Thursday, April 24, 2025
4/24/2025
Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction - Project Sites: Gardner Specialty Service Center -160 E. Virginia, San Jose, CA CompreCare Health Center - 3030 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose, CA Gardner Health Center - 195 E. Virginia Street, San Jose, CA St. James Health Center - 55 E. Julian Street, San Jose, CA Project Director: Jorge Payan (669) 888-4966 jpayan@gfhn.org Funding Request: $1,200,000.00 Gardner Family Health Network, Inc. doing business as Gardner Health Services seeks to install solar panels at four health care facilities in California's 19th Congressional District, and island itself off the grid to reinvent its facilities as microgrids. Wildfires, declining power reliability, and PG&E rolling blackouts have caused vulnerability to its medical and mental health care facilities. Cinnamon Energy, a reputable Bay Area company specializing in solar solutions for healthcare facilities, is the project contractor. Upon full installation Gardner aims to increase access to clean, reliable and affordable energy sources. Objectives - 1- To create equitable access to energy in communities of color and under-resourced communities 2- Improve energy security for the organization's healthcare infrastructure including medication and vaccine security and preservation 3- Improve access to energy 4- Mitigate Climate Change 5- Build a stronger, more resilient operation to meet the needs of patients 6- Reduce operating costs 7- Advance economic development In healthcare, power means lives. During power outages, Gardner currently uses diesel generators to power its infrastructure, creating vulnerabilities to the system. Generator reliability is limited to a finite number of hours (4-6hrs). Diesel also has a higher environmental carbon footprint. Healthcare facilities utilizing renewables stand out from their peers for their commitment to community health and environmental stewardship. Converting to solar power can reduce each sites carbon emissions and have a positive effect on environmental health. Additionally, socially-driven businesses are adopting a triple-bottom-line approach to business that goes beyond measuring financial results to considering a company's effects on people, planet, and profits. This includes better community health, assistance in achieving green building certifications and, an enhanced reputation. Importantly, the installation of solar-powered micro grid systems will enable the sites to become fully self-sufficient, zero carbon facilities. It will be the first community health center in Santa Clara County to be a network of micro grid systems. Initially Gardner sought solar conversion to reduce operating costs across its medical and mental health facilities in Santa Clara County. However, as climate change has had devastating impacts in Northern California, including loss of lives due to fires, there is an urgency to convert as operations have fallen susceptible to PG&E blackouts. In 2019, fires and rolling black outs caused the executive team to direct the relocation of refrigerated medications and vaccines for preservation out of the CompreCare Health Center. Moreover, staff remained vigilant through the night over the status of the clinic's power and operations. Gardner's ability to deliver services impacts 750 patients daily and a workforce of 600. Solar energy will help meet the organization's energy needs and build a stronger, more resilient operation to meet the needs of patients while also achieving savings to the taxpayer funded health organization. Gardner's plan to abdicate dependency on the grid, minimizes impact to vulnerable communities during outages and disasters and creates a system that delivers equitable access to energy in communities of color. In addition, abdicating dependency on the grid, minimizes impact to these communities during outages and disasters. This project builds a path to resiliency for under-resourced communities.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).