Santa Clara County Getting to Zero Initiative (San Jose, CA)

The Santa Clara County Getting to Zero Initiative announced grants totaling $71,489 to four local organizations working for the health and wellness of county residents affected by HIV. Another $28,511 is expected to be awarded later this year, totaling $100,000.

The Getting to Zero Initiative awards grants each year to promote community agencies’ ability to recognize and respond to HIV prevention needs. These grants are being awarded each year from 2016 through 2020.

This year’s grant recipients are:

  • Caminar—for LGBTQ Youth Space GTZ Peer Advocacy. ($19,550)
  • Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Inc.—for HIV Prevention Education and Outreach ($11,939)
  • Roots Community Health Center—for PrEP/PEP Outreach. ($20,000)
  • San Jose State University Research Foundation—for SJSU To Zero – HIV Prevention and Stigma Reduction at San Jose State University. ($20,000)

Read more about HIV prevention in Santa Clara County.

Contact: Candelario Franco
Phone: 408.513.8736
Email: candelariof@healthtrust.org

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Richmond Memorial Health Foundation (Richmond, VA)

Richmond Memorial Health Foundation (RMHF) announced $259,000 in grants to 13 nonprofits in the Richmond, Virginia region. The spring cycle brings total grants and awards by RMHF to $1,697,318 for the 2017 Fiscal Year, which began on July 1, 2016.

The following grants were approved:

  • Armstrong Priorities Freshman Academy—to support a behavioral specialist in a pilot program that could serve as a model for classroom management in other high schools. ($15,000)
  • Central Virginia Health Services—to train behavioral health staff to ensure a consistent and effective approach to behavior management for all patients. ($14,000)
  • Daily Planet—to address strategic questions surrounding capacity needed to provide oral health care to Hispanic patients and pregnant women. ($25,000)
  • Family Lifeline—to explore diversification of program-generated income, an issue identified in the organization’s strategic business planning process. ($15,000)
  • Gateway Homes—to improve efficiencies in reimbursements for behavioral health services and to ensure that procedures remain up to date in response to changes in Medicaid policies. ($15,000)
  • Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services—to guide staff communications and development strategies aimed at ensuring a smooth transition from a group of separate locations to one common facility. ($20,000)
  • Health Brigade—for a facilitated exploration of how to best serve the older adult LGBTQ population in the Richmond Region.
  • Sacred Heart Center—to develop a strategic plan for improving outreach and communication in its role as a community hub providing services for the growing immigrant population. ($25,000)
  • St. Joseph’s Village—to improve recruitment and retention of mental health professionals to ensure quality and consistency of service, and to sustain a pipeline of future employees. ($25,000)
  • Virginia Dental Association Foundation—for development of a communications strategy to strengthen education on the need for dental care and oral health. ($10,000)
  • Virginia Supportive Housing—for development of a multiyear sustainability plan guiding training, capacity, and systems to support a Medicaid reimbursement model for services. ($25,000)
  • Voices for Virginia’s Children—to strengthen the organization’s communications capacity to increase public awareness statewide and ensure effective advocacy for children’s behavioral health services. ($25,000)
  • YWCA Richmond—to develop a master plan guiding the organization’s capacity needs in response to expanding programs and growth in the number of clients and staff. ($25,000)

Phone: 804.282.6282
Email: info@rmhfoundation.org

Saint Luke’s Foundation (Cleveland, OH)

Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland has approved grants to seven organizations totaling $770,000. The full list of second-round 2017 grants is noted below.

  • Adoption Network Cleveland—to support the Services for Adoptive, Kinship, and Foster Families program, which focuses on strengthening families through support services that include monthly family and youth support groups, the Weaving Cultures Transracial Family Group, social support outings, phone support, information/referral, and educational liaison services. ($60,000)
  • Asian Services in Action—to build organizational and staff capacity to strengthen care coordination and cross-training across all areas of the organization in order to enhance the health home model of care. ($100,000 over two years)
  • Better Health Partnership—to support the Children’s Health Initiative, which builds upon BHP’s experience identifying best practices to change physician practice. ($200,000)
  • Health Policy Institute of Ohio—for policy and advocacy support. ($150,000)
  • Positive Education Program—to support the organization’s Individual Parent Empowerment Plan, which will become a lasting tool to support, coach, and monitor the progress parents make toward their empowerment goals. ($75,000)
  • Providence House—to support collaborative training and certifications in Sensory Intervention Therapy for Children, Adolescents, and Adults. ($60,000)
  • Seeds of Literacy—to aid in providing educational equity to adults in the Mt. Pleasant, Buckeye/Shaker, and Woodland Hills, Ohio neighborhoods. ($125,000 over two years)

