Organizational Profile and History
Health Legacy of Cleveland (HLC), founded in 1993 as Personal Physician Care (not the
HMO), is a 501c (3) Public Charity governed by a Board of Trustees. The board members are working
volunteers at this time.
OUR MISSION: is to increase the pool of African-American physicians and dentists in the
greater Cleveland area. The decline in African Americans applying to medical and dental schools is of primary
concern. The mission reflects the past, present and, we hope, the future of African-American
youth, men and women who want to pursue health professions as physicians and dentists in
the Greater Cleveland community. The mission is a tribute to the long history among black
professionals in Cleveland, whose similar efforts date back to the nineteenth century.
OUR VISION: A singular, unwavering commitment to eliminate health care disparities
among African Americans by partnering with the Cleveland Community.
OUR VALUES: Leadership, Excellence, Integrity, Compassion, Stewardship, Teamwork.
The Cleveland Healthcare Legacy
The health legacy in Cleveland is rich in history and worthy of continuing support.
The legacy includes a nursing school founded in 1898 by Dr. Latrobe Motley, one of the
earliest black physicians; the near fifty-year struggle by black physicians to gain full
privileges in the city’s major established hospitals; the founding of Forest City Hospital in
1954 by black physicians as the city’s only hospital with a truly integrated staff; the founding
of the first African American owned and managed HMO, Personal Physician Care of Ohio; and
the establishment of the Forest City Hospital Foundation, which has provided scholarship
funds for African American medical and dental students who commit to practice in the
greater Cleveland area. This fund has also been a major benefactor for the Eliza Bryant
Home for the Aged, a facility that primarily serves African Americans.
It is our hope that scholarship recipients follow in the footsteps of such renowned doctors as
Dr. Edgar Jackson, Dr. Grant Franklin, Dr. Doris Evans, Dr. Jefferson Jones, and Dr. Timothy
L. Stephens.
HISTORICAL PROGRAMS
MEDICAL AND DENTAL SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS
African American students enrolled in medical or dental school can apply each year for
scholarships. Health Legacy of Cleveland requires that the scholarship recipient express the
intent to return to Cleveland as a trained professional after graduation.
HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH PROFESSION SCHOLARSHIPS– Ended in 2018-
Cleveland Municipal School District graduating seniors pursuing health careers were eligible for
the Health Legacy of Cleveland annual scholarships that were named after: Dr. Oscar Saffold, Dr.
Grant Franklin, and Dr. Jefferson Jones. Applicants for a period of time were able to apply to the
Charles R. Drew-Saturday Academy Program.
HISTORICAL FUNDING
In 2004, the fundraising increased for scholarships through the Health Legacy Award and
Scholarship Dinner (HLASD). The Scholarship Fund supports graduating high school seniors
and graduate students pursuing health professions as physicians and dentists.
The Cleveland Clinic Lead Gift Program, $100,000 in scholarships funded over 4 years from
2008-2017, provided undergraduate scholarships for the alumni of the Charles R. Drew, MD,
Saturday Academy. Other contributions and grants have been received from corporations,
foundations, individuals and friends of the health care and education community, and by
sponsorship of various benefit events.
Programs
Since 1993, Health Legacy of Cleveland has contributed over half a million dollars in
charitable donations and scholarships to the Cleveland community. Focusing on scholarships
since 2003, HLC has tried to stimulate and motivate African American students to pursue
professions through the creation of programs and a pipeline to successfully guide and
increase the pool of physicians and dentists.
Through the Charles R Drew, MD, Academy (CRD) collaboration with Cleveland Clinic,
from 2008-2017, 148 African American, Hispanic and Pacific Islander high school students had
the opportunity to get a jump start on a potential career in the field of medicine. This program was
designed to help eliminate health care disparities by increasing the representation of African-
American and other Underrepresented Minorities in Medicine *URMM), in fields that will develop
scientists and physician leaders. It was an initiative of the Cleveland Clinic Office of Diversity, in
collaboration with the Office of Civic Education Initiatives and Health Legacy of Cleveland.
The CRD collaboration resulted in 100 eligible students applying each year with 30 students
accepted each year for 9 years.. It evolved into a 14 Saturday session program starting
originally as an only 8 week program. The curriculum was robbust and had many opportunities
for student interaction, professional and personal development. The curriculum and the CRD
program is worthy of renewal and replication to allow a broader number of URMM students
to become exposed to a future career in medicine and dentistry.