MolinaCares Accord Celebrates Four Long Beach Community Champions
Each Honoree Received $5,000 to Donate to Nonprofit Organization of Choice
Caroline Zubieta (562)951-1588
Roger Salazar (916-284-1255
LONG BEACH – June 14, 2022 – The MolinaCares Accord (“MolinaCares”), in collaboration with Molina Healthcare of California (“Molina”), celebrated four Southern Californians by presenting them with 2022 MolinaCares Community Champions Awards, a program recognizing prominent community leaders that are addressing gaps in care by providing needed resources to vulnerable populations. Each of the community champions received a $5,000 grant to donate to a non-profit of their choice.
“The MolinaCares Community Champions Award is such an important way to recognize those who are truly making a difference in California’s whole health outcomes,” said Abbie Totten, plan president of Molina Healthcare of California. ““We are proud to recognize our MolinaCares Champions, and we are pleased to provide a total of $20,000 in grants to their chosen community based organizations.”
This year’s Long Beach MolinaCares Community Champions are:
Lucy Brizuela (Boyle Heights, CA), Lead Promoter, East LA Women’s Center:
Lucy Brizuela lives and breathes her community, routinely going above and beyond, doing whatever she can to help. As a lead promoter at the East LA Women’s Center, Lucy facilitates classes that educate people on sexual abuse and domestic violence. And her efforts don’t stop outside of work. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lucy helped locate vaccine and testing locations for those in need. In addition to her efforts throughout the pandemic, Lucy volunteers as a Pride Pantry delivery driver, bringing fresh produce and canned goods to those in need. Lucy’s work was so impactful that four out of the eight families she helped no longer needed food services and other resources because they were able to find jobs. Lucy’s passion for her community and helping others is profound. Lucy and her husband regularly attend community events not only to volunteer but to listen to peoples’ needs.
Brizuela’s grant will be donated to Latino Equity Alliance.
Derrick Brown Sr. (Inglewood, CA), Chief Financial Officer, Stopping Cry’s:
A single father of three, Derrick Brown Sr.’s mission has been taking care of those closest to him, but his work extends well beyond his children. As a Stopping Cry’s board member, Derrick has successfully organized and managed the budget to provide community programs like Touching Hearts Tuesdays, No More Tears Thursdays and Shelter Saturdays. In addition to coordinating numerous community programs, Derrick helped Stopping Cry’s donate to many local organizations, including the Midnight Mission, Rodney King Foundation, La Mesa Shelter and more. From handling funding to purchasing hygiene items for those in need to handling the shipping of merchandise to donors, Derrick is nothing short of a hero – revered by those around him, showing young men how to have a productive life despite coming from poverty. Derrick’s willingness to go above and beyond sets him apart even from other Stopping Cry’s board members.
Brown’s grant will be donated to Stopping Cry’s.
Reverend Candace Kelly (Cerritos, CA), PhD, Board Member, HumanSave:
While Reverend Candace Kelly, PhD has only served on the HumanSave board since 2020, she’s had an immediate and powerful impact. But her work in her communities started long before then. Reverend Kelly has devoted a lot of time speaking with victims of human trafficking throughout Las Vegas and Long Beach, including serving on the Long Beach Human Trafficking Task Force. Her efforts centered around helping victims begin their healing and transition to a state of normalcy. Serving as the chaplain at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Reverend Kelly supports families grieving the loss of a parent or newborn, comforting hundreds of families a year. In addition to her work at the hospital, she’s writing a book to educate folks on the grave disparity in the treatment of BIPOC women and how to achieve equity through compassionate care.
Rev. Kelly’s grant will be donated to Dare to Dream Scholarship Society.
Julie McCall (Long Beach, CA), President, One Wish One Need:
With more than 35 years as an educator, serving communities and their members is second nature to Julie McCall. But her work as an educator is only a tiny portion of what Julie provides to her community. Julie founded her school’s first-of-its-kind Equality and Equity Club, providing a safe space for students to express their authentic selves safely. The club also gave students opportunities to give back to their community through local non-profit organizations such as the AIDS Food Store (AFS) Hike the Hill event for walkers and runners. While serving as AFS vice president and board member, Julie helped coordinate food distribution to those experiencing or affected by HIV/AIDS. Julie devotes just as much time to helping her school too. She’s made sure students have access to shoes, supplies and other essential items. Julie exemplifies what it means to be a community champion.
McCall’s grant will be donated to One Wish One Need.
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About the MolinaCares Accord:
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., the MolinaCares Accord oversees a community
investment platform 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.
About Molina Healthcare of California:
Molina Healthcare of California has been providing government-funded care for over 40 years. The Company serves members through Medi-Cal, Medicare, Medicare-Medicaid (Duals) and Covered California (Marketplace). Molina’s service areas include Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Orange, and Imperial counties. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, served approximately 5.1 million members as of March 31, 2022. For more information about Molina Healthcare of California, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.