Memphis nonprofits among grant recipients

Six Tennessee nonprofits, including three in Memphis, received $595,000 in grants from Unitedhealthcare, the health care company announced Thursday.

Several of Unitedhealthcare’s “Empowering Health” grants will aid nonprofits as they support those experiencing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release.

“This unprecedented environment has compounded challenges faced by Tennessee’s most vulnerable residents and created further barriers to accessing the health care and services they need,” said Keith Payet, CEO of Unitedhealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee, in a statement. “Our support of these organizations in Tennessee through this Unitedhealthcare Empowering Health commitment will help provide critical aid and resources to the communities in Tennessee that need it the most.”

The Memphis recipients are, according to the news release:

• Alliance Healthcare Services, Memphis — $125,000 for supporting two mental health clinicians that provide mental health crisis assessments and connect people with mental health needs to resources

• Metropolitan Inter-faith Association, Memphis — $95,000 for home-delivered meals and telephone check-ins for vulnerable, homebound seniors

• YMCA of Memphis & the Midsouth, Memphis — $35,000 for food for Shelby County Schools students at 50 meal sites

Three East Tennessee nonprofits also received grants:

• Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee — $200,000 for expanding fresh food access for East Tennesseans facing food insecurity

• Wesley House Community Center, Knoxville — $100,000 for food and supplies to homebound seniors, plus food and childcare for essential health care employees

• Appalachian Miles for Smiles, East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia — $40,000 for vision care and eyeglasses for uninsured and low-income patients via a mobile eye unit

MAX GERSH / THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL Fifth-grader Josiah Johnson, 10, is handed a bagged lunch by Ruby Buckner of the YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-south on March 23, at Ed Rice Community Center in Memphis.