Tobacco Documents Online

S F R. ~ N/1 : HF ; tl B i? T ~.F' 0 0 D ; O H L 5 0 N F 0 L: ~; D A T 1 0 \ Backgrounder Contact: Cindy Drucker Peggy Barresi Cone/Coughlin Communications (617)227-2111 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Founded in 1936, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is a grant making organization whose initial mission was to relieve Depression-era conditions in New Brunsw+rl.-, New Jersey. It was established by Robert Wood John.,on, president of Johnson & Johnson, but is a separate entity from the company. The foundation, which became national in scope in 1972 was endowed with a$1.2- billion bequest by .vir. Johnson. The Foundation's mission is to improve health and health care for all Americans. Through its comprehensive grant programs, it strives towards four specific goals: • To assure that Americans of all ages have access to basic health care • To improve the way services are organized and provided to people with chronic health conditions • To promote health and prevent disease by reducing harm caused by tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs • To help address the problem of escalating health care expenditures A sampling of current Foundation programs include: Faith in Action Faith in Action will establish up to 800 new interfaith coalitions providing volunteer services - transportation, snow shoveling, grocery shopping, companionship and many other essential services -- to community residents who are elderly and frail or have a chronic health condition. It builds on an earlier 25- site Foundation program that has grown to an important national resource. Some 300 interfaith caregiving projects are operational today. -more-

Fighting Back Fourteen Fighting Back program grantees have formed community coalitions involving a broad spectrum of local leaders -- politicians, educators, the clergy, health workers, business leaders, the media -- to tackle alcohol and drug use. Challenging the prevalent "nothing-can-be-done" attitude, Fighting Back has spearheaded a movement that now includes some 2,500 coalitions across the United States. All Kids Count The All Kids Count program works to guarantee that every preschool child gets their immunization on time by establishing computerized monitoring and follow-up systems. Twelve RWJF-funded communities have projects, with five additional projects funded by other foundations. SmokeLess States The goal of this program is to reduce tobacco use in this country, particularly among children and youth. Nineteen statewide coalitions, working in partnership with communities, are developing and implementing comprehensive tobacco prevention and control strategies that combine existing approaches known to be effective. Four essential elements are: (1) mobilizing statewide coalitions; (2) a public awareness campaign; (3) enhanced prevention and treatment capacity; and (4) tobacco policy development. This initiative is part of a multifaceted grantmaking strategy designed to reduce the harm caused by substance abuse. It compliments the Foundation's Smoke-Free Pregnancy initiative and Tobacco Policy Research Program. "