URBAN HEALTH PLAN, INC.

¡ Que orgullo! Reposting with so much pride! Marlene Cintron, Carmen Gomez, and UHP’s own Paloma Hernandez three extraordinary women who have dedicated their lives to uplifting the Bronx, breaking barriers, and transforming the lives of countless people in our communities! This photo is an absolute treasure!

Last night, our President and CEO, Paloma Hernandez, was honored with the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award at the East Harlem Council for Human Services, Inc.'s 61st Annual Gala, held at Capitale in New York City. Paloma has dedicated her career to enhancing access to high-quality, affordable health care and fiercely advocating for health equity for the most underserved communities. A visionary and respected thought leader, she has built UHP into one of the largest community health care systems in NYS, now serving more than 90,000 individuals each year across 13 clinical sites in the Bronx, Central Harlem, and Corona, Queens. We are also grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the East Harlem Council for Human Services and the tremendous work of their CEO, Adam Aponte, MD, MSc, FAAP. Since 1965, this extraordinary organization has been delivering bilingual health and human services to East Harlem and surrounding communities with unwavering commitment and compassion. Their work, including the Boriken Neighborhood Health Center, the East Harlem Bilingual Head Start, and school-based health programs, is a lifeline for thousands of families! Congratulations to all of last night's honorees. Together, we are building a healthier, more equitable future for the communities that mean so much to us. ¡Con corazón y comunidad!

Yesterday, we gathered for the 18th Annual Gil Lieberman Golf Outing, and it was a day we will not soon forget. This event is held in loving memory of Gil Lieberman, a dear friend of our President and CEO, Paloma Hernandez, and longtime champion of Urban Health Plan, whose generosity, warmth, and commitment helped build this tradition into what it is today. This year's outing brought a moment that reminded every person in the room exactly why we do this. Justice Kumi, a graduate of the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter School (Class of 2024) and current nursing student at Binghamton University, took the podium to share what his scholarship from the Gil Lieberman Golf Outing, made possible through the Foundation for Urban Health and Wellbeing, has meant to his education and his future. His words were moving, heartfelt, and a powerful reminder that every dollar raised here changes a life! All proceeds from this event support scholarships for students at the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School, where many are preparing for careers in health and science, and are the first in their families to attend college, and UHP's Food Distribution Program, which has delivered over 350,000 pounds of healthy food to neighbors facing food insecurity. We are deeply grateful to this year's generous sponsors: BioReference, JATE INC., Henry Schein, DEC Office Solutions, Inc., Montefiore Health System Einstein Healthcare Network, CAM Energy, AIMES, Medalliance, Cicero Consulting Group, MILLBROOK PROPERTIES LIMITED, Galaxy Advanced General Contracting LLC. , Orange Bank & Trust Company, ComplyAssistant, U.S. Financial Services, Pisacano Eye Surgery, Planned Retirement Consultants & Administrators, LLC, MetroPlusHealth , VNS Health, CenterLight Health System, Land Appliance, RevCare Analytics, and Royal Care. And of course, a very special thank you to the entire Lieberman family, and one very special one to our friend, Jason Lieberman, whose dedication, leadership, and heart make this event possible year after year. Jason, you honor your father's legacy in every way! #UHP4HealthierLives

Today, our President and CEO, Paloma Hernandez was honored to be part of a truly special moment in Hunts Point. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the city's second NYC Groceries store, coming to La Peninsula right here in the South Bronx. He was joined by Deputy Mayor Helen Arteaga PhD and Bronx Borough President Hon. Vanessa L. Gibson, MPA (She, Her, Hers, Ella) . La Peninsula is built on the site of the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Facility, a place that for decades symbolized the systemic neglect of Bronx youth and families, and which finally closed its doors in 2011. That a site of so much pain is becoming one of affordable housing, community space, and now fresh, affordable food is a meaningful turning point for our neighborhood. At UHP, we have always known that health does not begin and end at a doctor's visit. It is shaped by whether you can afford or have access to nutritious food. Expanding food access in Hunts Point is a direct investment in the health and well-being of our community, and it aligns deeply with our mission to provide whole-person, equitable care to all. We were also moved to see Deputy Mayor Helen Arteaga at today's event. She co-founded our Plaza del Sol Family Health Center in Corona, Queens, and her continued dedication to health equity across our city means everything to our UHP family. Every step toward a healthier, more equitable Bronx matters, and today was a big one!