Contact: Anne C. Goodman
Phone: 216.431.8010
Email: agoodman@saintlukesfoundation.org

Potomac Health Foundation (Woodbridge, VA)

Potomac Health Foundation (PHF) awarded grants to provide capacity building opportunities for community partners. The objectives of these grants are to provide technical assistance opportunities for current foundation grantee partners and to build nonprofit support infrastructure in the Potomac Health Foundation geographic service area, which includes eastern Prince William County, Lorton, and North Stafford, Virginia communities.

PHF awarded a total of $140,748 to four organizations:

  • BoardSource—to support a board governance workshop for all foundation grantees and an in-depth training series for a cohort of grantee organization Executive Directors and Board Chairs. The series will provide tools and learning on strategic board composition, board recruitment, succession planning, and engaging the board as strategic fundraisers.
  • GuideStar—to work with foundation grantees in elevating their profiles on GuideStar through an in-person workshop and follow up so that grantees can achieve a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum Seal of Transparency.
  • Prince William Public Library System (PWPLS)/The Foundation Center —to establish a Funding Information Network location at Chinn Park Regional Library. The network provides tools and resources consisting of Foundation Center databases, publications, and other services useful to grantseekers.

Contact: Kukua Osei-Gyamfi
Phone: 703.523.0361
Email: info@potomachealthfoundation.org

Obici Healthcare Foundation (Suffolk, VA)

The Obici Healthcare Foundation awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to 14 nonprofit organizations serving Western Tidewater. Award amounts among new and renewed grantees range from $24,733 to $530,000.

The foundation awarded a $40,430 grant to Children’s Literacy of Suffolk to support implementation of a Suffolk elementary school literacy program for kindergartners and first grade students that are below grade level in reading scores.

The successful Fall 2017 grantees are listed below:

  • American Diabetes Association—to support Diabetes Self-Management Education Program Extension. ($77,990)
  • American Heart Association—to support Simple Cooking with Heart Mobile Kitchen in Franklin. ($50,396)
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia—to support Triple Play: Mind, Body, & Soul. ($34,400)
  • The Children’s Center—to support Suffolk Classroom Expansion. ($50,000)
  • Children’s Literacy of Suffolk—to support Book Buddies and Kinder Buddies. ($40,430)
  • ForKids, Inc.—to support Suffolk Regional Services Center and the Center for Children. ($300,000)
  • ForKids, Inc.—to provide health care support for homeless families. ($30,000)
  • Girls on the Run Hampton Roads—to support Healthy, Joyful, Confident Girls in Western Tidewater. ($24,733)
  • Horizon Health Services, Inc.—to support The Ivor Dental Center. ($100,000)
  • Smart Beginnings Western Tidewater—to support Starting Life Healthy and Ready to Learn. ($32,610)
  • The Planning Council—to support Farm2Childcare ($28,443)
  • Virginia Legal Aid Society—to support Medical Access Project (MAP). ($100,000)
  • Walk In It Inc.—to support Ladies of Distinction. ($75,000)
  • Western Tidewater Community Services Board—to support Outpatient Medical Detox. ($75,000)
  • Western Tidewater Free Clinic—to support Expand Access to Comprehensive Care. ($530,000)

Grants made by the foundation continue Amedeo Obici’s legacy of improving the health status of people living in the service area.

