There are 69 agencies that provide health care-related services in Jefferson County that are giving extra thanks this week.
Those agencies will receive amounts ranging from $1,500 to $650,000 from the Jefferson Memorial Community Foundation, which funds its grants from earnings on the $154 million Mercy paid in 2013 to purchase Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Crystal City, the county’s only hospital.
Missy Endres, vice president for programs for the foundation, said there were 137 applications seeking $11.7 million in this round of funding, the second set of two “responsive portfolio” grants the foundation makes each year. Grants this round totaled $3,677,351.
The responsive portfolio addresses immediate needs at the applying agencies. This past summer, the foundation made the first of what it calls “proactive portfolio” grants. These awards are paid out over a three-year period and address three specific health-related priorities – dental health for low-income residents; public transportation to improve access to health care; and mental health services.
Those same priorities are represented in the latest round of responsive grants, which will be dispersed Dec. 1, Endres said.
Together with the responsive grants made in June and the portion of the proactive grants already paid, the foundation funded 131 grants and a total of $7,609,590 in 2016.
When this round is completed, the foundation will have paid out just over $22 million since it began making grants in 2014.
Endres said she anticipates there will be two rounds of responsive grants made again in 2017.
“Funding levels should be fairly consistent,” she said.
Applications for first round of grants of 2017 will be due in mid-February, Endres said.
Executive director Jeff Buck reported that the foundation had a balance of $152,578,000 as of Oct. 31.
He also said that original directors Lindell Carter, Dr. Jeff Draves, Tim Patterson and Jim Muehlhauser all had been reappointed to new two-year terms on the foundation board beginning Jan. 1.
All four had been appointed with four-year terms when the foundation was begun in late 2012.
The other four original directors – Dr. Ben Albano, Dr. Martha Reed, Stoke Wischmeier and Ron Ravenscraft – began their service with five-year terms and will be up for renewal, if they desire, at the end of 2017, also for two-year terms.
The longer terms were made at the beginning, Buck said, to ensure stability as the foundation got started and firmed up its policies and procedures.
The ninth member of the board is appointed by Mercy and serves as long as Mercy wants, Buck said. The current Mercy representative is Mercy Hospital Jefferson’s CEO and president, Eric Ammons.
The list of grant awardees follows:
■ Agency: Mercy Health Foundation Jefferson
Amount approved: $650,000
Purpose: To assist with the purchase of an additional MRI unit for the hospital's imaging department.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Community Partnership
Amount approved: $329,566.18
Purpose: To provide program matching funds to support Jeffco Express.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Community Partnership
Amount approved: $72,717
Purpose: To support the development of a transportation plan for Jefferson County.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Community Partnership
Amount approved: $51,341.45
Purpose: To provide matching funds for the purchase of four new buses for Jeffco Express.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Community Partnership
Amount approved: $25,000
Purpose: To provide assistance with home repairs as a result of the December 2015 flood.
■ Agency: Disability Resource Association Inc.
Amount approved: $217,480
Purpose: To provide program support to assist the agency in expanding the transportation program. The expansion would serve an additional 175 consumers per year.
■ Agency: Disability Resource Association Inc.
Amount approved: $188,871
Purpose: To support program expansion through the purchase of six new vehicles and dispatch equipment.
■ Agency: Community Treatment Inc. (Comtrea)
Amount approved: $150,000
Purpose: To support a voucher program to provide quality dental care to adults who do not have insurance.
■ Agency: Community Treatment Inc. (Comtrea)
Amount approved: $130,000
Purpose: To purchase permanent dental equipment for the Valley School Based Dental Clinic.
■ Agency: Jefferson College Foundation Inc.
Amount approved: $150,000
Purpose: To assist with the renovation of the library which is highly used by students in the health occupation programs and community members seeking health information.
■ Agency: Jefferson College Foundation Inc.
Amount approved: $50,000
Purpose: To support the Holistic Wellness program that is serving students, faculty and staff.
■ Agency: Jefferson College Foundation Inc.
Amount approved: $45,000.00
Purpose: To provide scholarships to 15 students entering the health occupation programs.
