In 2017 the California Endowment took part in the CBS EcoMedia Wellness Advertising Program. EcoMedia's groundbreaking programs channel a portion of brands' ad-spends on CBS broadcast or digital media to fund critical education, environmental, veterans' and wellness projects by some of America's most effective nonprofits. In this case, that nonprofit was the LGBT Center of Orange County in Southern California.
The funding from the California Endowment and CBS EcoMedia was granted to support the development of the LGBT Center of Orange County's Immigrant Youth Health Care Access Project. CBS EcoMedia also created a PSA to help shine a light on the crucial work of the LGBT Center of Orange County — and to inspire the local LGBTQ community of Southern California to utilize the Center's services for healthier, happier lives.
As a moving declaration to lead full and healthy lives — thanks to vital health resources at the LGBT Center of Orange County — the PSA in this campaign aims to encourage young people within the LGBT community to use the Center as a resource. It also aligns with the California Endowment's #Health4All campaign — which makes it the perfect video to be shared on social media, and internally within the LGBT Center of Orange County, to encourage wellness and healthy living among Southern California's LGBTQ community.
The overall collaboration between CBS EcoMedia, the California Endowment and the LGBT Center of Orange County will ultimately serve more than 1,000 people in Orange County. It also engaged an additional 25 volunteers who will offer around 250 hours of support to their community.
The LGBT Center of Orange County says this project has also facilitated its ability to quickly engage in comprehensive outreach and enrollment activities that connect the nonprofit's immigrant community to Medi-Cal in the following ways:
— This PSA helped create a welcoming space for LGBTQ undocumented youth to ask for help, enroll in Medi-Cal, and access health care services.
— This PSA encouraged more LGBTQ youth to take part in "Know Your Rights" training workshops. Youth leaders who helped to develop this campaign specifically wanted to address a lack of awareness in schools and in their community about LGBTQ student rights and related CA laws.
— This PSA increased the number of LGBTQ youth who understand the opportunities available to them and the number of young people who access those resources.
