Americares provides grants to help 13 clinics, community health centers combat extreme heat

When talking about climate change-related health issues, extreme heat tends to be a popular talking point.

And for good reason: There’s been an increased risk of illness or death from extreme heat in recent years, and heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the US, according to the National Weather Service.

That’s why nonprofit Americares, which brings health programs and supplies to communities impacted by disaster and inequity, announced plans to expand its protection efforts for patients dealing with extreme heat.

In an Aug. 21 press release, the organization shared it will award grants to 13 free clinics and community health centers (CHCs) so they can purchase supplies to help patients confront extreme heat, including air conditioners, ice packs, reusable water bottles, and more. The grants are part of an extension of the Climate Health Equity for Community Clinics program, which provides extreme heat and wildfire smoke resources to clinics and CHCs.

These are the facilities receiving funding:

• Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless in New Mexico
• The Broad Street Clinic in Morehead City, North Carolina
• Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine in Indio, California
• Community Health of South Florida in Miami
• Grace Clinic in Kennewick, Washington
• Miami Rescue Mission – Miami Clinic
• Miami Rescue Mission – Doral Clinic in Florida
• Mission of Mercy in Phoenix
• Muncie Mission Ministries in Muncie, Indiana
• Sonoma County Indian Health Project in Santa Rosa, California
• St. Clair Community Health Clinic in Pell City, Alabama
• St. John Bosco Clinic in Miami
• Volunteers in Medicine in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Forecast planning. Further, in collaboration with CVS Health, Americares is planning to award an additional eight grants to healthcare facilities primarily in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas to secure supplies when there’s extreme heat in the forecast.

The 18-month-long pilot program will tap into weather data in an effort to cut down on patients needing hospital-level care for heat-related illness. According to CDC data, almost 120,000 emergency department visits were associated with health-related illness in 2023, double the record between 2018 and 2022.

“As heat waves become more frequent and intense, we’re taking action to protect those most at risk,” Americares SVP of Programs and Chief Medical Officer Julie Varughese said in a statement. “Healthcare providers at safety net clinics see firsthand how the environments where their patients live and work exacerbate existing health disparities.”