DENVER — 9Health will temporarily reduce operations in an effort to reinvent the organization, a decision the nonprofit's board announced Tuesday amid "continuing impacts from COVID-19."
The board said in its announcement that it aims to "strategically assess" the organization to "serve the health needs of Colorado now and in the future."
> Video above: 9Health looks at prevention during a pandemic: heart health and vitamin D.
“Our board is looking toward the future and finding additional community partners to help us carry the work of 9Health forward,” said David MacLeod, chair of the 9Health Board of Trustees. “We have great confidence in our core staff to navigate this unprecedented circumstance and create a bright future that will continue to serve our mission.”
CEO Gary Drews said 9Health, like many nonprofits and businesses, has experienced a changing landscape and financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have made great strides in evolving to meet the changing needs of the community with the many years of experience and valuable assets we are fortunate to have," Drews said. "We will continue to focus on building our next phase, and are very optimistic about the future of 9Health as it is needed now more than ever.”
9NEWS is a sponsor and partner to 9Health.
The first 9Health Fair was held in 1980, and through the years it has become one of the largest volunteer-driven, nonprofit health, wellness and prevention efforts in the nation, serving more than two million individuals since inception. It eventually became a separate, independent 501(c)(3) organization.
9Health earlier this year rescheduled the spring health fairs as the COVID-19 pandemic started impacting the community, as well as provided information and resources to Coloradans.
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