The Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) released the Impact Workforce Toolkit, a practical resource that captures a decade of learning on how health systems can use their hiring and workforce practices to create meaningful economic opportunity in their communities. The results are that community members get a fair shot at a good job with career pathways and health systems […]
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Flourishing communities thanks to anchor investing
Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) member Intermountain Health addresses structural issues through its place-based investing that “lead to people being integrated more fully and healthily into their community.” The Catholic Health Association of the U.S. article details the positive impacts of the investments in financing construction of permanently affordable homes through community land trusts, preserving affordable housing, and lending to people […]
Continue ReadingCommonSpirit Health’s $5 million investment builds childcare access
HAN member CommonSpirit Health’s Community Investment Program recently provided a $5 million bridge loan to Step By Step, a Washington State organization that supports new mothers overcoming trauma and poverty. The loan funded construction of The Barn, a 14,000 square foot early learning center that opened in March 2026 and serves 200 children. The investment came at […]
Continue ReadingHousing stability strengthens the workforce, economy, and overall community health
HAN member SSM Health is partnering with Dane Workforce Housing Fund II and Lake Ridge Bank to invest in the construction of The Bankston Apartments, an $11.2 million, 40-unit workforce housing development in downtown Madison, WI. The apartments will help address the city’s growing shortage of affordable housing, with 30 of the units slated for […]
Continue ReadingImpact Workforce Toolkit: Creating Economic Opportunity through Healthcare Career Pathways
The Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) has released the Impact Workforce Toolkit, a practical resource that captures a decade of learning on how health systems can use their hiring and workforce practices to create meaningful economic opportunity in their communities. The results are that community members get a fair shot at a good job with career pathways and […]
Continue ReadingPolicy Day 2026 Agenda
Policy Day 2026 Hero Banner Healthcare Anchor Network Policy Day 2026 Advance federal housing and workforce policies that support anchor mission strategies and expand economic opportunity 📅 Date April 22, 2026 ⏰ Time 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM 🌐 Format Hybrid Event Register In-Person Register Virtual View Speakers The Healthcare Anchor Network’s (HAN) Policy Day […]
Continue ReadingAnchor collaboratives & economic opportunity
Anchor collaboratives are a place-based network of anchor institutions that utilize an anchor mission framework in partnership with the community to promote strong local economies through increased economic opportunity, community development, and community wealth building. HAN member health systems continue to amplify their anchor mission strategies through anchor collaboratives. West Side United (WSU) is an anchor collaborative on Chicago’s West Side whose members include HAN […]
Continue ReadingMemorial Health
Memorial Health is one of the leading healthcare organizations in Illinois. Memorial Health is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides a full range of inpatient, outpatient, home health, hospice, behavioral health and primary care physician services. With numerous sites of care throughout central Illinois, we deliver high-quality, patient-centered care in support of our mission to […]
Continue ReadingLocal food ecosystem building
Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) member Trinity Health is working at the intersection of food production, economic development, and community cohesion—functioning as an anchor institution that circulates resources within a community. The Food is Medicine strategy entails the ownership and operation of multiple hospital-based farms in 25 states where it has hospitals and health services. The […]
Continue ReadingImpact Stories: Place-based Investing — CommonSpirit Health & Step By Step
Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) catalyzes its 70 member health systems to leverage their hiring, purchasing, investing, and other key institutional assets as part of an intentional, place-based strategy to maximize their community impact. When health systems commit to place-based investing, they redirect a portion of their investable assets toward investments that improve the health and […]
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