Humana Names Houston Area Women’s Center as Winner of $100,000 Humana Communities Benefit - Houston Grant

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Houston Area Women’s Center, a nonprofit organization that supports victims of domestic and sexual violence by providing free shelter, counseling and advocacy, has been awarded a $100,000 grant as the winner of this year’s Humana Communities Benefit program in Houston, funded by health care company Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM).

“The Houston Area Women’s Center provides services for more than 60,000 local women every year”

The Houston Area Women’s Center operates the only residential emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and the only rape crisis center for sexual assault victims in Houston. The center aims to help Houston-area victims, providing free services for any women who need assistance.

Using the $100,000 grant, the organization will create a state-of-the-art call center to more effectively interact with local underserved women. Currently, seven designated lines for domestic violence and two lines for sexual assault provide 24-hour answers, help and support each day in more than 140 languages. However, an antiquated system, as well as limited tools and resources, have resulted in many local women not being served. The new call center will include updates to the hotline phone system, as well as new computers, headsets and other equipment.

“The Houston Area Women’s Center provides services for more than 60,000 local women every year,” said Rebecca White, president and CEO, Houston Area Women’s Center. “About two-thirds of those women receive help first through our hotline. Creating a new call center with the help of the Humana Communities Benefit grant will improve our ability to keep up with the overwhelming demand of calls.”

Additionally, Pattie Dale Tye, president of commercial products for Humana in Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth, announced that grant finalists San José Clinic and The Parish Children’s School will also receive donations from Humana.

“Every year, the Humana Communities Benefit program strives to provide funds to organizations that provide necessary services for our local residents,” Tye said. “The Harris County Community Plan states that there are not enough victim assistance providers to effectively provide support for the magnitude of domestic violence cases in the county. Through this grant, Humana is thrilled to help the Houston Area Women’s Center fund the resources it needs to fulfill that need.”

A panel of local judges, comprised of community leaders and business representatives, worked with Humana to select the $100,000 grant winner. Finalists made a formal presentation before the panel of judges. The local judges who assisted in this year’s decision include: Philamena Baird who serves on various organizational boards, including the Moores School of Music, The Salvation Army and the Memorial Hermann Heart Institute Board; Sam Bowen from Bowen, Miclette & Britt; Jeffrey Brownawell from Memorial Hermann Healthcare System; Vivian Ho, Ph.D., from Rice University; Susan Kiley from St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System; Bill King from Bracewell & Giuliani; Mike McLaughlin from Core Benefits; Carol Sawyer from The Partnership for Baylor College of Medicine; Steven Schnee, Ph.D., from Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County; Clare Sullivan Jackson from the Sullivan Group; and Randall Walker from Bank of Texas.

Now in its seventh year, the Humana Communities Benefit program in Houston awards a one-time, $100,000 grant annually to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on improving health experiences or building healthy communities in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris or Montgomery Counties. The winner of the 2010 grant, Elves & More, conducted a pilot project in Houston schools for students from kindergarten to third grade, using earn-a-bike contracts to improve their reading grades. Since receiving the grant in September 2010, reading grades have improved, leading Elves & More to award more than 1,600 bikes to local students.

For more information on the Humana Communities Benefit program in Houston, visit www.humana.com/HCB.

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is a leading health care company that offers a wide range of insurance products and health and wellness services that incorporate an integrated approach to lifelong well-being. By leveraging the strengths of its core businesses, Humana believes it can better explore opportunities for existing and emerging adjacencies in health care that can further enhance wellness opportunities for the millions of people across the nation with whom the company has relationships.

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