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PHH awards $66,500 in grants

Parkview Huntington Hospital has chosen four nonprofit organizations in Huntington County to partner with to improve the health of the community.
Parkview Huntington Hospital has chosen four nonprofit organizations in Huntington County to partner with to improve the health of the community. Photo provided.

$66,500 to four nonprofit organizations in Huntington County.

The grants, made from the hospital's Community Health Improvement funds for 2010, went to the Boys and Girls Club of Huntington County, Community and Family Services, United Way of Huntington County and Youth Services Bureau of Huntington County.

The organizations were selected on the basis of their ability to work collaboratively and proactively to improve the health of the community.

The organizations also had to demonstrate how they address specific community health needs and show that they are able to measure the specific improvements their programs contribute to community health.

"Several very worthy organizations in the community were considered, and these four best met the criteria we've established to identify community partners," says Darlene Garrett, Parkview Huntington Hospital chief operating officer. "We are confident that they will impact the health of Huntington County in a very positive way."

The Boys and Girls Club of Huntington County has provided programs for hundreds of children each year since opening in 2001. Its share of funds will be used to promote its SMART Moves program (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training). The program teaches abstinence from substance abuse and adolescent sexual involvement by practicing resistance and refusal skills for at-risk youths from the ages of six to 16.

Community and Family Services, Inc., plans to use its funds to continue the work of the Huntington County Free Health Clinic. The clinic provides acute and chronic healthcare for all Huntington County citizens who are otherwise unable to obtain healthcare due to lack of financial resources and health insurance coverage.

The United Way of Huntington County has long been a promoter of health and wellness in the community. The United Way will use its share of funds to continue its Health and Wellness Committee programs, first funded in 2006 by the Indiana Association of United Ways. Its wellness programs educate and raise awareness about the importance of fitness and eating healthy by targeting youths and families, and include, among many other programs: Eat Your Way to Better Health; Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Bar for elementary students; and Cooking With Love.

The Youth Services Bureau of Huntington County provides programs and services to assist youths and families and the challenges they face associated with childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. Two programs offered by the organization will be funded by the grant funds, the On Your Way Up Program and the Teen Suicide Prevention program. On Your Way Up is an incentive program that provides support, education and guidance to young parents in an effort to promote healthy life choices for the parents and the child. The Teen Suicide Education Program provides education directed to Huntington County middle school and high school children on warning signs, appropriate action steps and resources available related to suicide.

Complete caption: Parkview Huntington Hospital has chosen four nonprofit organizations in Huntington County to partner with to improve the health of the community. Partner-organization representatives and Parkview Huntington Hospital officials are (from left) Mandy Rebor, executive director, Boys and Girls Club of Huntington County; Darlene Garrett, chief operating officer, Parkview Huntington Hospital; Sharon Kay, RN, clinic director, Huntington County Free Health Clinic; Marj Hiner, chair, Parkview Huntington Hospital Board of Directors; Jan Williams, director, Youth Services Bureau of Huntington County; Pat Horoho, executive director, United Way of Huntington County; Rick Baker, member, Parkview Huntington Hospital Board of Directors; and Ira Bencun, Youth Services Bureau On Your Way Up Store coordinator.