Urban Health Plan is proud to celebrate Gladys Banegas Girimonti, MD, FAAP, FSAHM, DipACLM, DABOM, Medical Director of our Adolescent Health and Wellness Center, on her selection as a 2026-2027 United Hospital Fund of New York Health Equity Fellow. Dr. Banegas is a board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, additionally certified in Obesity Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. Her work is rooted in advancing health equity through multidisciplinary care and community-based partnerships, exactly the kind of leadership this fellowship was designed to elevate. She is one of seven clinician leaders chosen for this prestigious 18-month program, which pairs early and mid-career clinicians with community-based organizations to tackle pressing health equity challenges across New York City. Her Action Learning Project will build a school-clinic wellness pipeline to reduce adolescent obesity and strengthen culturally responsive nutrition and weight management programming, in partnership with the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter School, the school Urban Health Plan proudly founded. It reflects our shared belief that health and education are inseparable, and that the most powerful solutions are built within the communities we serve. Congratulations, Dr. Banegas. We cannot wait to see the impact of your work! Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eGFDRsq5

Today, News 12 Bronx featured Urban Health Plan's WorkForceBX program as part of their "Rebuilding the Bronx" series. Reporter Erica Lundsford sat down with Miguel Calderon, MPA Manager of Workforce and Community Development, and client Rebecca Rivera, whose journey says it all. Rebecca came to WorkForceBX to study for her GED and is now setting her sights on college! Stories like Rebecca's are exactly why this program exists. Since opening 15 years ago, WorkForceBX has helped nearly 6,000 Bronx residents secure jobs across multiple sectors, connecting community members to local opportunities through partnerships with area organizations. From resume writing and interview coaching to OSHA certification, GED and ESL instruction, it is the kind of support that has changed lives. Learn more about WorkForce BX here: https://lnkd.in/ePQFr5Yb #UHP4HealthierLives

Today, News 12 the Bronx visited Urban Health Plan to spotlight our WorkForceBX program as part of their "Rebuilding the Bronx" series. Reporter Erica Lundsford sat down with Miguel Calderon, MPA, Manager of Workforce and Community Development, to discuss our work to connect Bronx residents with meaningful career and educational opportunities. The story airs tomorrow on News 12 Bronx. Don't miss it! #UHP4HealthierLives

Telehealth keeps our patients connected to care, even when life makes it hard to walk through the door. Elizabeth Mastrianni, NP, Assistant Clinical Director of our Virtual Care Center, sees it every day. The parent managing three kids with no one to watch them. The patient working two jobs who cannot take time off. People who delay or skip care altogether for any number of challenges or reasons. At Urban Health Plan, we serve the Bronx, Harlem, and Queens — communities where our patients are managing a lot. Telehealth changes that. It brings care into the home, gives patients their time back, and opens the door to more complete, proactive care. But right now, New York reimburses community health centers for telehealth at only a fraction of in-person rates. That limits how many patients we can reach. We have seen what works. Now we need policy that keeps up. Don't shortchange telehealth. Support full payment for community health centers. Watch the video to hear what is possible. #ValueCHCs

Last Friday, Bella Vista Community Health Center celebrated the opening of its own community library, grounded in Urban Health Plan's belief that literacy is one of the cornerstones of community health. Funded through United Way of New York City's Latinidad in Schools Initiative, this library reflects a partnership that runs deep. United Way of New York City has been a strong and consistent supporter of literacy at Urban Health Plan, and this library is the latest proof of what that commitment looks like in action. As our President and CEO, Paloma Hernandez shared at the event: "When a child reads, their brain develops. When a parent reads aloud to a child, a bond deepens. When a community has access to books, it prospers." We were also incredibly honored to welcome Yaniris Brioso, young adult author and proud Bronx native, who gave the first public reading from her latest novel, "Adoring You." Watching our patients, associates, and neighbors hear a story that reflects their own lives, neighborhoods, and experiences was truly special. Jeanette Melendez, Associate VP/Senior Administrator for Health Center Operations, added: "We hope this library becomes a living part of Hunts Point. Reading groups and storytelling sessions are already in the works, so please stay connected." Congratulations to the entire Bella Vista team on this beautiful addition to UHP's growing literacy legacy. And a heartfelt thank you to United Way of New York for being a true partner in our mission and for making this community library a reality! #UHP4HealthierLives