Stanford Medicine’s annual community investment, funding to support the health and wellness of the people who live and work nearby, topped $1.2 billion last year. In collaboration with a variety of local community programs, Stanford Medicine aided food security, access to care, mental and behavioral health services, and other core components of community wellness and economic stability. Stanford Medicine also invested in health professional education programs to help train the next generation of clinicians.

“Improving health requires more than excellent clinical care — it requires strong partnerships, deep community engagement and sustained investment in the well-being of our neighbors,” said David Entwistle, president and CEO of Stanford Health Care. “At Stanford Health Care, we are proud to work alongside community organizations to expand access to care, address the root causes of poor health and respond quickly in times of crisis. Together, we are helping build healthier, more resilient communities and creating opportunities for individuals and families to thrive.”

“With each year that passes, we deepen our commitment to increase health care access for children, mothers and families. Yet we understand that good health is influenced by economic stability — access to stable housing, healthy food, livable wages and higher education,” said Paul King, president and CEO of Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. “To address social determinants of health in our region, we have made economic stability a focus, exemplified by our increased support of nonprofits dedicated to providing a solid foundation for families, enabling them to reach their full potential.”

From Sept. 1, 2024, to Aug. 31, 2025, Stanford Health Care, Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley gave $1.29 billion in donations, funding a range of programs that serve individuals in the broader community.

Expanding access to care

Stanford Medicine provided substantial support to social service organizations dedicated to improving health outcomes and increasing access to care:

• Stanford Health Care invested $195,000 in the home health program Avenidas – Rose Kleiner Center, which provides intensive care coordination for low-income older adults with highly complex physical and mental health conditions. With this support the program was able to serve 124 individuals.
• Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley funded a grant to the nonprofit Axis Community Health to support a full-time licensed marriage and family therapist, increasing capacity, reducing wait times and improving access for uninsured Tri-Valley residents at the Axis Community Health clinical site. The investment enabled an additional 2,165 mental health visits.
• Stanford Medicine Children’s Health supported the Sonrisas oral health access program, which provides dental services to low-income families in San Mateo County. Sonrisas teaches schoolchildren how to care for their teeth and offers them dental screenings. Through a grant of $300,000 from Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, 434 children were served.

Boosting food and housing security

Social determinants of health such as food and housing security are a crucial part of supporting a healthier population.

• Stanford Medicine Children’s Health invested $300,000 to support Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, a food bank that provided healthy food to more than 128,800 individuals in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
• Through a donation of $100,000, Stanford Medicine Children’s Health bolstered the LifeMoves program, which provides interim housing, customized supportive services and access to resources for individuals experiencing homelessness. This donation served 1,642 people.
• Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley provided funding to Open Heart Food Bank, which helps redistribute food through Alameda County Community Food Bank. This helps provide food to the local food pantries of the Tri-Valley who serve food insecure clients, such as those from low-income backgrounds, unhoused people, people with disabilities and older adults living on fixed incomes.
• Stanford Health Care invested $500,000 in a pilot program called Destination Home, which is designed to help participants achieve housing stability and greater independence over their lives, finances and more. The program served 551 participants.
• With an investment of $350,000, Stanford Health Care provided 126,464 home-delivered meals to 474 individuals through the Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen Food Security program, which serves older adults who cannot leave their homes to shop or eat, cannot prepare meals for themselves at home, and lack a social support network. 

Providing economic stability

Building healthy communities requires more than delivering medical care; it means recognizing the myriad other factors that shape health, such as dismantling barriers to education and work opportunities, among other forms of economic stability.

• Stanford Health Care provided funding for a program called Senior Coastsiders: Creating an Age Friendly Coastside Community, which engages older adults in community-led planning to inform and design an “age friendly” community. Through the program, a total of 700 people were served. Services provided included home repairs and modifications to increase independence, safety and accessibility, as well support for physical, mental and social well-being.
• Stanford Medicine Children’s Health invested $75,000 in the Legal Aid of San Mateo County program, providing legal assistance and resources to 585 people.
• Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley provided funding to support case management services at Goodness Village, a local nonprofit that provides affordable permanent housing along with on-site mental health, substance use support and vocational programs. Goodness Village provides program participants the opportunity for a fresh start to permanently exit the cycle of chronic homelessness.

Other community support

Stanford Medicine Children’s Health invested in a variety of programs that support youth mental health and wellness, resulting in 28,104 youth receiving mental health services.

• Stanford Health Care awarded $3.92 million to local nonprofits, Federally Qualified Health Centers and community-based organizations.
• With more than $3 million in health professions education and workforce development investment, Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley provided hands-on training and real-world clinical experience in nursing, pharmacy and other career pathways. These programs expanded the local health care talent pipeline while giving students meaningful exposure to in-demand medical careers. 

Financial assistance and charity care

• Stanford Medicine invested more than $921 million in financial assistance, covering costs of medical services for patients enrolled in Medi-Cal and other government programs, as well as charity care (free or discounted medical services to patients who are unable to afford medical costs).