside of doctors’ offices.”

Oregonian 3-31-11

March 29th, 2011

Oregon Health System Stronger for WIIN Program

Judith Andersen, Director of the NWHF-funded Workforce Improvement with Immigrant Nurses (WIIN) program, discusses the history of the concept, and its positive role in the Oregon health system.

WIIN

March 10th, 2011

Northwest Health Foundation provides $260,000 in Health Care Reform Grants

NWHF awards $260,000 in grants to raise the consumer and community voice in the health-care reform process.

Health Care Reform 2011

February 21st, 2011

Mi más distiguida Señora presidente

Creating an aspirational vision for the future is often at the heart of philanthropy. Here NWHF president Thomas Aschenbrener shares one vision for the future, which he developed after participating in the annual meeting of NWHF’s Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future program.

Señora Presidente

December 1st, 2010

Tobacco Tax Poll December 2010

A new NWHF-funded poll reveals that 71 percent of Oregon voters favor a one dollar cigarette tax increase to fund Oregon’s tobacco prevention program. A proposed tobacco tax would bring in $77 million in new revenue, and reduce youth smoking. View the entire poll here.

Tobacco Free Coalition of Oregon Poll 2010

November 27th, 2010

Program Allows Belarus Native to Quit Making Artificial Flowers and Return to Nursing

WIIN Program allows nurses from all over the world get back into their chosen profession.

WIIN Program Feature

November 22nd, 2010

Convergence Partnership Grants Address Health Equity in Multnomah County

Northwest Health Foundation awards $600,000 in grants to seven local initiatives that aim to improve health equity in Multnomah County.

Convergence Partnership Grants 2010

November 8th, 2010

Investing in Lasting Change - Opinion Piece for “Insight into Diversity” Magazine

Thomas Aschenbrener writes on the importance of health advocacy for communities of color in “Insight into Diversity” magazine.

Insight

October 15th, 2010

Lights, Camera, Take Action! by Thomas Aschenbrener

NWHF president Thomas Aschenbrener’s observations on engaging youth in public health system will-building - Part of Grantmakers in Health’s “Views from the Field.”

Lights-Camera-Take-Action

September 30th, 2010

The Skanner: Health Advocacy Grants Will Allow to Lobby Lawmakers Community Groups

The Skanner reports on NWHF’s Health Care Advocacy Grants provided to partnerships among organizations advocating for health equity and public health.

Skanner: Partnerships for Advocacy

August 31st, 2010

2010 Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future (PIN) Grants Announced

Northwest Health Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announce nine new grants as part of the Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future (PIN) initiative.

PIN Awards 2010

August 26th, 2010

NWHF Provides Health Advocacy Grants to Uncommon Partnerships

$500,000 Health Care Reform Advocacy grant portfolio targets communities most affected by lack of health insurance.

Health Care Reform Advocacy Grants - Aug. 2010

July 26th, 2010

NWHF Announces Grant to Clackamas Community College to Expand Nursing Program to Clark County, WA

The innovative Workforce Improvement with International Nurses (WIIN) Program expands from Clackamas Community College to Clark Community College in Vancouver, WA.

WIIN Program Expansion

June 23rd, 2010

Poll: Obesity Seen as a Growing Problem in Northwest

A NWHF-funded poll conducted by Davis Hibbitts and Mighall, Inc. finds that Northwest residents see childhood obesity as a growing problem in their communities.

DHM Poll Story - Obesity in NW

May 24th, 2010

Thomas Aschenbrener in the Oregonian - “The Nurse in Your Healthcare Future”

By 2025, can you imagine a health system where virtually all primary care in the United States is delivered by nurses and nurse practitioners?

Nursing 2025

May 24th, 2010

New Research: Oregonians Believe Soda Companies Contribute to Kids’ Obesity

Northwest Health Foundation releases results from a statewide study that presents Oregonians’ opinions about the relationship between soda advertisements, soda companies, and childhood obesity.

DHM Soda Survey - Press Release - DHM Soda Survey

May 7th, 2010

Nurses Deserve Our Respect - Judith Woodruff

Portland Business Journal opinion article by Judith Woodruff, NWHF’s director of health workforce development.

Nurses are Leaders

May 3rd, 2010

Chronicle of Philanthopy - Five Great Program Officers

NWHF’s Chris Kabel profiled as one of the nation’s “Five Great Program Officers.”

