Petaluma Valley Community Health Committee Awards $830,000 in Grants to Local Southern Sonoma County Agencies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PETALUMA, Calif., July 14, 2025 — The Petaluma Valley Community Health Committee has selected 14 agencies that serve Petaluma and southern Sonoma County to receive funds in support of essential programs and initiatives to improve health. A total of $830,000 will be disbursed to these agencies to help address some of the community’s most pressing needs, including behavioral health, older adult health and well-being, homelessness and housing instability, and access to health and dental services.
The agencies receiving these funds are: Committee on the Shelterless (COTS), Café Puente, Circuit Rider Community Services, Operation Access, The Living Room, Rebuilding Together Petaluma, Buckelew Programs, On the Margins, YWCA Sonoma County, Food for Thought, Petaluma People Services Center, Mothers Care, Ceres Community Project, and Generation Housing.
Funding decisions were made by the newly formed Petaluma Valley Community Health Committee, a collaborative effort between the Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation (Healthy Petaluma) and Petaluma Valley Hospital, which is owned and operated by Providence. As part of the agreement to purchase Petaluma Valley Hospital in 2021, Providence agreed to provide a net community benefit investment of at least $700,000 per year through 2030. In a new agreement with Healthy Petaluma, Providence committed to enhancing this community benefit investment in Petaluma by an additional $2.4 million through 2030. The Community Health Committee, consisting of representatives from both organizations, works to determine how best to direct these funds.
“Healthy Petaluma is committed to expanding access to vital services in southern Sonoma County, and this funding, made possible through a contractual agreement with Providence, helps ensure ongoing investment in our community’s health,” said Ramona Faith, CEO of Healthy Petaluma. “We appreciate the collaborative process to meet community needs. Our role in southern Sonoma County is to advocate for health equity and ensure local access to services, which is why we secured these funds for Petaluma and are steadfastly committed to working with Providence on how to best disburse them.”
The grants announced this week are in addition to the $200,000 that Providence has already dedicated this year to Petaluma’s Blue Zones Project, which seeks to support the health and welfare of the community by promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing healthcare costs. Healthy Petaluma brought Blue Zones to Petaluma in 2023.
“It’s our privilege to work with Healthy Petaluma to support vital services in southern Sonoma County,” said Garry Olney, chief executive for Providence Northern California. “We believe that better health extends far beyond the walls of our hospitals and medical offices. It starts with the work of community agencies and programs, and it’s our steadfast commitment to support this important work where we can.”
About Providence
Providence is a not-for-profit network of hospitals, physicians, clinics, home health services, and affiliated health services. We strive to give those we serve exceptional, compassionate health care that provides peace of mind. Together, our 122,000 caregivers (all employees) serve in 51 hospitals, 1,000 clinics and a comprehensive range of health and social services across Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington. For more information, visit www.providence.org.
About Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation
Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation (formerly Petaluma Health Care District) is a community-owned and -operated agency comprising a special district and a 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all members of southern Sonoma County. Its vision is a healthier community with equitable access to comprehensive health and wellness services. The district has ensured access to local acute care and emergency services and has served southern Sonoma County’s health and wellness needs since 1946. For more information, visit healthypetaluma.org and follow Healthy Petaluma on Facebook and Instagram.