Contact: Diane Nelms
Phone: 757.539.8810
Email: dnelms@obicihcf.org

New York State Health Foundation (New York, NY)

The New York State Health Foundation has selected seven hospitals across the state for grant awards totaling nearly $900,000 to help them adopt or spread Open Notes and spur patient engagement. Open Notes is national movement that gives patients and their caregivers access to the clinical notes written by health care providers. When patients have access to their own health information, they become equal partners with providers in managing their own care and are better able to develop stronger relationships with their health care team, all of which results in improved patient care and experience.

Learn more about the grant recipients and their projects. 

Contact: Michele McEvoy
Phone: 212.292.7293
Email: mcevoy@nyshealth.org

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Merck Foundation (Kenilworth, NJ)

The Merck Foundation has launched a five-year initiative, Bridging the Gap: Reducing Disparities in Diabetes Care (Bridging the Gap) to help improve diabetes care and health outcomes for vulnerable and under served populations in the United States.

With $16 million in funding from the foundation over five years, Bridging the Gap aims to foster comprehensive approaches that bring together high-quality medical care with services and resources drawn from outside of the health care system to address the many factors that influence diabetes outcomes.

The foundation has selected the following organizations as Bridging the Gap program grantees.

  • Alameda County Public Health Department 
  • Clearwater Valley Hospital and Clinics
  • La Clínica del Pueblo
  • Marshall University
  • Minneapolis Health Department
  • Providence St. Joseph Health
  • Trenton Health Team 
  • Western Maryland Health System

The University of Chicago will serve as the National Program Office for Bridging the Gap, supporting the program grantees’ efforts and providing leadership in building a national public-private partnership to help reduce disparities in diabetes care.

Bridging the Gap program grantees will implement multifaceted, evidence-based programs to:

  • build sustainable partnerships between the health care sector and other sectors to address the medical, social, and environmental factors that influence health;
  • redesign health care systems, particularly primary care, to improve the delivery of diabetes care for vulnerable and underserved populations; and
  • improve health outcomes for individuals with type 2 diabetes through measures such as better blood sugar and lipid control.

The foundation will support a comprehensive evaluation to assess the impact of Bridging the Gap. A key goal will be to identify and promote best practices in primary care transformation and innovative multisectoral strategies that help vulnerable and underserved communities gain access to high-quality diabetes care. 

Contact: Jeanine Clemente or Doris Li
Phone: 908.740.6268 and 908.740.1903

Mat-Su Health Foundation (Wasilla, AK)

The Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) offers two kinds of scholarships to help residents get the job training they need.

MSHF Vocational Scholarships help pay for vocational training and certificate programs in health and wellness, or nonprofit management career fields. Applications are accepted year-round on the Mat-Su Health Foundation website, and no Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for Vocational Scholarships. 

MSHF Academic Scholarships help defray the cost of attendance in accredited degree programs that emphasize health, wellness, or nonprofit management. The next application period for academic scholarships is January 1 – February 28, 2018. Academic scholarships require completion of the FAFSA. Potential applicants should submit the FAFSA now, and then visit the MSHF website after January 1 to complete the scholarship application.

Contact: Robin Minard
Phone: 907.352.2892
Email: rminard@healthymatsu.org

Healthy Literacy Media (St. Louis, MO)

Health Literacy Media (HLM) launched its Clearly Communicating Clinical Trials (C3T) program, which brings health literacy to every stage of the clinical trials process. From clear, informed consent to simple, actionable result summaries, C3T works with pharmaceutical companies and research facilities to develop materials with plain language, easy to understand numbers and charts, and simple graphics. C3T offers a wide range of services, including research summary development and distribution, plain language review, health literacy training, social media strategy, website development, and consulting. The C3T website, at www.c3t.media, and Twitter, @C3T_HLM, will share content specific to the clear communication of clinical trials, such as how to communicate end points, side effects, and randomization. The website also provides details on services, staff expertise, and health literacy.

Contact: Michelle Roberts
Phone: 314.361.9400
Email: mroberts@healthliteracy.media

Health Foundation for Western & Central New York (Buffalo, NY)

Ten organizations have each received $25,000 grants to learn how to apply design thinking to re imagine how they might address the needs of older adults and caregivers in western and central New York. The funding is part of Aging by Design, a four-year initiative developed by the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York to improve the health of older adults.

