Health Foundation of South Florida’s Board of Directors approved $1,282,700 for grants focused on increasing access to quality, primary health care; healthy eating active communities; preventive health-measures; oral health, as well as other community health needs. The grants, which range from $25,000 to $200,000, were awarded to 18 nonprofit health-related organizations in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
In Miami-Dade County, grants were awarded to: Borinquen Health Care Center, $160,000 to implement an outreach and counseling program for hard-to-reach substance abusers in Overtown; Collins Center for Public Policy, $50,000 to establish a large garden on the campus of a public senior housing facility in Coconut Grove, where garden produce is shared with residents and the excess is sold at local farmers’ markets; Florida International University Foundation, $65,000 to establish a mobile primary care unit staffed by medical students and staff to serve medically underserved and uninsured adults; Health Council of South Florida,$40,000 to administer a survey of health behaviors and health care access in Miami-Dade County that will allow neighborhood-level analysis; Jessie Trice Community Health Centers, $50,000 to conduct hypertension screening and provide education in underserved neighborhoods in Miami-Dade.
In addition, grants were added to: Miami Dade College Foundation, $120,000 to replace seven dental chairs and related equipment at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic; The Sundari Foundation, $55,000 to support an integrated health and wellness program for homeless women and children at the Lotus House Women’s Shelter; University of Miami, $25,000 to pilot an evidence- based wellness program (Active Living Every Day) in southwest Miami-Dade County; University of Miami, $200,000 to assist child care centers in establishing healthier center environments that promote nutrition and physical activity; Youth L.E.A.D., $40,000 to create a unified vision and policy for a local food system in Miami-Dade and YWCA of Greater Miami-Dade, $60,000 to support a multi-component breast and cervical cancer control program.
In Broward County, grants were awarded to: Broward Education Foundation, $32,000 to implement an integrated, school garden nutrition program in five public schools; Family Central, $58,000 to promote healthier eating habits in families through gardens at child care centers and parent education workshops; Health Choice Network of Florida, $60,200 to assist nine federally qualified health centers in attaining NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home recognition; Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies, $50,000 for provision of oral health education for high risk pregnant women and program participants of childbearing age; Kids In Distress, $102,500 to support a dental care facility for underserved children in Broward County; South Florida Hospital Research and Education Foundation, $75,000 to assist five hospitals in adopting baby-friendly best practices to increase breastfeeding and Women’s Breast Health Initiative, Florida Affiliate, $40,000 to conduct door-to-door outreach in underserved neighborhoods and free mammograms to eligible women.
