Advance Community Awarded $138,000 from Mercy C.A.R.E.S. Grant to Support Stove to Table Program

(PHOENIX–July 29, 2024) Mercy C.A.R.E.S. has awarded Advance Community (Advance) a 2024 Mercy C.A.R.E.S. Community Reinvestment Grant in the amount of $138,000. The grant will support the organization’s Stove to Table program.

The Stove to Table program provides healthy and nutritious meals using fresh, local produce from the Advance garden to low-income seniors, helping them achieve the healthiest, most independent lives possible. In addition, Advance staff and volunteers do a wellness check for each senior and teach them about nutrition and health – including how to read and understand food labels – so that they have the knowledge to make positive choices for their health.

“We are deeply grateful to Mercy C.A.R.E.S. for their generous grant of $138,000,” said Advance Community CEO Jeri Royce. “This invaluable financial support will significantly enhance our Stove to Table program, allowing us to continue our mission of providing nutritious meals and nutrition education to our community. This commitment will allow our staff and volunteers to continue making a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.”

Mercy C.A.R.E.S., which stands for Community Action Resources Education and Service, is Mercy Care’s community giving initiative. Through grant funding, sponsorships, volunteer efforts and board participation, Mercy C.A.R.E.S. supports AHCCCS’ Whole Person Care Initiative, which addresses social risk factors to improve health outcomes.

“Mercy Care is proud to provide a Community Reinvestment Grant to the Stove to Table program because it addresses two areas of growing concern for low-income seniors, food insecurity and social isolation. As an organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all Arizonans, and particularly those who are underserved with complex health needs, we are happy to partner with Advance in making a positive impact on our community,” says Trisha Stuart, Mercy Care director of community relations.

“Through Mercy C.A.R.E.S., we partner with organizations across the state whose health focus areas align with ours such as managing chronic conditions, supporting mental health and well-being, addressing housing insecurity, and empowering recovery for substance use.”

For more information about Advance Community and the Stove to Table program, visit https://advancecommunity.org/.

About Advance Community
Advance Community has been dedicated to transforming lives since its inception in 1970. Formerly known as Esperança, Advance works within under-resourced communities across the globe, providing health education, food security, disease prevention, access to clean water, ecological home-building, and life-altering surgeries in Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mozambique, and Peru. Advance strengthens under-resourced Latino communities across Maricopa County through programs such as oral health, chronic disease prevention/management, nutrition education and healthy meal delivery. With the vision of health equity for everyone and the goal of improving the future of healthcare, the Phoenix-based nonprofit is dedicated to advancing communities to help under-resourced children, adults and seniors live sustainable and fulfilling lives. More information about Advance is available at https://advancecommunity.org/.

About Mercy Care
Mercy Care is a not-for-profit Medicaid managed care health plan, serving AHCCCS members in Arizona since 1985. Mercy Care is a local company sponsored by Dignity Health and Ascension Health. Mercy Care provides access to physical and behavioral health care services for Medicaid-eligible families, children, seniors, and individuals with developmental/cognitive disabilities. Learn more at www.MercyCareAZ.org.