Votes Bring Prize to Community Health
Thanks to the overwhelming support of online voters, staff from the Tulane University Community Health Center accepted a $50,000 top prize at the Monday (July 5) award ceremony for the People to People Ambassador Program's Remember NOLA campaign.
At an award ceremony, Leah Berger (from left) and Dr. Karen DeSalvo of the Tulane Community Health Center accept the $50,000 prize from a People to People campaign, presented by NFL star quarterbacks Eli and Payton Manning. (Photo by Guillermo Cabrera-Rojo)
People to People, which held a leadership conference in New Orleans on June 28â“July 6 for students in grades five through 12, earlier this spring launched a social media campaign for people to vote for their favorite New Orleans-based community organization. The Tulane Community Health Center received more than 3,100 of the 6,800 votes cast.
“It was very humbling to see that we received so much support,” says Leah Berger, director of community health programs, planning and development for Tulane. “This will help us continue to make positive strides in the ever-changing health needs of our community.”
The money will be used to help complete the renovation the 10,000-square-foot Ruth U. Fertel/Tulane Community Health Center, a neighborhood-based medical home that will provide care to patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Preliminary construction has started on the center, which is expected to open next summer.
Tulane will relocate its Tulane Community Health Center at Covenant House to the larger and more accessible site at 711 N. Broad St. The new center will nearly triple the space of the current facility, allowing doctors to accommodate more patients and offer expanded adult and pediatric services.
“The new building is also part of the revitalization of the neighborhood which is still very necessary and ongoing,” Berger says.
Berger and Dr. Karen DeSalvo, vice dean for community affairs and health policy, accepted the award from two New Orleans native sons, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and his brother, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Berger and DeSalvo also spoke about Tulane's community health initiatives during the leadership conference, which featured a keynote session with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
