FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Erica Krutsch
Director, Marketing and Communications
Respiratory Health Association
Desk: (312) 628-0225
Respiratory Health Association Receives $25,000 CVS Health Community Grant
Grant to Respiratory Health Association is part of CVS Health’s commitment to helping people lead tobacco-free lives
CHICAGO, IL – April 20, 2018 – Respiratory Health Association (RHA) announced today that it has received a $25,000 grant from CVS Health. The grant is part of Be The First, CVS Health’s $50 million, five-year initiative to help deliver the nation’s first tobacco-free generation and extend the company’s commitment to help people lead tobacco-free lives.
The support from CVS Health will help RHA extend the reach of Courage to Quit®, the cessation component of the organization’s integrated tobacco intervention program. Courage to Quit® is an evidence-based group or individual tobacco treatment program for adults available in multiple formats with flexible content. The CVS Health grant has allowed RHA to build a strong partnership with Chicago Housing Authority and the FamilyWorks program. With funding from CVS Health, RHA has raised awareness among CHA and FamilyWorks staff about the importance of smoking cessation, particularly for the vulnerable communities with which they work. Cessation programming, through the Courage to Quit® program, is now embedded in the work that FamilyWorks provider agencies do with their clients.
“With generous support of CVS Health, RHA is partnering with the Chicago Housing Authority to bring tobacco cessation services to high-need communities at locations that work for participants. These programs will support CHA residents as the housing authority goes smoke-free,” said Joel Africk, President and Chief Executive Officer, Respiratory Health Association. “This dedicated funding also allows RHA to promote Courage to Quit® to new participants and increase quit success rates by providing nicotine patches to all participants.”
“As a pharmacy innovation company, we are committed to building healthier communities and we believe that providing smoking cessation programs is one of the most effective ways to help people quit smoking and lead tobacco-free lives,” said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy, CVS Health. “We are pleased to support the work that Respiratory Health Association does in the community and we look forward to working with them in fulfilling their program’s mission.”
In 2016, CVS Health announced Be The First, a five-year, $50 million initiative to help deliver the first tobacco-free generation and extend the company’s commitment to helping people lead tobacco-free lives. With support and funding through CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation, Be The First supports comprehensive education, advocacy, tobacco control and healthy behavior programming delivered by a group of national partner organizations. For more information about Be The First and CVS Health’s broader commitment to tobacco-free living, please visit www.cvshealth.com/bethefirst.
Respiratory Health Association has been a local public health leader since 1906. Today, the association works to prevent lung disease, promote clean air and help people live better through education, research, and policy change. For more information, visit www.resphealth.org.
###