The four central New York and six western New York organizations selected for the project planning phase of Aging by Design are:

  • Healthy Community Alliance—works to improve quality of life for rural communities through partnerships that support wellness and prevention.
  • Hearts and Hands—a volunteer-based “neighbor helping neighbor” organization that works to support independence by providing services such as assisted transportation, minor home repair, and companion services.
  • Interfaith Works of CNY—a refugee resettlement agency that addresses racial, ethnic, and religious divides across central New York.
  • Jericho Road—provides safety net health care and human services programming to low-income and refugee community members.
  • Ken-Ton Meals on Wheels—a volunteer-based community organization that delivers nutritious meals to homebound seniors.
  • Orleans County Office for the Aging—provides a continuum of services for those 60 and older, along with caregivers of all ages.
  • Parkway Center—provides programs and services that help older adults remain active and independent as they age.
  • Resource Center for Independent Living—a disability rights and service organization that operates a social model Adult Day program.
  • The Silver Pride Project at Pride Center of WNY—a peer group designed by seniors, which raises awareness about LGBT aging issues.
  • Tompkins County Office for the Aging—provides a continuum of services for those 60 and older, along with caregivers of all ages.

As part of the six-month Project Planning Phase, the 10 organizations will apply what they learned through intensive training in design thinking to convene a project design team consisting of staff, volunteers, and members of the community they serve. This team will produce prototypes that respond to and address the needs identified by older adults and caregivers.

Grantees will present their prototypes in spring 2018 and the foundation will select projects to move ahead into the implementation phase starting in July 2018.

Contact: Meredith Carswell-Sheline
Phone: 716.852.3030, x112
Email: mcsheline@hfwcny.org

Learn More

The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey (Millburn, NJ)

The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey recently awarded 17 grants totaling $1.95 million to improve the health and wellness of under served and vulnerable populations in greater Newark, New Jersey and surrounding low-income communities. Of that sum, $1.2 million went towards improving the mental health of adults and children.

NJ PAC was awarded $81,057 to bring “Slut, the Play”, which deals with body shaming and sexual assault among teens, to Newark, New Jersey .

Main Street Counseling of West Orange, New Jersey, received $325,000 to significantly expand its individual and group counseling and teacher support services within the Newark Public Schools. Other awards went to address the needs of children and young adults coping with adverse childhood experiences and military families dealing with loved ones reintegrating into civilian life.

Newark Museum received $275,000 to build a handicapped accessible ramp at its front entrance, enabling people with physical disabilities, the elderly, and mothers with strollers to access the museum alongside family and friends.

NJCRI for Project Access received $51,688 for a needle exchange project for intravenous drug users in Newark, New Jersey that also provides HIV and other testing, cessation support, primary care, health education, and referrals to specialty care.

Finally, two grants totaling $139,500 were awarded to Bridges, Inc. in Newark, New Jersey, and The Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to combat homelessness, and a grant of $127,335 went to Saint Barnabas Medical Center to establish a patient navigation program in its breast center.

Contact: Marsha I. Atkind
Phone: 973.921.1210
Email: matkind@hfnj.org

John A. Hartford Foundation (New York, NY)

The John A. Hartford Foundation is building on its record of improving care of older adults with $3.6 million in grants to five organizations: the National Committee for Quality Assurance, AARP Foundation, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education, and Columbia University. This funding will help create age-friendly health systems by supporting initiatives to develop quality measures that matter to older adults, proposing Medicare payment models for rehabilitation services in the home, and identifying best practices for hospitals to support family caregivers. Some projects, such as The John A. Hartford Foundation State Aging Index from Columbia University, are an expansion and refinement of previous work. Other initiatives, such as Advancing Legal and Medical Collaboration in Advance Care Planning, bridge multiple sectors for a holistic approach to end-of-life care. 

Phone: 212.832.7788

St. David’s Foundation (Austin, TX)

Opportunity Grants totaling almost $1 million were approved by St. David’s Foundation. Aimed at providing funding for transformation new approaches to addressing health needs across Central Texas, these unique grants are being awarded for the second straight year by the foundation.

