Louisville launches efforts to sustain communities during COVID-19 crisis

As Louisville is hunkered down during the COVID-19 crisis, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure residents’ needs are met. Humana is committed to taking care of people, and now – more than ever – is at the ready.
Recently, Humana’s market leadership team committed $65,000 toward COVID-19 relief efforts. This contribution is in addition to Humana Foundation funds announced in March and April.
Humana’s population health, or Bold Goal work, involves working within the community to address social determinants of health and health-related social needs. Humana and its Bold Goal partners convene and co-create solutions with nonprofit organizations, government and business leaders, as well as physicians, clinicians and hospital systems to address issues like loneliness, social isolation and food insecurity.
Here are some of the efforts directly helped by Humana’s recent donations:
• ElderServe received $40,000 to aid in their partnership with Masterson’s Catering to offer fresh meals and Dare to Care to offer commodities. Both are distributed to Louisville seniors in need.
• Americana World Community Center, a grassroots non-profit in Louisville serving refugee, immigrant and underserved populations, was excited to find out that a $10,000 donation will be shared with its community center in providing food and translation services that help people understand how and where to seek healthcare during the pandemic. The Center’s current resources allow them to supply food to children only; Humana’s support will assist in providing food for entire families.
• Louisville is known for its restaurant and food industry, so when the crisis caused layoffs in the hospitality industry, Chef Edward Lee, in partnership with The LEE Initiative and Maker’s Mark, launched the Restaurant Workers Relief Program to offer free meals and necessities to restaurant workers nationwide. Humana donated $10,000 to the effort, which will provide meals and a week of essentials, like diapers, formula, paper goods, hygiene and snacks for 1,250 families and be matched another $10,000 by actor Busy Phillips, who has challenged others to match her donations through her social media posts.
• A $5,000 contribution, plus the donation of associate time and talent went to partnering to foster problem-solving and innovation through Lift Up Lou Hackathon. Lift up Lou is a Louisville Metro Government initiative designed to keep spirits up during the fight against COVID-19.Also working with the organizations are Louisville Entrepreneurship Accelerator Partnership (LEAP), KentuckianaWorks and the Microsoft Future of Work initiative. The Lift Up Lou Hackathon is designed to engage Louisville’s technology enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and creative problem solvers help address the challenges local organizations are facing due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Recognizing that law enforcement officers are at greater risk since they don’t always get the chance to apply personal protective equipment before being exposed, Humana provided more than 1,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to Louisville Metro Police and Oldham County Police.
• Understanding that many healthcare front line workers are in need of protection, Humana provided two cases of 160 N95 masks to University of Kentucky, Baptist East and the University of Louisville health systems.
Humana’s Regional Medicare President, Eric Bohannon, said Humana’s Bold Goal efforts to help communities thrive are focused on supporting those who are in great need right now.
“We contributed to these organizations, and continue to support many others because we are a part of, and invested in, the communities we serve,” he said. “We know how important access to food and connection to others are – always, and especially during this time.”