What's Happening

March 21, 2016, Torrance, California – Providence Health and Services, Southern California – where Sister Nancy Jurecki, OP, ministers as chief mission integration officer – recently received the Mission Leadership Award for its newly founded Wellness Center in the underserved Los Angeles port neighborhood of Wilmington, California. 

The award recognizes programs and services in the Providence health care system that demonstrate “extraordinary community-focused service.” Some 13 outreach programs were nominated for this award from the five western states served by Providence: Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. 

The Wellness Center brings a range of services to this low-income community: diabetes self-management, summer camps for children, Aztec dance classes, physical activity programs for people of all ages, grief support groups, guidance in health insurance enrollment, and home visit programs to families of newborns. The center opened in late 2014.

“This project required the creativity, hard work, and commitment of many people, and the success is tremendous,” Sister Nancy said. “The Wellness Center exemplifies our core strategy – Creating Healthier Communities, Together – by working with our community partners to identify community needs and collaborate to create solutions.” 

For more information on the Center – and to hear Wilmington residents speak of the impact that the Center has had on their lives, view this video.