The highlights of the 10 grants include:

  • Open Door Preschool—to develop new approaches to serving special needs children in a classroom setting.
  • Seedling Foundation—for funding for trained volunteer mentors who work with children of incarcerated parents.
  • Wonders & Worries—to develop a hotline and mobile app for rural and underserved residents in Caldwell, Eastern Williamson, Bastrop, and Hays counties, Texas.
  • UT Austin Human Development and Family Sciences—to promote healthy eating habits for young children, and support the unique role of grandparents.

Grants for each of the 10 recipients range from about $80,000 to $100,000 for two years of funding. Total funds provided for 2017 Opportunity Grants are $982,537.

The Opportunity Grant recipients include:

  • Bookspring—for Pediatric Literacy Kits. ($100,000)
  • Cardea—to support increasing Community Health Worker Impact on Women’s Health in Rural Communities of Central Texas. ($100,000)
  • Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, UT Austin—to promote positive parent feeding practices and healthy eating in young children. ($99,637)
  • Forklift Danceworks—to support My Park, My Pool, My City. ($100,000)
  • Open Door Preschool—to support Children With Special Needs: A Teamwork Approach. ($100,000)
  • Seedling Foundation— to support The Impact of Trained Volunteer Mentors on Building Resilience in Children with Parents Who Are Incarcerated. ($82,900)
  • The Arc of Capital Area—to support Inclusive Health: Closing the Health Promotion Gap for Individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities. ($100,000)
  • UT Austin, Child and Family Research Institute—to support Strategic Plan for Positive Sexual Health for Youth in Out-of-Home Settings. ($100,000)       
  • Women’s Health and Family Planning Association of Texas—for provider toolkits for client-centered contraceptive counseling in Central Texas. ($100,000)
  • Wonders & Worries—to support Next Generation Programming. ($100,000)

Contact: Kristy Ozmun
Phone: 512.474.1501
Email: kristy@ozmun.com

Connecticut Health Foundation (Hartford, CT)

With a grant from the Connecticut Health Foundation, the Center for Children’s Advocacy will develop an in-school model for identifying and meeting the mental and physical health needs of immigrant children. The grant is one of eight awarded this quarter by the foundation.

The Center for Children’s Advocacy will develop the model in one public school system, with the goal of developing a framework that can be adapted and used by other schools. The $65,000 grant will also enable the Hartford, Connecticut-based Center for Children’s Advocacy to develop systemic reforms and processes to ensure that homeless youth can access mental and physical health care.

The number of immigrant children in Connecticut has been rising, and many arrive after fleeing abuse, neglect, or other life-threatening conditions in their home countries.

One aspect of the project will be to develop a school-based model to identify and respond to the health needs of immigrant children, with a focus on addressing traumatic stress, providing in-school supports, and connecting children to care providers in the community. This project will build on work the Center for Children’s Advocacy recently began, with funding from the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, to develop a model to address the educational needs of immigrant children.

As part of the grant, the Center for Children’s Advocacy will also work to better meet the needs of homeless youth who face challenges that can include a lack of insurance, limited knowledge of available health care services, and, for those who are on their own, difficulty receiving treatment that requires parental consent. The Center for Children’s Advocacy plans to develop and implement standard processes to identify homeless youth and young adults who need health care, match them to services, and help them navigate the health care system.

The grant is among eight awarded by the Connecticut Health Foundation this quarter, totaling $575,000. The foundation has also awarded three President’s Discretionary Grants, totaling $74,000.

The grants are:

  • Community Catalyst—to provide technical assistance to Connecticut community-based organizations to help them develop skills such as coalition building, grassroots organizing, strategic communications, and policy analysis. ($60,000)
  • Connecticut Voices for Children—to monitor and promote health insurance coverage and provide research on Connecticut’s most vulnerable families. ($100,000)
  • Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern Connecticut—to support the Reaching, Engaging, Amplifying, and Partnering project, which brings together a diverse group of local constituents and consumers to advocate for health equity issues. ($50,000)
  • Hispanic Health Council—to support the Hispanic Health Council’s Community Health Insurance Reform for the People initiative, which educates consumers and fosters advocacy to ensure that health reform benefits people of color.
  • Khmer Health Advocates—to support Khmer Health Advocates’ work to ensure that all minority groups in Connecticut are identified in health data and that members of the public have access to this data to improve the health of their communities. ($50,000)
  • State of Connecticut Office of the Lieutenant Governor—to help the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to hire a consultant to assist in developing an organizational plan and roadmap for the new office. ($80,000)
  • State of Connecticut Office of the Lieutenant Governor—to support a pilot project focused on how to effectively collect data that is significant to addressing health equity issues. ($120,000)

