SACRAMENTO, Calif.  – In partnership with La Opinión, The California Endowment is releasing the 2012 WE Connect Supplement, the state’s most comprehensive bilingual source for lower-income families about public and private programs that may help them lead healthier, more financially secure lives.  1.5 million copies will be distributed this month to subscribers of La Opinión’s California publications, including La Opinión, and to thousands of partner organizations statewide.

 

“We are proud to continue our partnership with WE Connect to provide Californians with valuable resources, especially during these difficult economic times,” stated Monica Lozano, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, La Opinión. “The power of WE Connect is the fact that we are all connected and can work together to make our communities healthy places.”

 

WE Connect, a program founded in 2005 by former First Lady of California Maria Shriver and now run by The California Endowment , empowers families in underserved communities to make health happen by connecting them to resources such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, California’s Healthy Families Program and CalFresh. The program has successfully resulted in helping millions of Californians through community events, web-based tools, public-private partnerships, and collateral materials.

 

The 2012 WE Connect Bilingual Supplement includes special messages of support from founder of WE Connect, former California First Lady Maria Shriver, and key partners who will help champion outreach and education efforts, including Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and Dra. Aliza Lifshitz, M.D.  This year, the supplement highlights important information about the Affordable Care Act and the many benefits available for families provided by this new federal health law.

 

“The Endowment believes that the places we live, work, and play contribute to our health and overall well-being,” said Robert K. Ross, M.D., president and CEO of The California Endowment. “WE Connect is making health happen by increasing access to care and healthy food options through resources like the annual WE Connect Bilingual Supplement.”

 

For more information about WE Connect health care enrollment events and its online tools such as the WEb Connector screening tool and community resource map, please visit www.weconnect.net.

 

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WE Connect was established by former California First Lady Maria Shriver in 2005. The Program is now run by The California Endowment with Lt. Governor Newsom’s leadership, continued funding and in-kind support from the Intuit Financial Freedom Foundation and partnership with La Opinión. WE Connect joins The Endowment in challenging conventional wisdom that health solely happens in the doctor’s office. Health Happens in Schools, in Neighborhoods and with Prevention. WE Connect empowers families in underserved communities to lead healthier and more financially secure lives by connecting them to resources such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, California’s Healthy Families Program and CalFresh. WE Connect links individuals and families with the information and tools they need to access these valuable resources. The program has successfully resulted in helping millions of Californians through its community events, web-based tools, public-private partnerships, and collateral materials. For more information about WE Connect, please go to www.weconnect.net. Visitors to the website can find helpful, local programs and services available in communities throughout California as well as important information about health care opportunities available to families through the new health care law.

The California Endowment, a private, statewide health foundation, was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. Headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, The Endowment has regional offices in Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno and San Diego, with program staff working throughout the state. The Endowment challenges the conventional wisdom that medical settings and individual choices are solely responsible for people's health. The Endowment believes that health happens in neighborhoods, schools, and with prevention. For more information, visit The California Endowment’s homepage at www.calendow.org.

La Opinión is the leading Spanish-language daily newspaper in the country, distributing nearly 100,000 copies throughout the five-county Southern California area and reaching nearly half a million readers daily. La Opinión was founded in 1926 in Los Angeles to provide daily news and information to a Hispanic population that has grown to become the nation's largest. Leveraging print and digital opportunities, La Opinión continues to captivate Hispanic audiences by providing quality content across print, online and mobile platforms. La Opinión is owned and operated by impreMedia LLC. For more information, please visit our website at www.impre.com/laopinion.