Ilana Glazer, HASA
iglazer@hasa.org Audria Belton, Truist
media@truist.com
HASA received a $30,000 Grant from Truist for COVID-19 Relief Efforts Baltimore, Maryland.
Baltimore, Maryland, April 29, 2020 – HASA today announced it received a $30,000 grant from Truist Financial Corporation to support HASA’s Charitable Care program, specific to our tele-therapy initiative launched in response to the global pandemic. HASA is uniquely positioned to support children and families and the older adult population during these times at which both groups are vulnerable. HASA is the only consistently affordable option for low-income individuals who need audiology, speech-therapy, and/or occupational therapy services. In FY2019 HASA served 1,550 unique low-income individuals, representing more than 64% of our total client population. The majority of these 1,550 individuals have Medicaid. On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, Governor Larry Hogan signed emergency legislation approving Maryland Medicaid funding for tele-health services. Prior to this date, Medicaid funding was not available for tele-health. For that reason, HASA did not have a large tele-health program- with only two of our providers intermittently using tele-medicine platforms for services delivery with clients who could afford to pay for full-fee services. With the change in legislation, we began developing a tele-therapy program, anticipating that the school closures and recommendations from public officials to implement social distancing would extend past the initial 3/27/2020 date. The Truist grant will provide a comprehensive, ethical, and compliant tele-therapy program that will increase the capacity and sustainability of our service model to allow HASA to serve our community and most vulnerable populations during this public health crisis and beyond.
The grant is part of the financial services company’s Truist Cares initiative, a $25 million philanthropic pledge announced in March to support basic needs, medical supplies, and financial hardship relief due to COVID-19.
“HASA is fortunate to have a compassionate and supportive banking partner in Truist; a partner who understands the value of strong community relationships, thriving communities, and philanthropy”. – Erin Stauder, CEO/Executive Director, HASA
“HASA is delivering critical tele-health services during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing vital connections at a time when effective communication, the ability to understand, and the ability to be understood are more important than ever. As a First Vice President at Truist and two-term Board member of HASA, I’m pleased that Truist was able to recognize the work HASA is doing in the Baltimore community with this grant”. – Amanda Adams, CTP, First Vice President, Treasury Solutions Consultant, Truist
About HASA
HASA is a Baltimore-City based non-profit speech and hearing center- the only one within our 35-mile radius. HASA is the only consistently affordable option for low-income individuals who need audiology, speech therapy, and/or occupational therapy services. HASA was founded in 1926 and provides services well beyond hearing health, including education, inclusion, language access, and speech and language programs to people throughout the lifespan. HASA’s mission is to connect people to their worlds because we believe in a society where everyone understands and can be understood. HASA provides services to approximately 4,500 individuals per year, regardless of their ability to pay.
About Truist
Truist Financial Corporation is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspire and build better lives and communities. With 275 years of combined BB&T and SunTrust history, Truist serves approximately 10 million households with leading market share in many high-growth markets in the country. The company offers a wide range of services including retail, small business and commercial banking; asset management; capital markets; commercial real estate; corporate and institutional banking; insurance; mortgage; payments; specialized lending and wealth management. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Truist is the sixth-largest commercial bank in the U.S. Truist Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at Truist.com.
# # #