Berea Home Village receives Humankindness and Health Justice Award

The Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice (LHDI) at CommonSpirit Health announced on Sept. 19 that Berea Home Village was a winner during the inaugural Humankindness and Health Justice Awards. The awards were presented during the first-ever Humankindness and Health Justice Virtual Summit, held on Sept. 19.

 The Humankindness and Health Justice Awards celebrate individuals and community partners who demonstrate a deep commitment to health equity, social justice and compassionate care. Berea Home Village was selected from a pool of nominees from across the country, all of whom embody LHDI’s core values of kindness, empathy and leadership in driving health justice.

 “Berea Home Village truly exemplifies what it means to make a profound impact on our community through a commitment to humankindness and health justice,” said John Yanes, president, Saint Joseph Berea. “Since its founding in 2017, Berea Home Village has created a thriving, intergenerational community where aging adults receive the love, respect and support they deserve. By providing essential services that enable seniors to remain in their homes and fostering deep social connections, Berea Home Village addresses critical health inequities faced by older adults, particularly those who are economically disadvantaged and from minority populations. Their innovative approach to supporting and connecting seniors exemplifies the very essence of health justice, and we are proud to honor their remarkable contributions with this award.”

 Berea Home Village, has office space at Saint Joseph Berea. The community-based organization is a 2024 recipient of Saint Joseph Berea’s community health improvement grants.

 "Receiving the Lloyd H. Dean Award for Humankindness and Health Justice has been a significant milestone for the Berea Home Village family, said Katie Heckman, executive director. “CommonSpirit’s commitment to supporting our small nonprofit organization exemplifies a dedication to programs like ours, which aim to enhance the quality of life for underserved and vulnerable communities. By championing a grassroots organization that enables older residents of Berea to remain in their cherished homes with assistance from volunteers, CommonSpirit truly demonstrates its commitment to our mission.”

 In addition to recognizing Berea Home Village as a standout community partner, the summit served as a platform to share innovative ideas, best practices and successful programs that drive meaningful change in the health care industry. The event will offer opportunities for collaboration as participants explore new ways to integrate humankindness into the pursuit of health justice.

 CHI Saint Joseph Health and Saint Joseph Berea are part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people.

 For more information about the Humankindness and Health Justice Awards and the winners, please contact LloydDeanInstitute@commonspirit.org. To learn more about the summit, visit www.commonspirit.org/lloyd-dean-institute/summit-2024.