President’s discretionary grants

  • Branford Walsh School Based Health Center—to support the school-based health center at Branford’s Walsh Intermediate School to open 45 minutes before the school day begins in order to serve as an urgent care center for students. ($25,000)
  • Connecticut League of Nursing—to support the Connecticut League of Nursing to relaunch its online population health course, which is targeted to health care providers and addresses population health, implicit bias, and diversity of the workforce. The funding will also support a centralized website to host all Connecticut nursing workforce data, which will inform the state’s workforce needs, including diversity. ($25,000)
  • New Haven Farms—to support New Haven Farms’ Women’s Community Health Ambassador program, which aims to train 10 community health ambassadors in 2017 and 2018 to advocate for effective preventive health interventions with their families, neighbors, and program participants. ($24,000)

Contact: Arielle Levin Becker
Phone: 860.724.1580 x 16
Email: arielle@cthealth.org

Ethel and James Flinn Foundation (Detroit, MI)

The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation awarded 36 grants totaling $2.2 million to mental health organizations to support Evidence-Based Practices and Grant making Opportunities programs.

The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation is committed to improving the scope, quality, and delivery of mental health services in Michigan. Since inception, over $32 million in grants have been awarded. The foundation’s geographic focus is primarily Southeast Michigan, defined as the counties of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Washtenaw, Michigan. 

See all 2017 Grants Awarded.

Contact: Andrea M. Cole
Phone: 313.309.3436
Email: info@flinnfoundation.org

Austin-Bailey Foundation (Canton, OH)

The Austin-Bailey Health and Wellness Foundation approved grants totaling $154,685 to nine nonprofit organizations. The foundation supports programs that promote the physical and mental well-being of people residing in Holmes, Stark, Tuscarawas, and Wayne Counties in Ohio.

Those receiving grants include:

  • Aultman Health System—to support the Working on Wellness Program. ($6,000)
  • Aunt Susie’s Cancer Wellness for Women—to provide food support to cancer patients who live alone, are widowed, divorced, or single mothers, and have limited family and social support. ($3,000)
  • Community Mental Healthcare—to support a dental hygienist for their Community Health Center. ($37,400)
  • Minerva United Methodist Church—to purchase a new freezer to enhance their food outreach program. ($5,000)
  • Pathway Caring for Children—to assist adoptive families with consistent mental health services for adoptive children. ($11,000)
  • Pegasus Farm—for a food dehydrator, winterization of a garden shed, and signage for their country store. ($23,245)
  • Prescription Assistance Network—to enable this charitable pharmacy to continue to provide prescription drugs for the uninsured/underinsured. ($50,000)
  • Refuge of Hope Ministries—to purchase an industrial washer and dryer for their new men’s shelter. ($10,000)
  • University of Akron Wayne College—to partially fund the purchase of a simulated manikin for nurses in training. ($9,000)

Contact: Don Sultzbach
Phone: 330.580.2380
Email: abfdn@sbcglobal.net

Allegany Franciscan Ministries (Palm Harbor, FL)

Allegany Franciscan Ministries selected 15 passionate individuals for the inaugural class of the Fellowship for the Common Good, a 12-month leadership development program for community residents designed to build community capacity and sustainability in three Common Good Initiative Communities: Overtown, Wimauma, and Lincoln Park, Florida. The Fellowship for the Common Good is part of an initiative designed to mobilize communities towards better health and wellness through community engagement, a long-term commitment to resources, and increased collaboration among residents and stakeholders.

