Ashland Community Hospital Foundation awards grants to seven organizations in Ashland, Talent and Phoenix

Ashland Community Hospital Foundation has awarded grants totaling $229,500 to seven nonprofit organizations for community health and wellness initiatives.

In January, ACHF invited nonprofits who are expanding or creating access to health and wellness through community-based programs in Ashland, Talent, and Phoenix to submit grant proposals.

“Health care now and in the future is about keeping people healthy through community-based programs, in addition to standing ready to treat advanced illnesses and injuries in our local hospital,” said Board of Directors President Cindy Bernard. “We were delighted with the innovative projects presented and are pleased to share how philanthropic gifts have increased access to health and wellness services in our community. We are deeply grateful to our family of donors for their investment and to the organizations serving our community in new and innovative ways.”

A total of $229,500 has been awarded to seven organizations:

1.     La Clinica – Expanding school-based health center hours at the Phoenix Elementary School to keep the center open year-round. The extended hours support the increased need for behavioral health services. The center will be available to all children and families enrolled in the Phoenix-Talent School District.

2.     Mercy Flights – Partnering to pilot their innovative Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) program for the Ashland, Talent, and Phoenix communities. The grant supports hiring a dedicated MIH practitioner to provide customized care to individuals just discharged from area hospitals. Their support helps connect people to the right care at the right time, in the right place and meets the needs of our most vulnerable.

3.     Options for Helping Residents of Ashland – Increasing access to services by converting space at the OHRA Center into a clinic, which will be operated by La Clinica. The conversion will include an exam room and therapy room to support medical and behavioral health. The program helps connect people to the care they need at the time they need it and potentially reduce the use of emergency rooms. Funding for this project was provided through the foundation’s Community Care Fund, which supports health care services and programs for those in need.

4.     Rogue Valley Farm to School – Supporting their Digging Deeper program designed to cultivate a culture of health within the Phoenix-Talent Elementary Schools. The investment will help expand the program to include school-based health providers who will join the nutritionist, RVFS2S staff, and school administrators to identify goals and metrics to measure the success of the program’s impact on students.

5.     Rogue Valley Mentoring – Investing in the social and emotional wellness of middle school students in the Phoenix-Talent School District by expanding mentoring circles. The expansion will support mentoring circles for all 300 sixth- and seventh-grade students, as well as two circles for eighth-grade students.

6.     Talent Maker City – Investing in their Rise Up + Rebuild Workshop Series 2.0 to aid in the recovery from the Almeda Fire. The workshops support socio-emotional wellness, group collaboration, community building, and effective communication. They are also designed to spark interest in career pathways.

7.     United Way of Jackson County – Partnering on their In This Together Initiative, to support mental wellness and suicide prevention in our area. The grant will benefit their Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training and bring two free training sessions to serve the Ashland and Talent communities.

Ashland Community Hospital Foundation is a nonprofit organization leading philanthropic efforts to advance innovative and equitable approaches to community health and wellness. Contributions to the foundation are tax-deductible and can be made securely through its website or mailed to 123 Clear Creek Drive, Suite 101, Ashland, OR 97520.

Ashland Community Hospital Foundation is not affiliated with Asante or Asante Ashland Community Hospital.

Source: News release from Ashland Community Hospital Foundation. Email Ashland.news Executive Editor Bert Etling at betling@ashland.news or call or text him at 541-631-1313.