Association for Utah Community Health

SALT LAKE CITY -- It's a major helping hand from Corporate America to the uninsured in the Salt Lake Valley. Nearly 16 percent of the U.S. population is without health insurance. Of those uninsured, 9 million are children. A $500,000 gift from the charitable arm of General Electric is going to Community Health Centers over two years to two of their facilities in Utah. It's part of GE's broader "Developing Health" program. The company is spending $50 million over three years in hopes of improving access to groups like the uninsured. The company is also pledging volunteer support -- essentially, consultants -- to come in and make sure these facilities are being run efficiently and to make sure they're helping as many people as possible. "These are not-for-profit organizations and they need all the financial support they can get," said General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt, who came to Utah Tuesday for the announcement. "We know that's important… because they're providing care to so many of our fellow citizens." Community Health Centers is a nonprofit organization whose mission is "to provide quality patient-centered primary care services to individuals regardless of their ability to pay." Community Health Centers says it's in great need of help. The organization says it's felt the cutbacks at the federal level, and it needs the money to maintain and improve services. Gov. Gary Herbert is suggesting this kind of support may be part of the future of health care in this country, since Uncle Sam can't pay for it all. "I think it's going to take the work of many to find a solution to health care," Herbert said. "It's a difficult issue, very complicated, and it's a discussion we need to have." The governor is planning a health care summit later in the year to come up with some more answers. GE wasn't the only one making a contribution Tuesday. Two young brothers, David and Dallas Dutson, saved up their extra money from the past two summers to contribute. In return, they're getting a paid vacation from GE. Written By: Andrew Adams Origianlly Published: April 25, 2011 on KSL Website