The American Cancer Society Launches New Addressing Barriers to Care Grant Program to Expand Social Needs Support for People with Cancer

ATLANTA, April 30, 2024 - The American Cancer Society 's new Addressing Barriers to Care grant program recently awarded a total of $500,000 to fund 15 community organizations providing services that address food security and nutrition, physical activity opportunities, education, social isolation, financial stability, job security, education and responsibility for dependents. These challenges are among health-related social needs that can directly impact the lives of cancer patients. The American Cancer Society launched the new funding initiative to complement its existing programs and grants focused on removing treatment barriers connected to transportation and lodging.

The 2024 ABC grantees include:

• Advocates for Community Wellness (A4CW) - Chicago, IL
• Alliance Community Services - Murray, UT
• Cancer Kinship - Newport Beach, CA
• Cancer Legal Care - Oakdale, MN
• Cheeky Charity Inc - Mount Kisco, NY
• Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment, Inc. (COPE) - Gallup, NM
• FeedMore Western New York Inc - Buffalo, NY
• Hope Cancer Resources - Springdale, AK
• Institute for Research and Education in Family Medicine (IFM Community Medicine) - St. Louis, MO
• Miles Perret Cancer Services - Lafayette, LA
• Feeding Southwest Virginia - Salem, VA
• S.L.E.W. Inc./SLEW Cancer Wellness Center (Support Lending for Emotional Well-being) - San Antonio, TX
• The Resurrection Project - Chicago, IL
• Us vs. Cancer (UVSC) - Makawao, HI
• Vital Access Care Foundation - Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation - Fountain Valley, CA

The American Cancer Society is committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. This commitment drives the organization's work to improve cancer outcomes by addressing barriers to care through direct patient support services and providing grant funding that helps health systems provide transportation and lodging assistance to patients during cancer treatment. Cancer outcomes are also impacted by a patient's quality of life. There is a demonstrated need to improve access to the non-medical needs of cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and families. For example, according to a January 2024 ACS CAN Survivor Views Survey, 40 percent of cancer patients and survivors experience some degree of food or nutrition insecurity, and according to American Cancer Society researchers, more than one in five patients with cancer in the United States struggles to meet at least one basic need. These material hardships are associated with delays in treatment, greater distress, financial toxicity, and a higher risk of relapse and death. To help community organizations more comprehensively impact these issues, the American Cancer Society launched the new Addressing Barriers to Care grant program in 2024 to assist in supporting the health-related social needs of cancer patients, caregivers and families on the grassroots level.

"Gaps in the basic needs of people with cancer and their families can directly impact a patient's health outcomes," said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. "From housing to food insecurity to social isolation, the new Addressing Barriers to Care grant program is meant to help provide the funding community organizations need to offer important services and support. "

The American Cancer Society believes all people should have a fair and just opportunity to live a longer, healthier life free from cancer regardless of how much money they make, skin color, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or where they live. In addition to providing funding to health systems and organizations, the American Cancer Society offers a Road To Recovery program that provides free rides to and from treatment and over 30 Hope Lodge communities that provide a free place to stay during treatment.

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About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 100 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.