CalOptima Back-to-School event will include free health services, backpacks and food boxes, on 8/26

ORANGE, Calif. (August 23, 2023) — To help families prepare their children for the beginning of the new school year, CalOptima Health is hosting a Back-to-School event to celebrate and promote community health and wellness. The event is this Saturday, August 26, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. at St. Anthony Claret Catholic Church at 1450 E. La Palma Ave. in Anaheim.

• The event will bring together 30 community-based organizations to provide helpful resources for basic needs, mental health, early childhood education and much more.
• Families that make appointments while on-site can access free vision exams, eyeglasses, haircuts, and sports physicals for their children (one service per member).
• While supplies last, free food boxes, diapers, bike helmets and backpacks will also be available.
• In addition, the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) and community enrollers will offer assistance with Medi-Cal enrollment and renewal as well as CalFresh and CalWorks.
• The event will also feature entertainment, including cultural performances, music, games, and activities.

“As children are going back to school, it’s a great time for families to take steps to renew their Medi-Cal and apply for CalFresh,” said Michael Hunn, CalOptima Health’s Chief Executive Officer. “We want to make this as easy as possible so families don’t have a lapse in their health insurance coverage and can get assistance with purchasing healthy food. We hope our members take advantage of these many valuable resources at no cost.”

Participating organizations include Project Kinship, Abrazar Inc., Hazel Health, Think Together, Stand Up For Kids, MOMS Orange County, Orange County Health Care Agency Nutrition Service, Orange County Head Start, Advance OC, Access California Services, OneCare and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Ample free parking will be available at the church as well as nearby schools.

About CalOptima Health

A county-organized health system, CalOptima Health provides publicly funded health care coverage for low-income children, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities in Orange County, California. CalOptima Health’s mission is to serve member health with excellence and dignity, respecting the value and needs of each person. CalOptima Health serves more than 988,000 members with a network of nearly 9,700 primary care doctors and specialists and 43 acute and rehab hospitals.