Health funding announces 2022 round of grants

Huntington County Healing Partners has announced its 2022 round of grants to local organizations.

A unique health-priority funding alliance uniting the Huntington County Medical Society and Parkview Huntington Hospital (PHH) in a shared vision of improved community health, Healing Partners aims to enhance Huntington County social service programs targeting the most pressing health needs. The alliance was created in 2021 thanks to an endowment gift of more than $1.28 million from the medical society.

In June, the Healing Partners Council – a committee of representatives from the medical society, the hospital and Parkview Huntington Foundation – reviewed qualified grant applications received from 27 organizations and selected 15 to receive funding in the program’s second round of annual grants. Funding for the grants consists of interest from the Huntington County Physicians’ Legacy Fund endowment created by the medical society gift, and an annual gift from the hospital’s Community Health Improvement funds.

“Healing Partners has identified organizations in our community committed to the long-term health and wellness of Huntington County,” said Matt Pflieger, DO, medical society vice president and Huntington County health officer. “We applaud the evidence-based approach to addressing the complicated issues of obesity and substance abuse. These are difficult problems with no easy answer. We are lucky to have committed partners in our community working tirelessly for the good of others.”

The 15 approved grants total $80,199.24 and tackle health priorities identified in the Huntington County Health Needs Assessment, which is conducted every three years. The most recent assessment, completed in 2019, cited the county’s major health concerns as chronic disease treatment and management, access to healthy foods, obesity, mental health, and substance use and abuse.

The 2022 recipients are:

• Aging & In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana
Purpose: Materials for workshop providing adults with chronic disease self-management education. Priorities addressed: Mental health

• Blessings in a Backpack
Purpose: Increasing the availability of protein-rich foods in monthly distributions. Priorities addressed: Nutrition access, Obesity

• Bread of Life Food Pantry
Purpose: Expanding vegetable distribution to children in Warren’s “Neighbors Feeding Neighbors” program. Priorities addressed: Nutrition access, Obesity

• Huntington Area Recreational Trails Association (HARTA)
Purpose: Supplemental funding to complete trail access to YMCA and Parkview Huntington Hospital; will include signage and trailside fixtures. Priorities addressed: Obesity, Mental health

• Huntington County Community Corrections
Purpose: Providing start-up furnishings (mattresses, bedding, and bath supplies) for transitional housing residents. Priorities addressed: Substance abuse, Mental health

• Huntington United Against Overdose
Purpose: Providing educational materials and coaching to prevent drug overdoses. Priorities addressed: Substance abuse, Mental health

• Indiana Dream Center
Purpose: Expanding mental health services. Priorities addressed: Mental health

• Love in the Name of Christ (Love INC) of Huntington County
Purpose: Continue and broaden low-fat dairy, lean protein, and fresh produce availability through the organization’s food pantry. Priorities addressed: Nutrition access, Obesity

• McMillen Health
Purpose: Content funding for 10 Preventive Health Education for Youth programs to potentially be made available to 250 pre-K-12 students throughout the Huntington County Community School Corporation. Priorities addressed: Substance abuse, Obesity

• New Life Ministries
Purpose: Support for transitional housing programs for men and women that provide shelter, education and daily structure. Priorities addressed: Substance abuse, Mental health

• Place of Grace
Purpose: Supplying furnishings, programming, supplies and staff training for facility expansion. Priorities addressed: Substance abuse, Mental health

• Safe Families for Children
Purpose: Establishing temporary shelter and follow-up counseling programs for children and families in crisis. Priorities addressed: Mental health, Substance abuse

• Salvation Army of Huntington County
Purpose: Supporting additional purchases to expand food pantry selections and availability. Priorities addressed: Nutrition access, Obesity

• United Way of Huntington County
Purpose: Assisting YMCA-based, after-school nutrition/cooking program involving middle-schoolers. Priorities addressed: Nutrition access, Obesity

• Youth Services Bureau of Huntington County
Purpose: Supplies for participants and teachers in suicide prevention education program. Priorities addressed: Mental health

“The number and quality of the applicants to the Healing Partners Fund was quite impressive,” said Doug Selig, president of PHH and member of the Healing Partners Council. “This really made it challenging to divide up the funds, having to choose between so many great organizations and worthwhile programs. We certainly have high expectations for this year’s winners!”

Local 501(c)3 not-for-profit organizations will be able to apply for funding again in 2023. Information on the timing of the next grant cycle will be available early next year.

For information on Huntington County Healing Partners, email HealingPartners@parkview.com.