Dominican Awards Grants to Six Local Nonprofits
SANTA CRUZ, CA (December 11, 2017) – Dignity Health Dominican Hospital has awarded nearly $180,000 in grants to six local nonprofit organizations through its annual Community Grants Program. Each of the nonprofits was recognized for its commitment to providing innovative resources and support to improve quality of life for the Santa Cruz County residents most in need.
“As we observe the work of these organizations, we feel a deep sense of inspiration and gratitude,” said Dominican Hospital President Nanette Mickiewicz, MD. “Consistent with Dominican Hospital’s mission, they support the disadvantaged in our community by forging new collaborations and pursuing innovative strategies to deliver real, measurable improvements to quality of life. We affirm their leadership, dedication, and creativity in reaching out to those in need.”
Grants were awarded to the following organizations:
- Dientes Community Dental Care: $20,000 in support of a collaboration between Dientes, County of Santa Cruz’s Homeless Persons Health Project, and the Homeless Services Center to provide dental screenings, oral health education, referrals to care, and dental treatment for homeless people. The goal is to provide access to a dental home for regular preventative care, and to educate the homeless on ways to improve oral health and avoid dental emergencies.
- Digital NEST: $20,000 for the wellNEST program, which will establish through educational classes, workshops, and activities for low-income youth and young adults the connection between healthful daily food and activity choices and an increased capacity to learn, achieve, stay healthy, and ultimately earn a self- and family-sustaining income.
- Encompass Community Services: $30,000 for Project Bright Star, which focuses on the integrated behavioral health needs of adolescents using strategies that build awareness among youth, parents, teachers, and other community providers about the value of early intervention and prevention, that physical and emotional health and wellness are connected, and that services are available in the community.
- Homeless Services Center: $35,000 for the Recuperative Care Center (RCC) to support those experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County. The RCC includes 24/7 shelter services in a safe, home-like setting with meals, housekeeping, security, and case management. Onsite primary care, medication management support, clinical social work, and additional case management are provided by the Homeless Persons Health Project.
- Janus of Santa Cruz: $48,424 for Project Unite, which will support eligible patients to: 1) transition efficiently from the hospital to treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) and cooccurring disorder (COD), and 2) transition effectively from SUD/COD treatment to community living with individualized recovery maintenance plans. The Project Unite care navigation team will coordinate their efforts with the patient’s health care, housing, and mental health service providers.
- RotaCare Bay Area: $25,000 for the all-volunteer Santa Cruz RotaCare Free Clinic, which provides free health care weekly to the most vulnerable uninsured and underinsured populations of Santa Cruz County. Physicians, registered nurses, rotary club members, and Spanish/English interpreters provide medical care, diabetes education, pharmaceuticals at reduced costs, and referrals to Dominican Hospital specialists and ancillary services. Dominican’s community grants will be awarded at a luncheon event in January. Since the early 1990s, community organizations have received more than $2.5 million in grants from Dominican Hospital to promote the health and wellness of Santa Cruz County.
About Dominican Hospital
Dignity Health Dominican Hospital has been caring for the Santa Cruz County community for 75 years. Dominican offers emergency services and is a Certified Stroke Center. Dominican’s services include the only comprehensive Cancer Center in Santa Cruz County, a Total Joint Replacement program, advanced neurological and endoscopic services, and an expert heart and vascular team treating some of the most complex cardiac cases in the Monterey Bay area. Dominican has received national recognition for superior patient safety, cardiac care, and stroke treatment from Healthgrades, a leading provider of comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. Dominican also has received several awards for environmental excellence.
Join our Community:
Publish date:
Monday, December 11, 2017