Women’s Empowerment held a graduation ceremony in December 2024. Photo courtesy of Kristin Thebaud Communications

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Women’s Empowerment has received a grant of $50,000 from Anthem Blue Cross Foundation to provide substance use recovery and mental health support to unhoused women in Sacramento so they can find safe homes and employment. 

“We have a deep understanding of the complex issues that lead to homelessness, including substance use and mental health, and how they work together to impact employment and housing,” said Lisa Culp, executive director, Women’s Empowerment. “We are grateful to Anthem Blue Cross Foundation for prioritizing recovery and mental health so more resources will be available to women in our community who are working to break the cycle of homelessness.”

Women’s Empowerment provides women in the program with trauma-informed counseling, mental health support, access to mental health resources and referrals for substance use treatment so they can gain a home and employment. The local nonprofit offers onsite therapeutic substance use treatment and community support through its weekly Wellness and Recovery Support Group for women in the program. Women also work with staff housing and employment specialists to find homes and employment.

“Substance use disorders continue to be a public health challenge that’s taking too big of a toll in our communities across the state and right here in Sacramento County,” said Beth Andersen, president, Anthem Blue Cross Commercial Plan. “Along with partners like Women’s Empowerment, we continue to take a holistic approach and invest in the mental health and well-being in our communities, particularly with a focus on helping those who are struggling with a substance use disorder.”

Women’s Empowerment provides a two-month employment-readiness and empowerment program, paid job training, childcare and support services so women and their children can break the generational cycle of homelessness. The nonprofit offers the most comprehensive job-readiness program in the Sacramento area designed specifically for women experiencing homelessness and their children. In 2023, 165 jobs were secured by graduates, and 189 women either secured or maintained housing. Since 2001, 1,903 women have graduated from the program with more than 4,000 children. Women’s Empowerment is funded through private donations from the community and grants. To make a donation: Womens-Empowerment.org.

The Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Association, is a philanthropic arm of the Elevance Health Foundation. The foundation works to address health equity by focusing on improving the health of the socially vulnerable through strategic partnerships and programs in communities with an emphasis on maternal child health, mental health, and food as medicine. Additionally, the foundation responds to disasters when communities need it most. The foundation coordinates the company’s year-round Dollars for Dollars program, which provides a 100% match of associates’ donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. ®ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Elevance Health. The Blue Cross names and symbol are registered marks of the Blue Cross Association. To learn more about the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation and the Elevance Health Foundation, visit www.elevancehealth.foundation and www.medium.com/elevancehealthfoundation.