Chris Kabel Profile

March 17th, 2010

NWHF Poll: Smoking Ban Does Not Affect Lottery Revenues

According to the most recent NWHF / CHP poll, Oregonians are going to bars more often now that smoke-free law is in effect.  News item is from the Lund Report. More information on the poll is in our “Resources” section.

Lund Report - Smoke-free Law Polling

March 11th, 2010

KGW Reports on Oregon Tradeswomen Grant

Joe Smith reports on a Kaiser Permanente Community Fund grant to Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. As reported, one of the goals of this grant is “to influence the public structures that enable more women to get on construction sites,” according to David Rebanal, program officer with Northwest Health Foundation.

KGW - Oregon Tradeswomen

March 10th, 2010

NWHF Releases Public Opinion Poll Revealing Health Priorities of Oregonians

Northwest Health Foundation, through its Community Health Priorities Project, has just released new public opinion research conducted by Davis Hibbitts Midghall, revealing areas where Oregonians want health dollars spent. Visit the NWHF “Resources Page” to view the complete poll.

DHM Poll Release March 2010

February 24th, 2010

Kaiser Permanente Community Fund Provides $3 Million to 25 Oregon Nonprofits

Kaiser Permanente Community Fund provides more than $3 million in grant funds to organizations addressing the social determinants of health.

KPCF - 2010

December 15th, 2009

Northwest Health Foundation Urges Yes Vote on Measures 66 and 67

Northwest Health Foundation urges Oregonians to vote YES on ballot measures 66 and 67 this January 2010

See Attached File

December 14th, 2009

Northwest Health Foundation Adds Three Board Members

See Attached File

November 25th, 2009

Hood River News: La Clinica Receives NWHF Grant

Northwest Health Foundation has awarded $60,950 to La Clinica del Cariño, a migrant and community health center that is seeking to enhance health care delivery at its clinics in Hood River and The Dalles.

See Attached File

November 18th, 2009

Innovative Models Grants

Seven Oregon Health Care Projects have been awarded over $450,000 as part of the “Innovative Models in Health Care Delivery” grant program.

See Attached File

October 15th, 2009

Goodness Magazine

Goodness Magazine features article on NWHF’s Community Health Priorities project.

Goodness Magazine - CHP

September 8th, 2009

NWHF Hosts Ladder to Leadership

Northwest Health Foundation hosts launch for the Robert Wood Johnson and Center for Creative Leadership’s “Ladder to Leadership” Program.

Ladder to Leadership Press Release

August 16th, 2009

Regional Foundations Collaborate on National Nursing Workforce Effort

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Northwest Health Foundation announce ten grants to begin the fourth phase of Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future (PIN), a national initiative to help address the national nursing shortage.

PIN Awards Press Release - August 2009

July 14th, 2009

Think Out Loud on Health Promotion Features NWHF’s David Rebanal

On OPB’s Think Out Loud, Northwest Health Foundation program officer David Rebanal discusses how the Foundation has moved its grantmaking toward policy advocacy and earlier interventions in health.

Visit the Think Out Loud website here.

May 8th, 2009

Commonwealth Fund Grant Announced

Oregon Primary Care Association announces Commonwealth Fund grant for Oregon health care clinics to expand “patient-centered medical homes.”
Craig Hostetler, President, OPCA, thanks the Northwest Health Foundation. “They have been generous in supporting the medical home model, and they have also been key partners in our work regarding comprehensive health care reform in Oregon.” 

See Attached File

April 6th, 2009

NWHF Releases Oregon Obesity Study

Northwest Health Foundation releases seven-year Oregon obesity study conducted by Dr. Kenneth Thorpe, Professor and Chair, Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.

Obesity Report Press Release

March 30th, 2009

Street Roots Reports on the Cambodian-American Oral History Prioject

Street Roots reports on the Northwest Health Foundation-funded Cambodian-American Oral History Project.

See Attached File

March 30th, 2009

OPB Reports on Nursing Faculty Loan Program from NWHF Office

Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Kristian Foden-Vencil reports on Oregon’s nurse faculty shortage from a press conference held at Northwest Health Foundation.

Listen Here.

February 19th, 2009

“Think Long Term on Tobacco Tax”

“Think long term on tobacco tax,“ by Thomas Aschenbrener, Northwest Health Foundation president, argues that smokers are not paying the full costs of a pack of cigarettes, on the Oregonian’s “My Oregon” blog.