Sonora, CA…In December 2014, HealthLitNow, (www.healthlitnow.org) a 501(c)3 non-profit, was launched from the Tuolumne County Innovation Lab (www.myinnovationlab.org) to provide Public Health Literacy programs for K-12 students throughout Tuolumne County and the Sierra Region. Public Health Literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals and groups can obtain, process, understand, evaluate, and act on information needed to make personal and public health decisions that benefit their community.

Today we are pleased to announce that two scholarship funds have been established to support graduating seniors from Tuolumne and Calaveras County schools interested in pursuing a career in healthcare.

We would like to express our great appreciation to Mark Twain Medical Center (MTMC) for their donation of $10,000 to create the HealthLitNow Healthcare Career Calaveras Scholarship Fund that will be administered through the Calaveras Community Foundation (CCF). Nicki Stevens of MTMC stated “MTMC is very proud to provide this opportunity for our youth. We believe that the HealthLitNow programs are the gateway to life changing choices and inspiration for our future leaders!”

We would also like to again thank both the Sonora Area Foundation (SAF) for a $10,000 donation and the Economic Prosperity Council of Tuolumne County (EPCTC) for their $2,000 donation to establish the HealthLitNow Healthcare Career Tuolumne Scholarship Fund that will be administered through SAF. Darrell Slocum, Executive Director of SAF stated “HealthLitNow has been a leading example of how an initial grant from SAF can be used to establish a sustainable program benefiting the students and families of Tuolumne County. We are pleased to be able to contribute to the long-term support of those students who decide to pursue a career in Healthcare.” Larry Cope, Executive Director of EPCTC said “The HealthLitNow program captures and makes possible opportunity for the students of Tuolumne County to earn a family wage income while enhancing their Health Literacy. We are very pleased to again be able to contribute to this great program.” An additional $3,000 was contributed by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous bringing the initial Fund total to $15,000.

Barry Hillman, president of HealthLitNow stated, “We are most grateful to all four donors that
have made possible the establishment of these two scholarship funds. These funds will be
available to students who wish to pursue a career in healthcare for any post high school
education. With the establishment of these two funds we are hopeful that others will help us
expand the available scholarships with their future donations. We want kids to succeed and
funds like these pave the way to the opportunity of great future employment and enhancement
of Health Literacy for the entire community.”