Summit Medical Group Foundation gets 50K to fight diabetes

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Summit Medical Group Foundation has received a $50,000 grant from the American Medical Association Foundation to fund its Food, Health and Hope: An Answer to Diabetes, or FHH Diabetes, initiative.Summit Medical Group Foundation has received a $50,000 grant from the American Medical Association Foundation to fund its Food, Health and Hope: An Answer to Diabetes, or FHH Diabetes, initiative.

Almost 11 percent of the adult population in Essex, Passaic and Union counties – the target area of FHH Diabetes – have the disease, according to SMG.

SMG Foundation has partnered with more than seven community- or faith-based organizations for FHH Diabetes, including the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

Seven Community FoodBank locations in the target area offer participation in FHH Diabetes to patrons, including free medical screenings to diagnose the disease. Last year the program provided over 2,500 such screenings.

Other benefits of afforded through participation in FHH Diabetes include education about the disease, facilitation of medical appointments at local health clinics, low-cost prescription assistance for diabetes-related medication, quarterly monitoring of blood pressure, healthy food boxes and more.

SMG Foundation was one of seven nonprofits to receive the grant, whose value represents the largest amount gifted by the AMA Foundation. The grant also represents the first of its kind to be awarded under the AMA Foundation’s mission to create measurable improvements in health by bringing communities and physicians together.