MINNEAPOLIS—The GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of GE, and the GE Corporate Diversity Council today announced a total of $500,000 in grants to two Minneapolis community health care centers: Neighborhood HealthSource – Fremont Clinic and Southside Community Health Services, Inc. – Southside Medical Clinic. Funding will be used to increase access to primary care for uninsured and underserved populations across the city.

The GE Foundation provided the grants as part of the GE Developing Health™ program, which provides funding and GE employee volunteer support to non-profit health centers across the United States. Each community health center will receive a $250,000 grant distributed over the next two years. These grants are the first Developing Health grants awarded in the state of Minnesota.

“We’re thrilled to bring GE’s Developing Health program to Minneapolis. GE employees in the Twin Cities have a strong commitment to volunteerism and improving access to health in the communities where we live and work,” said Deborah Elam, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, GE. “We look forward to working with these two health centers and supporting their mission in the Minneapolis community.”

GE’s Developing Health™ is a multi-year, $50 million program that aims to help improve access to primary care in targeted underserved communities across the U.S. The program aligns with GE’s healthymagination initiative, a commitment to reduce costs, improve quality and increase access in health care.

A sizeable GE employee volunteer program accompanies the grants. GE’s Twin Cities Affinity Networks will work closely with the community health centers to provide skill-based support and best practice sharing at Neighborhood HealthSource and Southside Community Health Services. GE Volunteers teams and health center staff will focus on business-based process improvements and other value-added skills to benefit patients and workflows.

“On behalf of the patients we serve, we are grateful to the GE Foundation for their financial support; and for the employee volunteer service they will make available to our organization as part of this new partnership,” said Steve Knutson, Executive Director, Neighborhood HealthSource. “With the enhanced resources provided through this partnership, we will continue to expand the reach of our mission.”

“We believe that forming and maintaining community partnerships removes silos from health care services. Moreover, we believe our new partnership with GE along with the company’s business knowledge and volunteer support, will only enhance the number of people we can serve and ultimately improve health outcomes,” added Bill Tendle, Executive Director and CEO, Southside Community Health Services, Inc. “We are very excited about this opportunity.”

Developing Health is a partnership between GE Corporate Citizenship and the GE Corporate Diversity Council. Modeled after GE’s successful philanthropic program Developing Health Globally™, the program was launched in New York City in October 2009, and has since expanded to 37 cities, supporting 108 health centers with $38.9 million and 106,000 community service hours. GE employees in the Twin Cities are committed to community service. In 2012, GE Volunteers contributed 7,800 community service hours in the Twin Cities alone.

The Developing Health Globally (DHG) program was launched in Africa in 2004. This philanthropic program has helped to upgrade medical infrastructure and build human capacity in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. The program so far has invested more than $80 million in key areas like biomedical repair, maternal and child health, trauma and surgical care. Additional information and news on Developing Health Globally can be found on www.developinghealthglobally.com.

About the GE Foundation

The GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of GE, works to solve some of the world’s most difficult problems. With its partners, the GE Foundation focuses its efforts in the areas of health, education, the environment and disaster relief. In 2012, the GE family invested more than $200 million to global community and educational needs. For more information, visit www.gefoundation.com.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

About Neighborhood HealthSource

Neighborhood HealthSource is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving the health needs of North and Northeast Minneapolis for over 45 years. Its four primary care medical clinics and community health programs provide affordable, quality health care to over ten thousand insured and uninsured patients. For more information, visit www.neighborhoodhealthsource.org.

About Southside Community Health Service, Inc.

Southside Community Health Service, Inc. (SCHS), a Federally Qualified Health Center established in 1971, has provided medical, dental, and vision services to the uninsured and underinsured in South Minneapolis and Stillwater Washington County area for more than 40 years. SCHS owns and operates both a dental mobile unit and a “Q”mmunity medical mobile unit to further serve the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. The organization strongly believes in the importance of reaching out to the community to improve access to primary health care and reduce health disparities. SCHS’ mission is to earn the right to serve the community and to encourage community members to engage in their own health. For more information, visit www.southsidechs.org.