December 2013 Issue

Over the past 30 years, Community Catalyst Founder and President Kate Villers has been a hands-on leader in developing both health advocacy philanthropy and a national consumer-based health reform movement rooted in states and communities. More than 200 friends and supporters gathered on December 3^rd in Boston to celebrate Community Catalyst’s 15^th Anniversary and honor Kate. At this milestone moment, we asked Kate to share some of her thoughts on the important role philanthropy plays in the health reform movement and future directions for both.

For supporters of the Affordable Care Act, October 1, 2013 was a long-awaited day. Finally, three years after passage of the law, enrollment in the state and federal Marketplaces opened nationwide. There was a jubilant feeling among the members of our consumer advocacy community.

Community Catalyst staff, advocates and funders reflect on our work over the past 15 years and look forward to issues on the horizon.

From helping to override a mayoral veto of legislation that will advance a paid sick days policy, to working with private corporations to expand an early-childhood education program, to getting a commitment from a national company to remove criminal record questions from initial job applications, 2013 has been a banner year for the Roadmaps to Health Community Grantees.