The anchor mission is a place-based ethos and intentional values-driven approach to leveraging the assets of health systems and other mission-driven, large employers, to strengthen their local economies and improve economic mobility for low-income individuals and families. This collaborative common-sense strategy, which could include multiple anchors working together to scale impact, fosters resilience and delivers mutual benefits for communities, employees, and patients.
The anchor mission framework helps connect and align many organizational priorities around social impact, such as community benefit, ESG, and environmental sustainability efforts, but it is a broader strategy than any one of those priorities. It is a powerful tool for helping organizations think innovatively and creatively for how they can meaningfully impact root cause inequities in their communities that drive community health disparities through building community wealth and creating economic mobility.
HAN member health systems’ efforts to drive inclusive, economic development, and create economic opportunity is more important than ever given the recent Executive Orders and looming federal budget cuts to programs for low-income families. The dedication to the anchor mission and addressing systemic challenges is making and will continue to make a profound difference to creating healthy, thriving communities.
– David Zuckerman, President & Founder, Healthcare Anchor Network