■ Agency: Teen Challenge of St. Louis
Amount approved: $200,000
Purpose: To purchase a home for the female residential program. The new facility will increase the number of clients served in the substance abuse program.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Family YMCA
Amount approved: $102,523
Purpose: To install a sprinkler system in the agency's facility.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Family YMCA
Amount approved: $41,906
Purpose: To support the agency's youth sports, aquatics and health and wellness programs.
■ Agency: Crystal City Park
Amount approved: $140,000
Purpose: To replace the filter system at the Crystal City Municipal Pool.
■ Agency: Catholic Family Services
Amount approved: $114,915.16
Purpose: To provide the school-based counseling program to Jefferson County schools that includes having on-site counselors in six area elementary schools and one area high school.
■ Agency: Great Circle
Amount approved: $62,000
Purpose: To support the Incredible Years Parent Education program for 96 families in Jefferson County.
■ Agency: Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services of Missouri
Amount approved: $59,789
Purpose: To expand the Family Solutions for Kids program to Jefferson County.
■ Agency: City of De Soto Fire Department
Amount approved: $59,000
Purpose: To purchase new hydraulic rescue equipment to decrease extrication time.
■ Agency: Jefferson County P.R.I.D.E.
Amount approved: $53,016
Purpose: To provide support for substance abuse prevention programs and to develop youth leaders.
■ Agency: Sunnyhill, Inc.
Amount approved: $47,076
Purpose: To support the development of year round programming at Sunnyhill Adventures Camp.
■ Agency: KMA Foundation Inc.
Amount approved: $42,000
Purpose: To provide a safe driving awareness program in 11 public high schools in Jefferson County and to Jefferson College.
■ Agency: Big River Ambulance District
Amount approved: $40,000
Purpose: To purchase six new transport ventilators ensuring the same equipment on all of the agency's vehicles.
■ Agency: Center for Hearing & Speech
Amount approved: $40,000
Purpose: To provide hearing and screening services at Jefferson County schools and Head Start centers and to provide the full-service audiology program for 28 people in Jefferson County.
■ Agency: Peace Pantry
Amount approved: $40,000
Purpose: To purchase a truck for the food pantry to assist in picking up donated food.
■ Agency: Valle Ambulance District
Amount approved: $37,000
Purpose: To purchase a cardiac monitor and two ventilators. This will ensure that all of the agency's life support ambulances can provide the same level of patient care.
■ Agency: Anthropedia Foundation
Amount approved: $35,450
Purpose: To support the wellness center at Valley Middle School. The center is focused on improving health-related behaviors and wellness.
■ Agency: St. John's Lutheran Church and School
Amount approved: $35,000
Purpose: To renovate the agency's second Care Connections building to increase mental health services.
■ Agency: City of Festus Administration
Amount approved: $34,000
Purpose: To install an outdoor warning siren at West City Park. The project will increase the coverage of the agency's warning system.
■ Agency: ALIVE
Amount approved: $31,422.36
Purpose: To support counseling services, transportation and the Nights of Safety program for victims of domestic violence.
■ Agency: Parents as Teachers – Festus
Amount approved: $30,000
Purpose: To purchase vision screeners and to calibrate the hearing equipment. To purchase diapers, wipes and books to encourage program participation.
■ Agency: The Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
Amount approved: $30,000
Purpose: To support foster care and adoption services in Jefferson County.
■ Agency: Hand 'n Hand Pregnancy Help Center
Amount approved: $27,645
Purpose: To assist the agency in providing clients with pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, health-related educational materials and basic needs.
■ Agency: NextStep for Life
Amount approved: $25,000
Purpose: To purchase and install a backup generator for one of the agency's facilities.
■ Agency: Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri
Amount approved: $24,076
Purpose: To expand the Project Anti-Violence Education program to additional schools in Jefferson County.
■ Agency: Parkland Pregnancy Resource Center
Amount approved: $17,000
Purpose: To upgrade the agency's lighting system.
■ Agency: Brain Injury Association of Missouri
Amount approved: $15,000
Purpose: To provide services to survivors of brain injury and their families in Jefferson County.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Pregnancy Care Center
Amount approved: $14,000
Purpose: To upgrade the agency's technology. The upgrade will increase the number of clients served.
