North Penn Community Health Foundation Awards $92,000 in Grants
The North Penn Community Health Foundation has awarded $92,000 in grants to local health and human service agencies to promote wellness, the use of volunteers and access to services.
Five organizations received grants from $8,000 to $40,000 to support a broad range of services including oral hygiene, housing for the homeless, healthy aging, teen volunteer training, emergency contraception and communications dissemination to assist victims of serious crimes.
“The Community Health Foundation is dedicated to improving health and social services to underserved populations,” said Russell Johnson , executive director of the foundation. “By supporting strong and forward thinking organizations, these grants will help ensure that residents of our community do not fall through the social safety net.”
The largest grant was awarded to the Bucks County Health Improvement Project, which is a partnership of the seven acute care hospitals in Bucks County , the Bucks County Health Department and the Bucks County Medical Society. BCHIP will use the funds to support three dental programs that serve adults and children. Eligible adults will be referred to the Free Clinic of Doylestown or HealthLink. BCHIP will refer children in need of restorative oral health services to five community dentists who have agreed to donate their professional time. The money will be used to defray their costs for dental supplies and materials.
A $20,000 grant was awarded to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County Inc. to promote the recruitment of volunteers and adult mentors. Forbes magazine identified the organization in 2003 as one of the top 10 charities worthy of donor consideration because of the efficiency and effectiveness of its programs. The grant will be used to support a two-year marketing and recruitment plan that includes media relations, partnership development, community outreach and public relations. BBBS hopes to serve 1,963 youth within the next three years. Currently, more than 150 children are referred to the organization each year for matches with a volunteer donor. Because demand outstrips services, many children are placed on waiting lists, with some waiting as long as two years for a mentor match.
Grants of $10,000 and $9,500 were made to the Bucks County Housing Group Inc. and The PEAK Center Inc. Bucks County Housing received an emergency grant to help it continue operation of its Supportive Housing program in Milford Square . The housing group recently acquired the Milford Square program. During the transition, it missed the deadline for federal Housing and Urban Development funding. HUD, which has supported the project for the past 10 years, has agreed to consider an application for fiscal year 2006 if the program can demonstrate its sustainability over the next 12 months. Twenty-two families received housing services from the organization last year.
The PEAK Center 's grant supports a program that encourages older adults to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. PEAK's “You Can” campaign, modeled on a national initiative supported by the Administration on Aging, engages seniors in a 12-week program that includes nutrition classes and a structured, progressive walking program. Also included in the campaign are a physician referral system and the creation of printed guides to walking trails in the North Penn area.
Other organizations receiving grants include:
- Planned Parenthood Southeastern PA for an emergency contraception awareness project in the Ambler community. The matching $8,000 grant will support the airing of advertising on MTV to reach a target audience of younger women. Comcast has offered Planned Parenthood a discounted fee to air the awareness and access campaign.
- Network of Victim Assistance for updating, printing and distributing brochures about its services. The $3,000 grant will help the program provide direct assistance to crime victims and their families.
- Interfaith Community Services for a summer cooking volunteer program. The $1,500 grant will help expand a project that trains teenagers to prepare foods for Manna's soup kitchen.
The North Penn Community Health Foundation, a Lansdale-based public charity, uses a grant-making budget of more than $1 million to identify and invest in programs that will improve the health, welfare and quality of life in the community.
