Molinalogo

11/03/2016

Molina Healthcare of Washington recently recognized seven outstanding local residents at the 8th annual Community Champions Awards Ceremony located at the Renton Pavilion. Each community champion was nominated by a community-based organization. Additionally, each recipient received a $1,000 grant to give to a nonprofit of their choosing.

Washington's Community Champions were:

• Ahmed Ali Adbdille, Renton – is a pharmacist and also the executive director of the Somali Health Board. His goal is to show young refugees what career opportunities are out there in the health care industry.


• Yami Cazorla-Lancaster, Yakima – is affectionately known in her community as Dr. Yami. She goes above and beyond for her patients with house calls in the middle of the night, as well as extended appointment times. In addition, she also created a website for anyone who wants tips, recipes and videos surrounding plant-based nutrition for children, veggiefitkids.com


• Bridgette Hempstead, Seattle – Bridgette founded Cierra Sisters after she was personally diagnosed at a young age. She found that many members of the African American community were fearful of mammograms or did not think they were necessary.


• Jessica Kovac, Spokane – has created Blessings Under the Bridge, which serves more than 300 homeless men, women and children every week with a full catered meal. Not only does she provide meals to those less fortunate, but she also works to find clothing and school supplies to families in need.


• Mike Mowat, Tacoma – created a mobile food bank that could serve more households with fewer expenses and resources. He wanted to make sure that the experience for those he was serving with this mobile food bank was similar to that which other brick and mortar FISH Food Banks offered.


• Miriam Vargas, Everett – took her 1994 Honda Accord and started offering driving classes to women who wanted to learn how to drive and obtain their driver's license. In addition to teaching low income women around Everett how to drive, Miriam volunteers at Lutheran Community Service Familias Unidas and is a Community Health Worker.


• Mary Jo Ybarra-Vega, Quincy – applies her service well beyond the important work she does at the Quincy Community Health Center as an outreach and behavioral health coordinator. Mary Jo works tirelessly - partnering with schools, churches, county agencies, state colleges and universities and the Department of Health to connect people with the resources they need.

Established to honor the memory of Dr. Molina, our Community Champions program spotlights the good deeds of everyday heroes in their communities. The Molina Healthcare Community Champions Awards event was first held in Sacramento in 2006.