NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / January 13, 2026 / For many in under-resourced communities, barriers such as unreliable transportation, language, insufficient insurance coverage and limited access to trusted information often put basic healthcare out of reach. These challenges can lead to preventable risks and unmanaged chronic conditions, widening the gap in community health.
"Navigating the healthcare system can be complicated," says Liz Gardner, executive director of the DaVita Giving Foundation.
Working to close that gap, DaVita has acted as a convener - uniting purpose-driven organizations like the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the YMCA and Bridge of Life to execute the Community Health Experience. This initiative was designed to meet people where they are and brought no-cost health screenings and practical, straight-forward educational resources directly to trusted neighborhood hubs in Orlando, Houston and Los Angeles throughout 2025.
A Unified Approach to Community Health
The strength of this initiative lies in its coordinated effort. By aligning with organizations that have local and cultural roots, the Community Health Experience created a welcoming and familiar environment that fostered connection.
"A lot of times people don't know where to turn," adds Anita Dominguez, executive director for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Southern California.
Collaboration with local nonprofit organizations helped to create a sense of community and connection with participants. Events were held in familiar, trusted spaces to make the first step towards improved health management both convenient and approachable, and resources were offered in multiple languages to foster understanding and personalization.
"We can't do it alone," Dominguez explains. "Working with DaVita allows us to bring care directly into the community. Together, we can guide people to the support they need."
Leveraging their collective knowledge and close collaboration, the organizations create a broad, effective network of care that attracted more than 1,100 community members across the three cities to attend and learn more about their health.
This unified approach delivers comprehensive support for interconnected conditions like diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease - all within one coordinated effort. That coordination opens a critical window of opportunity: the chance to identify health concerns early and keep them on a manageable path.
Empowering Kidney Health: Proactive, Preventive Care
Early detection is the first critical step in helping prevent chronic diseases.
"Providing early detection can give people simple steps to change their lifestyle, to better manage their medication, little things that ultimately can have a long-term impact on someone's overall health," explains Gardner.
Screenings at the Community Health Experience events helped individuals understand their well-being, including risk factors that could affect their kidney health:1
69% of community members had results suggesting a chronic disease
66% had high blood pressure
7% had diabetes
12% had chronic kidney disease2
Participants received personalized, culturally relevant guidance from healthcare professionals who understand their language and communities. These individualized conversations supported people to know the steps they can take to care for themselves.
By creating awareness and offering resources, DaVita and collaborating organizations were able to help people plan for their next actions in managing their health: 35% of people screened said they planned to follow up with a doctor to talk more about their screening results.
"The earlier we can start to get people thinking about their health, the better," says Warren Yon, executive director for the YMCA of Central Florida.
Behind the increased awareness and resources, lies a broader force driving actions and this initiative forward: the trust built through local-level engagement.
Learn more about the Community Health Experience here.
1 The stats represent 1,032 community members screened during the Community Health Experience events from August 14 through October 10, 2025.
2 Stat represents CKD3a and above.
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SOURCE: DaVita
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/community-health-experience-davita-and-collaborators-are-bringing-hea-1126672
