Two Former GSH Staff Honored

Three cheers for Mattie Palmore and Kari Warren, who are two former GSH staffers!  I am thrilled that their passion and commitment to this community are being recognized.  Here is the press release detailing the honor. 

News Release

Contact:

MOLINA HEALTHCARE SAULUTES

THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE WOMEN’S GROUP OF MT. VERNON

MT. VERNON, VA – April 24, 2012 – Molina Healthcare recently recognized four individuals for their community work at its second annual Community Champions Awards event in Virginia, including Mattie Palmore and Kari Warren from the Women’s Group of Mt. Vernon.  The ceremony, which was held at the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, also included entertainment provided by the Paul VI Catholic High School String Ensemble.

Mattie Palmore and Kari Warren are the co-founders of the Women’s Group of Mt. Vernon, which was started in 2004.  It is an organization that not only provides a peer support group for victims, but also education, transportation and daycare for those who need it to participate in the group.  More than 250 victims have come to the Women’s Group of Mt. Vernon’s peer support group since its beginning and approximately 140 women attend the organization’s annual Women’s Day conference.

Palmore, a mother of three children and grandmother of ten, arrived in Virginia in 1980 to escape an abusive situation.  She entered the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services Homeless Transition program where she eventually became director of the very program that gave her and her family a second chance.  For 15 years, Palmore also served as a Magistrate in Fairfax County hired by the Supreme Court of Virginia.  Currently, she is a part of the Domestic Violence Network work group. 

Warren has served as the executive director of Beth El House since 2007 where she helps formerly homeless women and their children in a two-year residency program.  She is also a community volunteer coordinating the outreach and mentorship programs with local Mt Vernon faith assemblies.  As a victim advocate, she was appointed to the Fairfax County Commission for Women, representing the Mt. Vernon District.  As a victim of domestic violence and a single mother of two daughters, Warren is also the chair of the Domestic Violence and Housing Committee and she is the Commission for Women’s representative to the Fairfax County Domestic Violence Prevention, Policy Coordinating Council. 

“The commitment that Mattie and Kari both have toward the community and especially to victims of domestic violence and abuse is tremendously inspiring” said Jean Glossa, MD, medical director of the Fairfax County clinics for Molina Healthcare.  “These are two women who demonstrate strength, compassion and selflessness through their tireless efforts to help those in need.”

Established to honor the memory of Dr. Molina, the Molina Healthcare Community Champions award program spotlights the good deeds of everyday heroes in their communities.  Molina has been hosting the Community Champions Awards for six years in multiple states it operates.  At this second annual event in Virginia, the winners were nominated by community-based organizations and also received $1,000 grants to give to deserving nonprofit organizations as part of their award.  Palmore and Warren are using the grant to support the Women’s Group of Mt. Vernon’s mission to help victims of violence and abuse.

Molina Healthcare manages the Community Health Care Network (CHCN) health centers on behalf of Fairfax County.  The CHCN health centers are located in Alexandria, Falls Church and Reston.

About Molina Healthcare

Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH) provides quality and cost-effective Medicaid-related solutions to meet the health care needs of low-income families and individuals and to assist state agencies in their administration of the Medicaid program.  Our licensed health plans in California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah, and Washington currently serve approximately 1.7 million members, and our subsidiary, Molina Medicaid Solutions, provides business processing and information technology administrative services to Medicaid agencies in Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, and West Virginia, and drug rebate administration services in Florida.  More information about Molina Healthcare is available at www.molinahealthcare.com.