Summit Health Announces Changes To Charitable Foundation

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ —Summit Health announced Monday that Summit Medical Group Foundation and CityMD Cares have merged to form Summit Health Cares, an organization that, like its predecessors, is designed to improve access to healthcare for underserved communities, officials said.

The charitable foundations join forces two years after the merger of Summit Health, a New-Jersey-based healthcare network that provides care in New Jersey, New York and Oregon, and CityMD, a leader in urgent care.

Now, Summit Health Cares is expected to bolster its charitable mission by expanding its geographic reach in the greater New York metropolitan area and Central Oregon, the organization said.

"Summit Health Cares brings together the combined organizations' two charitable foundations as one entity to help the underserved gain access to the medical, educational and social services they need to live a healthier life," said Rebecca Levy, president, Summit Health Cares.

According to a release, Summit Health Cares will continue to help underserved communities by: providing health screenings, raising awareness of medical and health conditions, providing comfort to cancer patients and families, educating future medical professionals from those communities and giving back to the community through financial assistance and scholarships.

The foundation, according to officials, also will continue to hold backpack drives, toy drives, serve holiday meals and more for neighbors in need.

"Our programs were more critical than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Julienne Cherry, executive director of Summit Health Cares. "In addition to offering vital health screenings, our foundation provided COVID-19 tests, evaluation and vaccination to individuals among the Black and Latinx communities, who are disproportionately impacted by the virus."

Summit Health Cares staff said the organization will continue to work with volunteers, many of them Summit Health healthcare providers and staff, and utilize collaborations, partnerships and donors in order to serve the community.

More information about Summit Health Cares is available on its website.