Foundation gives $460,000 in grants

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The St. Joseph Community Health Foundation has given $460,455 in grants to local organizations to improve the health, wellness and health care access for the low-income and vulnerable in Allen County since the beginning of 2011.

The recipients and amounts given are listed below:

• AIDS Task Force $8,000
  To provide emergency medical assistance to men, women, and children living with HIV.
   
• Allen County Department of Health $44,000
  To continue the contracts of two part-time, contractual interpreters/translators who assist in providing essential public health services to the Burmese refugee community.
   
• American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana $23,500
  To improve access to health care for non-native English speakers by providing interpretation services, as well as referral and information services on the customs of American health care.
   
• Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, Inc. $15,000
  To provide funds to help low-income cancer patients and their families with prescription costs and medical co-pays for cancer-related costs.
   
• Catholic Charities $25,000
  To provide interpretation, translation services, and case management services through the Hispanic Health Advocate Program in order for Spanish-speaking individuals to have access to health care.
   
• Christian Community Healthcare Clinic $18,000
  To help underwrite the operating expenses and to upgrade the clinic with minor surgical supplies.
   
• Community Transportation Network, Inc. $30,000
  For affordable, dependable specialized medical transportation services for seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income persons.
   
• Crime Victim Care of Allen County $20,000
  For the salary of the part-time AA Support Group Coordinator and his assistant.
   
• Crime Victim Care of Allen County $10,000
  For the salary of a part-time immigrant victim care provider.
   
• Family & Children's Services, Inc. $20,000
  To provide mental health and substance abuse counseling to very low income families and individuals.
   
• Health Visions of Fort Wayne $750
  To host the 4th Annual Meeting of the Allen County Health Disparity Coalition with Dr. Regina Benjamin, US Surgeon General as the keynote speaker; and host a pre-conference on Mental Health and the impact it has on the emerging immigrant populations.

• Healthier Moms and Babies $15,000
  A $1 for $1 matching grant for donations from businesses and individuals, to further Healthier Moms and Babies' mission of improving the outcome of pregnancy and reducing infant mortality among high-risk, low income families.
   
• Lutheran Social Services of Indiana $25,000
  To allow Lutheran Social Services of Indiana to maintain and/or slightly increase the level of Intergenerational Activities and staffing to enhance wellness for the children at Children's Village and residents of Lutheran Life Village.
   
• Martin Luther King Montessori School $6,800
  For the Health Facilitator position to help ensure children from at-risk, low-income families have basic medical care, are screened yearly, and learn how to be healthy from an early age.
   
• McMillen Center for Health Education $25,000
  For the "Obesity & Drug Abuse Prevention Project" serving the youth of our community.
   
• Mental Health America in Allen County $20,000
  For the Client Advocacy Program to advocate on behalf of mentally ill, intellectually disabled/developmentally delayed, substance abusing and demented/elderly clients in obtaining care and treatment when they are in crisis situations.
   
• Neighborhood Health Clinics, Inc. $67,200
  Purchase colposcopy equipment, five Dexis Sensors, and update/repair six dental chair systems.
   
• SCAN $15,000
  Partial funding for medically-related transportation and staffing for Healthy Families program.
   
• Society of St. Vincent DePaul $1,500
  For providing low income persons with round trips to medical/therapy appointments.
   
• SoulMedic Media Group $10,000
  To help operate web-based media to reach vulnerable teens with spiritual healing and life solutions.
   
• Super Shot, Inc. $705
  To assess the language skills of Super Shot clinic interpreters.
   
• Women’s Care Center $35,000
  Sponsorship of the first annual Tippmann-McArdle Women's Care Center Classic golf outing benefiting the center, and to help underwrite nursing salaries.
   

The Blessed Catherine Kasper Award for Outstanding Service to the Poor was given to Allen County Education Partnership. The $1,500 grant will help support the Parent Literacy Enrichment program, specifically for the implementation of the Burmese Pre-K PLE workshops.

• Associated Churches $1,500
  For "A Baby's Closet" to serve low income families by providing essential baby items and increase utilization of programs that promote optimal pregnancy outcome and child health.
   
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne $1,500
  For the Triple Play