■ Agency: Upward Smiles Inc.
Amount approved: $12,649.02
Purpose: To purchase X-ray integration equipment and to provide a continuing education opportunity for the agency's staff.
■ Agency: Helping Hands and Horses
Amount approved: $12,000
Purpose: To purchase customized therapy saddles and to increase ADA access.
■ Agency: Birthright of Hillsboro, Inc.
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To assist with the immediate needs of pregnant women and those with newborn babies and children under the age of 2.
■ Agency: Burns Recovered Support Group
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To provide the burn and fire prevention program to Jefferson County schools and to provide two to three scholarships for children to attend the burn camp.
■ Agency: C-6 Educational Foundation Inc.
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To purchase gift cards that will be used to provide students with necessary clothing, shoes and coats.
■ Agency: G.S.B.T.T.C. (Giving Something Back To The Community)
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To provide direct financial assistance to individuals and families in need.
■ Agency: Heart of the Apostle Fellowship
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To support the toy and food distribution programs.
■ Agency: Hillsboro Food Pantry
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To purchase food and to assist with general operating expenses.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Rescue Mission
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To purchase food and to assist with general operating expenses.
■ Agency: NAMI St. Louis
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To support the Crisis Intervention Team program in Jefferson County.
■ Agency: Spirit Strides Inc.
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To provide equine therapy scholarships and program support.
■ Agency: St. Patrick Center
Amount approved: $10,000
Purpose: To provide direct financial assistance to veterans and their families.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Health Department
Amount approved: $9,671
Purpose: To support the agency's Community Health Assessment project.
■ Agency: Sunrise R-9 School
Amount approved: $9,000
Purpose: To create an outdoor walking/jogging trail for student and community use.
■ Agency: Mapaville Fire Protection District
Amount approved: $7,950
Purpose: To increase training opportunities for the agency's firefighters.
■ Agency: Zion Lutheran Church Pevely
Amount approved: $5,000
Purpose: To provide direct financial assistance to individuals and families in need.
■ Agency: Zion Lutheran Church Pevely
Amount approved: $2,889.56
Purpose: To purchase AED units and for AED/CPR training for staff and volunteers.
■ Agency: Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Amount approved: $7,500
Purpose: To support the Victim Services program in Jefferson County.
■ Agency: Dunklin Fire Protection District
Amount approved: $7,000
Purpose: To support a free CPR, AED and First Aid program for community members.
■ Agency: Court Appointed Special Advocates of Jefferson County
Amount approved: $5,160
Purpose: To support the agency's marketing efforts to reach and recruit potential CASA volunteers.
■ Agency: Heart of the Apostle Fellowship
Amount approved: $5,000
Purpose: To support the Socks of Love program that provides basic needs supplies to individuals and families in need.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Military Families Support Network
Amount approved: $5,000
Purpose: To provide direct financial assistance to individuals and families in need.
■ Agency: Jefferson County Pregnancy Care Center
Amount approved: $5,000
Purpose: To support the agency's basic needs program which includes purchasing car seats and cribs.
■ Agency: Parents as Teachers – DeSoto
Amount approved: $5,000
Purpose: To purchase diapers, wipes and books that will be used to encourage program participation.
■ Agency: Society of St Vincent de Paul, St. Rose of Lima Conference
Amount approved: $5,000
Purpose: To provide direct financial assistance to individuals and families in need.
■ Agency: Society of St. Vincent DePaul, Good Shepherd in Hillsboro Conference
Amount approved: $5,000
Purpose: To provide direct financial assistance to individuals and families in need.
■ Agency: Jefferson County, Mo.
Amount approved: $4,987.50
Purpose: To purchase specialized equipment for use by the Circuit Court to assist persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
■ Agency: Ride On St. Louis
Amount approved: $2,250
Purpose: To purchase a horse trailer to assist with off-site programs.
■ Agency: Windsor C-1 School District
Amount approved: $2,000
Purpose: To purchase assistive technology devices to provide nonverbal children with a tool for communicating.
■ Agency: rEcess
Amount approved: $1,500
Purpose: To purchase program supplies and equipment for the respite program.