COLUMBUS, Ohio, — The CVS Health Foundation has announced a $2.24 million investment to expand community-based care programs in Columbus, Ohio, through a partnership with Health Impact Ohio.
The funding will support the launch of a Health Zone, a collaborative model designed to improve access to health care and social support services for residents on the city’s south and east sides. The initiative brings together health providers, social service organizations, and community nonprofits to address the broader factors that influence health outcomes.
Through the Health Zone approach, residents will be connected to primary care services, chronic disease management programs, nutritious food resources, and behavioral health support, all coordinated through local partnerships.
“Families across the south and east sides of Columbus continue to face significant and interconnected challenges,” said Jenny McColloch, president of the CVS Health Foundation. “Through Health Impact Ohio, we’re investing in a proven, community-driven model that brings together health care providers, social service organizations and trusted nonprofits to reach people earlier, reduce avoidable emergency care and improve health outcomes over time.”
The program reflects a broader movement within public health toward addressing social determinants of health—factors such as housing stability, food access, and transportation that influence well-being beyond clinical care.
By coordinating services through a network of local organizations, the initiative aims to help residents receive the right support earlier, preventing more serious health challenges and reducing unnecessary emergency care.
Community-based partnerships like the Health Zone model highlight how health systems and nonprofit organizations can collaborate to create more accessible, compassionate care environments for the people they serve.
Heartitude Founder Bruce Petillo said the effort illustrates the importance of meeting people where they are. “When healthcare systems partner with community organizations to address real-life challenges people face every day, compassion becomes practical and powerful, turning care into something that truly reaches the heart of a community,” he said.