GlaxoSmithKline Honored Three Philadelphia Area Nonprofits with $40,000 Award

DOYLESTOWN, PA, December 19, 2010 (Press-News.org) GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, hosted its 14th Annual IMPACT Awards Ceremony on Monday, December 13, 2010. During the event, GlaxoSmithKline Senior Vice President and Corporate Medical Director,
Robert W. Carr, MD, MPH recognized Birth Care & Family Health Services of Bart, Pa., Maternal and Child Health Consortium of Chester County, Inc. of West Chester, Pa., and South Jersey Eye Center of Camden, N.J. each with an award of $40,000 for providing access to proactive and effective healthcare services in their communities.

"I believe that Margaret Mead said it best, 'A small group of thoughtful people can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has,'" said Mary Linda Andrews, GlaxoSmithKline Director, Community Partnerships. "These organizations are leaders, pioneers and role models and are all deeply committed to their communities and constituents. Individually, the work of these organizations helps people with often complex needs. Collectively, their efforts epitomize what can be accomplished by people with passion."

Birth Care & Family Health Services is Pennsylvania's first and oldest freestanding birth center. The center was established in 1978 to provide safe and sensitive midwifery care to families within the community, regardless of ability to pay. They celebrated a milestone this year with the delivery of their 5,000th baby. Birth Care's core services are prenatal care and natural childbirth for low risk women and comprehensive gynaecological care for women of all ages. Birth Care believes that successful health care is a partnership between each woman and her caregivers, and that health encompasses emotional and spiritual well-being together with physical health. The center has a strong focus on wellness counselling, health education, and the use of natural and complimentary therapies.

Maternal and Child Health Consortium (MCHC) of Chester County is a countywide organization working to increase access to health, social, and educational services for low-income families. MCHC's bilingual, bicultural staff help reduce the roadblocks to healthcare that a growing number of Chester County families face, including language barriers, lack of health coverage, and limited public transportation. MCHC offers culturally-sensitive health education, linkages to vital resources, and support to help families ensure that their children have the opportunity to start healthy, stay healthy, and succeed in school.

The South Jersey Eye Center's mission is to reduce vision impairment by providing high quality comprehensive eye health and vision care and to raise the awareness of eye health. It is the only facility of its kind in New Jersey completely dedicated to providing high quality comprehensive free and low cost eye health and vision care to needy, poor, low and moderate income, uninsured and underinsured residents of Camden City and the Southern New Jersey region.

About GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards

Every year the GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards acknowledge, highlight and reward nonprofit organizations that have a significant impact on their communities and are accomplished, proactive and effective in their work. GlaxoSmithKline's IMPACT Awards represent and support Innovation, Management, Partnership, Achievement, Community focus and the Targeting of needs within community-based healthcare organizations. Nonprofits that exemplify the IMPACT Awards criteria continue to provide quality, accessible healthcare to their communities despite their financial and resource limitations. Winners in previous years include organizations that provide medical and dental care for the underserved, pediatric therapy and counseling services, and disease prevention programs for high-risk populations.

GlaxoSmithKline will be accepting award applications for the GlaxoSmithKline 15th Annual IMPACT Award beginning in January 2011. In order to qualify, applicants must provide access to community healthcare services (primary mission) in the Pennsylvania counties of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Philadelphia and the City of Camden, New Jersey; have annual total operating expenses between $160,000 and $3 million, as documented in the organization's most recent fiscal year financial statement; and have been in existence as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for at least five years. A panel of local and national healthcare delivery experts and GlaxoSmithKline representatives will determine the winners based on a strong demonstration of ongoing success in providing access to healthcare; commitment to serving people in need; facilitation of healthcare delivery, substantive partnerships; policy development; and a solid record of achievement, management and leadership. For more details on the GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards, visit http://www.gsk-us.com and click "Our work with communities," then click "Health programs," then click "Awards," or call the GlaxoSmithKline Office of Community Partnerships at 215-751-5171.

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