WHAT WE DO
OUR VISION
All Californians experience an Emergency Medical Services system that is equitable, unified, and compassionate because the people contributing to that system are best prepared to help each person survive and thrive.
OUR MISSION
To advance racial equity in Emergency Medical Services for all communities in California through partnership, funding, and advocacy
WHAT WE ARE WORKING TO ACHIEVE
CARESTAR Foundation is working to strengthen an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system in California that is equitable, unified, and compassionate. Through partnerships with community-based organizations, EMS leaders, researchers, and state and local agencies, CARESTAR works to reduce racial disparities in emergency medical care and support solutions that improve care delivery and patient outcomes across the state.
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Through our efforts, and in partnership with community-based organizations, state and local agencies, and other key stakeholders, we aim to achieve the following:
Elevate and Agitate
Shining a light on disparities in emergency medical care and advancing racial equity as a non-negotiable standard across the EMS field.
Invest and Cultivate
Funding research, implementation, and policy efforts that translate evidence into measurable improvements in emergency care delivery and patient outcomes.
Bringing together EMS leaders, researchers, policymakers, and community organizations to collaborate, share knowledge, and develop solutions.
Operate and Integrate
Embedding racial equity in CARESTAR’s grantmaking, governance, and partnerships to strengthen the broader EMS ecosystem.
OUR HISTORY
The CARESTAR Foundation was founded in 2017 as a result of the sale of CALSTAR (California Shock Trauma Air Rescue), an air ambulance company founded by a consortium of hospitals.
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CALSTAR fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft helped critically ill patients reach Northern California’s emerging network of trauma centers and other tertiary hospitals within the “Golden Hour” window saving lives and reducing disability and death and achieving optimum outcomes.
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As the air ambulance industry evolved, CALSTAR made a strategic decision to sell its aviation business to a purchaser who would continue those services, and distribute the proceeds to a new organization dedicated to continuing its original charitable and educational purposes.
The CARESTAR Foundation honors CALSTAR’S legacy and lifesaving work in the field of emergency and trauma transport and care, while centering racial equity in both our grantmaking and our operations.