HUNTSVILLE – The past two years has been taxing on local nonprofits which have overcome challenges throughout the pandemic to maintain their health-related programs.
Beth Richardson, co-chair of the Jean Wessel Templeton Community Health Initiative program at Huntsville Hospital, awarded $500,000 to 13 Madison County nonprofit agencies at the 2022-2023 Community Health grant awards Thursday. The money must go toward health-related programs and initiatives within their organizations.
“The programs that we are supporting have risen above the most difficult circumstances to continue providing innovative health care solutions to our area’s most underserved populations,” said Richardson.
This year’s grant awards will be used to increase access to primary care, preventive health services, health education and medication assistance.
The largest award of $100,000 goes to the Huntsville-based Community Free Clinic, which provides free primary care to the homeless and uninsured. Many Huntsville Hospital physicians volunteer their time at the clinic.
The New Hope Children’s Clinic received $75,500 to provide affordable health care to children in southeast Madison County.
Wellstone Behavioral Health was awarded $73,000 to expand behavioral health outpatient services to children ages 13 to 18 at local schools; and HEALS received $72,500 to provide medical, dental, and optometry care to underserved children at Huntsville schools.
CASA of Madison County received $44,500 to support its Safety Net Program for the elderly and homebound; and $40,000 will go toward the Community Free Clinic to continue free dental care to low income, uninsured adults in Madison County.
Rock Steady Boxing received $27,500 to support a non-contact boxing program that has been proven clinically effective in delaying the progression of Parkinson’s Disease; the ARC of Madison County was given $16,500 to provide gap health coverage for people with disabilities; and First Stop came away with $10,500 to provide first aid, dental and optical needs to underserved and unsheltered people in Madison County.
Four more local organizations received $10,000 each. The Village of Promise in support of its Infant University program for at-risk children; United Cerebral Palsy to provide physical, occupational and speech therapy services to children with disabilities; the Enrichment Center to support behavioral health services for students in Owens Cross Roads and New Hope; and the Downtown Rescue Mission to purchase equipment for a free on-site optometry clinic.
The Community Health Initiative program is named for Jean Wessel Templeton, a Huntsville businesswoman and former longtime Health Care Authority Board member who championed the cause of local nonprofit agencies. The program has awarded $12.4 million to 51 local nonprofit organizations since 1996.
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