Southern Health Advocates Foster Southern Health Progress

Alabama Arise, founded in 1994, is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of 150 congregations and community groups and some 1,400 individuals united in their belief that low-income people are suffering because of state policy decisions. Through Arise, groups and individuals join to gether to promote state policies that improve the lives of low-income Alabamians.

The mission of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is to ensure that all children and their families have the resources and opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives and to realize their full potential. Their mission is to serve as a voice for children at the Arkansas State Capitol and in Washington, D.C.; gather and analyze data to support public policy that serves all children and families; organize coalitions of diverse groups to drive change.

Florida CHAIN is a statewide consumer health advocacy organization dedicated to improving the health of all Floridians by promoting access to affordable, quality health care. Florida CHAIN fulfills the critical role of building the capacities for and linking consumer, community and service organizations with health care advocacy. They provide policy education, collaborative networking, training, and communications and organizing tools to the public, allied partners, media and policy makers.

The Georgia Budget & Policy Institute is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that strives to raise the level of public policy debate in the state of Georgia.

Georgia Equality’s mission is to advance fairness, safety and opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and our allies throughout the state.

Georgia Watch works to protect Georgia families by developing pro-consumer policies and advocating for Georgians at the state Capitol and the Public Service Commission. We also conduct consumer protection workshops across the state, providing much needed education and assistance.

Georgians for a Healthy Future's mission is to build and mobilize a unified voice, vision, and leadership to achieve a healthy future for all Georgians. They provide a strong voice for Georgia consumers and communities on the health care issues and decisions that impact their lives.

Kentucky Equal Justice Center is a non-profit poverty law advocacy center.

Kentucky Voices for Health is a coalition of concerned Kentuckians who believe that the best health care solutions are found when everyone works together to build them. Right now, families and businesses in every county are facing rising costs, and too many of us go without needed health care. Healthy families create healthy economies, and a healthy Kentucky economy is something all Kentuckians want. Therefore, Kentucky Voices for Health is working step by step to build a healthier Kentucky for everyone.  

The Louisiana Budget Project, in partnership with Louisiana Community Health Outreach Network (LACHON) and Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center (SWLAHEC) will lead an effort to raise public awareness about the roles and benefits of community health workers, who serve a vital and under-appreciated role in addressing social determinants of health in Louisiana. Deeply embedded in their communities, these public health professionals help connect people in underserved areas with health care services and other community supports. The campaign will build political power and advocacy skills among community health workers and work to include community health workers as a covered benefit in the Medicaid program.

The Louisiana Consumer Healthcare Coalition works for the creation of a consumer-centered health care system that provides comprehensive, affordable, accessible, culturally competent, high quality care and consumer education for everyone, especially the most vulnerable. We work to achieve this through multi-disciplinary, collaborative efforts in public policy, advocacy, education and service to consumers in Louisiana.

Mississippi Center for Justice is a nonprofit, public interest law firm committed to advancing racial and economic justice.

The Mississippi Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) strives to be a strong, effective voice for improved health care for all throughout the state of Mississippi, especially those whose health is threatened by poverty, racism, malnutrition and violence. MHAP will work with communities to identify health needs and formulate strategies for change, and will research, analyze, propose and promote policies that will enhance the health status of every person, regardless of financial status.

As a leading progressive research and advocacy organization, North Carolina Justice Center's mission is to eliminate poverty in North Carolina by ensuring that every household in the state has access to the resources, services and fair treatment it needs to achieve economic security. 

Palmetto Project's mission is to identify innovative solutions to social and economic challenges facing our state, and put them into action. Palmetto Project looks at others states and communities that have been successful, and learn from them. Through special partnerships with governments, businesses, civic groups, schools, and religious organizations, they then go to work, applying the lessons they have learned and the strategies they’ve discovered to the ongoing work of community-building in our own state.

South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center fights for low income South Carolinians to overcome social, economic and legal injustice.

Tennessee Healthcare Campaign is the state's premier nonprofit consumer health care advocacy group and a leader in the health care justice movement. Our mission for everyone to have guaranteed affordable choices in health care began in 1989.

Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) seeks justice for Tennessee’s vulnerable populations through the courts, in administrative proceedings and before legislative bodies. TJC addresses needs not met by any other agency and supports the work of other advocates for equal justice under law, both in Tennessee and beyond. We provide technical assistance to client groups, consumer advocacy coalitions and other social service agencies. The media and policymakers frequently rely upon TJC as a source of accurate and reliable information and analysis on legal matters and on public policies affecting the poor.

Center for Public Policy Priorities was born from faith and a vision of social justice in 1985 when a Congregation of Benedictine Sisters in Boerne, Texas, founded the center to improve health care access for the poor. 

Lesbian Health Initiative of Houston, Inc. (LHI) is a nonprofit dedicated  to eliminating barriers to healthcare and promoting health and wellness for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)-identified women and transgender men through collaborative and integrated Education, Access and Advocacy programs. 

The Texas Impact Education Fund and its partners will use their grant funding to help end the cycle of payday debt rife in Texas.

The Commonwealth Institute works to use policy research and analysis to advance the well-being of Virginia communities, and improve the economic security and social opportunities of all Virginians. 

Virginia Consumer Voices for Healthcare (VCV) is Virginia’s multi-constituency consumer coalition focused on the expansion and improvement of health care in the state. The goal of Virginia Consumer Voices is to build and sustain a broad-based consumer-focused coalition which includes patients, community and religious organizations, small businesses, organized labor, community health centers, and advocacy organizations to support the expansion and improvement of health care in Virginia.

Virginia Interfaith Center works to empower Virginians to create social justice for all by advocating for systemic change. 

Virginia Organizing, CASA, the Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC), and The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (TCI), will focus their efforts statewide, tackling the longstanding issue of access to quality, affordable health care for communities of color and immigrant residents, regardless of immigration status. The coalition will organize campaigns with strategic partners in an effort to build consensus and support for unified recommendations to policymakers. Through these efforts, the coalition will be able to build power with directly affected Virginians to influence changes that affect community members and their families.

The Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) is a non-profit organization that serves Virginia's legal aid system by providing advocacy, training, and litigation support on civil justice issues that affect low-income Virginians.