Last year, as part of our ongoing commitment to help rebuild communities devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we again organized 60 volunteer employees and physicians to participate in community-based recovery and rebuilding efforts along the Gulf Coast. Volunteers from each of our regions served more than a two-week period in the New Orleans, Louisiana and Biloxi, Mississippi areas.

In 2009, for the third year, we sent 60 volunteer employees and physicians to participate in community-based recovery and rebuilding efforts along the Gulf Coast.

Bringing a wide variety of skills, the volunteers worked on numerous projects, including painting murals, building a greenhouse at a local high school, repairing homes, and helping with environmental restoration projects. According to the HandsOn Network/Points of Light Institute, this is the longest-running corporate commitment that they are aware of in the region.

In 1983, the federal government honored the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King by making his birthday a national holiday. At Kaiser Permanente, we encourage our employees to go one step further. Instead of taking a day off, we ask them to make it a day on by providing service to their communities, and they respond enthusiastically.

In 2009, nearly 5,000 employees and physicians throughout Kaiser Permanente dedicated their time and talent to help people in underserved and low-income communities.

They helped build houses for low-income families in California, collected warm coats for the homeless in Washington, D.C., provided health education and screenings to the underserved in Colorado, and cleaned and painted a YMCA facility in Georgia. These are just a few examples. Across the country, there were hundreds of helpful projects.

Named in honor of David Lawrence, MD, former CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals and lifelong advocate of improving health, our community service awards recognize individuals and groups that have demonstrated extraordinary efforts to improve the health of our communities. These awards honor exemplary service and inspire others to engage in community service.

The 2009 David Lawrence Community Service award winners are:

Individual awards

Joseph Phaneuf, MD, Northern California: Founder of Ashland Free Medical Clinic, a Northern California safety net provider.

Robin Thompson, RN, Mid-Atlantic States: Founder of The Art of Driving, a program that teaches driver safety to teens and their parents.

Anthony Rossi, Mid-Atlantic States: Cofounder and board chair of Student Emergency Medical Services Foundation, Boulder, Colorado, and cofounder and board chair of Health Outreach for Latin America Foundation.

Brian Mahon, Northwest: Creator of the Cascade Cancer Challenge, an annual mountain climbing event to raise awareness of the importance of cancer prevention.

Belva Denmark-Tibbs, vice president, Medical Operations, Ohio: For her work with the Diversified Health Occupations program, the Inroads program for college students of color, and the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.

Ronald Holt, DO, MPA, Northern California: For his work as an educator, coach, and advocate for college audiences on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues.

Andrew Hwang, MD, Northern California: Cofounder, board member, and volunteer for the Silicon Valley Christian Health Alliance, which provides free medical and dental services to homeless and recovering drug-addicted clients.

Jennifer Black, MD, PIC for Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Southern California: For her role in increasing the number of hospices in Kern County from two to five.

Delilah Peppers, RN, Northern California: For assisting 60 people each month at the Wellspring Women’s Center in Sacramento.

Nearly 5,000 employees and physicians throughout Kaiser Permanente dedicated their time and talent to help people in underserved and low-income communities on Martin Luther King Day of Service.

Group awards

Educational Outreach Program, Southern California: This program addresses major social determinants of health, including obesity prevention. The program’s efforts over the last three years have helped lower obesity rates in the Baldwin Hills School District area by 14 percent.

SF Bilingual Chinese Module, Northern California: This growing team provides exemplary culturally competent care, including health education and prevention services. They conduct bilingual health education programs in Cantonese and Mandarin and offer day-long health screenings.

California Claim Administration and Member Services Community Service Team, Southern California: Since its inception in mid-2007, 28 events organized by this group have helped over 24,100 people and have involved an impressive 48,633 hours and 1,858 volunteers in multiple activities.

Woodland Hills Family Residency Program, Southern California: This program grew out of initial service to a school-based clinic 10 years ago. Some of the services it provides include sexually transmitted disease checks for students (in collaboration with El Proyecto del Barrio), primary care, and football sports physicals. The program has served more than 9,000 patients.

Serotonin Surge Charities, Northern California: Over the past 11 years, this all-volunteer effort has grown from one small fundraiser to involve more than 80 volunteers. The group has raised approximately $1.1 million for 17 safety net clinics, breast cancer research, and educational scholarships.