The inaugural cohort includes five resident leaders from each Common Good Community. The 2017 Fellows are: Elise Rollins, LaShonda Henderson, Vennis Gilmore, Annette Brown, and Travon Simmons in Lincoln Park, Florida; Andre Williams, Adrian Madriz, Rashada Campbell, Myesha Pugh, and Deion Mendez in Overtown, Florida; and Tonya Burney, Rosa Noriega, Mattie Davis, Enrique Lopez, and Tony Watkins in Wimauma, Florida.

Get more information about the fellowship and investments.

Contact: Lise Landry Alives
Phone: 727.507.9668
Email: llandryalives@afmfl.org

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Springs Close Foundation (Fort Mill, SC)

The Springs Close Foundation recently celebrated its fifth and final Fabric of the Community Awards at The Dairy Barn at Anne Springs Close Greenway.

Culminating a five-year objective to recognize those in the region who conduct superior service in a similar spirit to Colonel Elliott Springs, the foundation tasked itself with awarding a total of $150,000 to area individuals and nonprofit agencies.

Three nonprofit organizations received the final Fabric of the Community Awards, including a $10,000 donation toward their continuing philanthropic missions. Each recipient represented one of the three counties served by the foundation—Chester, Lancaster, and York, South Carolina counties. Representing Chester County, South Carolina, The Brown’s Corner, created by NFL player and Fort Lawn, South Carolina native Sheldon Brown, was honored for helping students develop the tools necessary to become successful adults. Columbus Parker Track Club in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was recognized for its 34 years of work with boys and girls in the development of athletic skills and learning opportunities. And in York County, South Carolina, Hospice & Community Care received its award for bringing hope, comfort, and compassion at the end of life, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

For five years, the Fabric of the Community Awards has honored many recipients demonstrating a passion and commitment to the region. But only once had someone mirrored the legacy of Colonel Springs to receive his namesake award. The Colonel Elliott Springs Legacy Award was again presented this year to a trusted community member who embodies servant leadership and to the company he represents. Bruce Brumfield, President and CEO of Founders Federal Credit Union, received the second-ever honor for the way in which he and his company reflect the philosophy of the Colonel.

Learn more about The Springs Close Foundation.

Contact: Melinda Skutnick
Phone: 704.525.3937, x125
Email: mskutnick@lyerly.com

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Cambia Health Foundation (Portland, OR)

The Cambia Health Foundation has accepted 10 new physicians and nurses into the Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program, the foundation’s signature program to develop emerging palliative care leaders. With this new cohort, Cambia has now committed $7.2 million to cultivate 40 Sojourns Scholars from across the country who are working to advance palliative care. The Sojourns Scholar program addresses a critical workforce development need and supports access to palliative care services. According to a 2016 report in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, “One-third of U.S. hospitals report no palliative care services of any kind, and access to palliative care in community settings (home, nursing home, assisted living) is limited for people who are not hospice-eligible. As a result, most people with serious illness are unlikely to receive the care they need throughout their course of illness.” Addressing these issues requires leadership, and by creating the Sojourns program, the foundation has taken an active role in shaping the future. The new cohort was chosen following a rigorous selection process centered on their commitment to advancing the field of palliative care. Each scholar receives a two-year, $180,000 grant to support research, clinical, educational, or policy projects. Scholars also receive one-to-one mentoring support and leadership training. The 2017 Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program grant recipients are:

  • Valerie Cotter, Nurse Practitioner, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
  • Andrew Epstein, Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • Matthew Gonzales, Physician, Providence Institute for Human Caring
  • Vanessa Grubbs, Physician, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
  • Stephanie Harman, Physician, Stanford University School of Medicine
  • Debra Lotstein, Physician, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles/Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
  • Phillip Rodgers, Physician, University of Michigan
  • Tatiana Sadak, Nurse Practitioner, University of Washington
  • Margaret (Gretchen) Schwarze, Physician, University of Wisconsin
  • Jennifer Seaman, Nurse, University of Pittsburgh

Learn more about the individual scholars by visiting Sojourns Scholar page. 

Contact: Rob Goodman
Phone: 503.553.1467
Email: rob.goodman@cambiahealth.org
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