Dan Tearno
There are 1.7 million poor in the U.S.*, who rely on the government-
sponsored Medicaid programme for their health care needs.
However, the access to and quality of the healthcare provided by
Medicaid are nowhere near that provided by private insurers in
private hospitals. Health disparities are the result, and they are
especially acute in urban communities.
HEINEKEN USA JOINS FIGHT TO ELIMINATE URBAN HEALTH DISPARITIES
'Following the success of Heineken's ground
breaking HIV initiative in Africa, we decided
to change our strategic philanthropy to
include urban health,' says Dan Tearno, Vice-
President Corporate Affairs of Heineken USA.
Pinnacle Strategic Partners Group, a con
sulting firm, organised a meeting between
Heineken USA and the Congressional Black
Caucus Foundation on the issue of eliminat
ing disparities in the quality of healthcare.
Together, they came up with the idea of
creating a fellowship in Congress that would
be funded by Heineken USA.
The Louis Stokes Urban Health Policy
Fellows Program is the result. It's a one-year
educational and leadership development
programme designed to address policy
issues causing healthcare disparities in urban
America. Heineken USA has committed a
total of US$250,000 over five years to the
Louis Stokes programme. This annual dona
tion of US$50,000 enables the Congressional
Black Caucus Foundation to hire one fellow
each year for five years to work on policy
and legislation designed to eliminate health
disparities.
'What we desire to achieve is that more
attention will be given to urban health issues
and their disparities,' Dan Tearno says.
'The programme brings additional expertise
to the position.'
The Advisory Board of the LouisStokes
programme and the executive leaders of the
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
together oversee the fellowship. Both Dan
Tearno and Ernest McFadden, Industry and
Government Affairs Manager South East
for Heineken USA, sit on the Advisory Board,
which also selects the candidate for the
fellowship.
As well as the fellowship in Washington, this
year's programme also includes the organi
sation of four local health forums in major
cities around the U.S., where Representatives
and others can hear from the people them
selves expressing their concerns about
access to and quality of healthcare.
Heineken USA helps sponsor these forums.
Source, Census Bureau 2002
Performance of Heineken world-wide
Number of operating companies with a policy for donation to charities
and non-commercial sponsorship 57
