In historic action taken at its board meeting on Friday, August 23, Triangle North Heatlhcare Foundation launched its position as a regional grantmaker and approved funding for ten projects that will impact the health and wellness of individuals in Vance, Warren, Granville, and Franklin counties.
Over $175,000 in grants were approved by the Foundation Board for a variety of projects that will meet the funding priorities that were set earlier this year. Those priorities are:
Chronic Disease Prevention
Reproductive Health
Nutrition and Physical Fitness
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Success in School as it relates to Health and Wellness
“We have been preparing for this moment for the last year and a half,” said Executive Director Val Short, “and we are glad to be able to support such worthwhile programs that will help us fulfill our mission, to measurably improve the health and wellness of our region.” The Foundation’s region includes Franklin, Granville, Vance, and Warren counties.
After a call for Letters of Interest in May, the Foundation received 26 proposals from area nonprofit, governmental, and educational organizations requesting the opportunity to submit grant applications. Eleven of those organizations were invited to apply for grants and nine of those organizations with ten projects were selected for funding this year.
Projects approved for funding by the Board of Triangle North Healthcare Foundation are:
1) Alliance Rehabilitative Care, Inc.
Funding Priority: Mental Health & Substance Abuse
Project: Improve and enhance life skills for chronically mentally ill adults through access and training in literacy, computer skills, and health education.
2) Granville County Schools
Funding Priority: Success in Schools as related to Health & Wellness
Project: Provide support and education for families and caregivers of students with Type 1 Diabetes.
3) Granville Vance District Health Department
Funding Priority: Reproductive Health
Project: Address STI Rates in Vance County, targeting Chlamydia; increase awareness and decrease rates through targeted, evidence- based practice.
4) Halifax-Warren Smart Start
Funding Priority: Nutrition & Physical Fitness
Project: Decrease the risk of childhood obesity by improving outdoor exercise and active learning environments for five child care centers in Warren County.
5) Henderson Collegiate, Inc. Charter School
Funding Priority: Nutrition & Physical Fitness
Project: Address the health and fitness needs of disadvantaged youth by enhancing the school’s ability to provide team athletics.
6) Henderson Family YMCA
Funding Priority: Nutrition & Physical Fitness
Project: #1 Girls on the Run/Girls on Track—Develop and improve girls’ self confidence and self esteem using established curriculum, while preparing for a 5K walk/run twice per year;
Project: #2 Save Our Kids—In Partnership with Vance County Recreation and Vance County Schools, teach water safety techniques to second graders to help prevent themselves from drowning.
7) Kerr-Tar Council of Governments- Council on Aging
Funding Priority: Chronic Disease Prevention
Project: Provide leadership development and training for evidence-based program of support and education for seniors with chronic diseases.
8) N.C. MedAssist
Funding Priority: Chronic Disease Prevention
Project: Provide free medications, educational services, and advocacy for 150 new uninsured clients in the region.
9) Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc. (TROSA)
Funding Priority: Mental Health & Substance Abuse
Project: Serve 10 new recovering substance abusers from the region with this innovative 2-year residential comprehensive treatment program that includes vocational training, education, and healthcare.
Funding for the Foundation and for its mission has been made possible by the endowment that was established after the merger of Maria Parham Medical Center with the for-profit Duke-Lifepoint. According to Short, the Foundation will offer a second round grant opportunity in 2014. Due dates for Letters of Interest will be announced in January. Details will be available on the Foundation’s website, www.tnhfoundation.org/