“The Foundation Grant Committee awarded nearly $150,000 in funding during our June application review cycle,” said Julie Bilbrey, the foundation’s executive director. “We are excited to continue expanding our mission outside the hospital walls with this new grant program and invite organizations to apply for the remaining $600,000 of funds available.”
Applications and a detailed budget must be submitted to the foundation by Sept. 1 to be considered in the next review cycle.
The foundation will award grants to local 501(c)(3) nonprofits and educational organizations to support projects and programs that align with the foundation’s chosen focus areas. Those areas are access to health care, bridging economic disparities, mental health/substance use, health care education and agriculture.
Launched in March, the Community Grant program has so far distributed $140,227 between nine groups:
- $50,000 to God’s Shelter of Love to cover operating costs for their emergency overnight 24-hour shelter for women and children facing homelessness.
- $46,227 to the United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois to help fund a First Responder Crisis Management Licensed Counselor. This full-time counselor will be available confidentially to first responders and veterans at no cost to insurance or the client.
- $15,000 to Maroa-Forsyth School District to provide training and bleeding-control kits that equip school staff to deliver on-the-spot emergent care to trauma victims in an emergency situation. The kits and training are purchased through the Stop the Bleed national campaign led by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma.
- $10,000 to the Macon County Farm Bureau for its Agriculture in the Classroom program.
- $7,000 to The DMH Lymphedema Fund to provide compression therapy garments to patients with chronic lymphodema.
- $5,328 to DMH Therapy Care for children’s therapy equipment.
- $5,022.40 to Webster Cantrell Youth Advocacy to provide car seats, diapers, wipes and infant formula to support children in their foster care program.
- $1,000 to the School for Therapeutic and Recreational Riding (STARR) to provide therapeutic riding to children with developmental and physical differences.
- $700 to Macon Resources Inc. for new CPR manikins to certify clients in CPR first aid.
For more information about the Community Grant program, call Bilbrey at 217-876-2146 or email bilbrey.julie@mhsil.com. Detailed guidelines and application forms are available online at memorial.health/dmf under the "Grant and Scholarship Opportunities" tab. Applications can be submitted online.
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