Molina Healthcare of Michigan Donates $25,000 To Meet Food and Hygiene Needs in Culturally Diverse Community

Ashley Jordan, AVP, Growth and Community Engagement, Molina Healthcare of MI, Marci Mahfouz, Director, Behavioral Health & Workforce Development, LAHC, Hassan Ahmad, Council Chair Pro Tem- City of Dearborn Heights and LAHC Board President, Wassim Mahfouz, Chief Executive Officer, LAHC, Audria Vaughan, Representative from Senator Sylvia Santana Office, Terrisca Des Jardins, Plan President, Molina Healthcare of MI, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Michigan 12th Congressional District,  Kelly Citron, Director, Health Promotions & Obesity Prevention, LAHC, and Mariam Ismail, Director, Substance Use Disorders, LAHC.

DEARBORN, Mich., August 28, 2025 – Molina Healthcare of Michigan (“Molina”), in collaboration with the Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation (“MolinaCares”), announced a commitment to the Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities (LAHC) food pantry and Beyond the Box initiative. The organization offers healthy food options and other supplies for low-income residents, primarily in the Arab-American community.

LAHC’s culturally-responsive food pantry is stocked with healthy staples to meet the dietary and cultural needs of immigrant communities. Molina’s donation will help purchase high-demand items such as chickpeas, lentils, fava and kidney beans, freekeh, tahini, and other foods missing from traditional food distributions. The funding will also help stock ingredients for pantry-led cooking classes that allow participants to take home a recipe kit.

“We are deeply grateful to Molina Healthcare of Michigan and the Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation for their generous support,” said Wassim Mahfouz, CEO of LAHC. “This partnership allows us to provide food and essential supplies that reflect the cultural and nutritional needs of the families we serve. Together, we are not only addressing immediate challenges like hunger and hygiene insecurity but also empowering our community with resources that promote long-term health and dignity.”

The Molina grant also supports LAHC’s Beyond the Box program which addresses hygiene and wellness. Each month, the organization distributes items like dish soap, tissues, bug spray, feminine products, blankets, and diapers.

“LAHC’s multi-faceted strategy for reducing health disparities aligns with Molina’s holistic approach to health,” said Terrisca Des Jardins, plan president for Molina Healthcare of Michigan. “We are proud to partner in this effort to meet the unique needs of individuals to improve the overall wellness of such a diverse community.”

A recent report from the Dearborn Department of Public Health showed nearly 1 in 4 residents live below the poverty level, with nearly 1 in 3 having been born in a foreign country, and half of them living in a household where more than one language is spoken. The study called for increased access to physical and mental health care as well as health education. Part of the Molina donation will fund health information materials that will be included in the Beyond the Box giveaway.

About Molina Healthcare of Michigan  

Molina Healthcare of Michigan, Inc. provides government-funded, quality health care, serving members through Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace programs in Michigan. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and through state insurance marketplaces. For more information about Molina Healthcare of Michigan, visit MolinaHealthcare.com. 

About The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation
The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc. The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation was created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities. 

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