The Jefferson Foundation awarded 79 grants to 76 organizations totaling $2,629,044.89 during its second round of grants for 2021.
Jefferson Foundation Executive Director Missy Endres said the organization received 187 applications requesting more than $5.9 million for this round.
In the first round this year, the foundation awarded $2,707,731.97, so the foundation gave out 187 grants for a total of $5,336,776.86 in 2021.
“It has been an interesting year,” Endres said. “I think this year we saw a lot of emphasis on basic needs with some of that being COVID related. We are very proud of what the foundation was able to accomplish and what our grantees are accomplishing.”
Endres said grant recipients from the most recent round were expected to begin receiving checks on Dec. 1.
The foundation will begin accepting grant applications for its first round of funding in 2022 on Jan. 4, and the deadline to apply for a grant in the first round is Feb. 9.
The foundation has been awarding grants in two rounds each year since 2018 with organizations being notified if they have received funding in May for the first round and November for the second.
The foundation was created from the $154 million the Mercy health system paid in 2013 when it acquired Jefferson Regional Medical Center (now Mercy Hospital Jefferson) in Crystal City. It has awarded 1,220 grants for a total of about $54.7 million since it began administering them in 2014, Endres said.
Top dollars
Upward Smiles, a dental agency that provides service to children from low-income families in Jefferson County, received the largest grant this round – $250,000 to help buy a dentistry bus.
Sherry Cauley, founder and CEO of Upward Smiles, said the agency hopes to have the bus by the end of the year, and it will be staffed with a part-time dentist and a full-time dental hygienist and a full-time assistant.
“We are always looking for ways to provide dental services for people in need,” Cauley said. “I could never have imagined that we are where we are now, and a lot of it is because of all of the help we have received from the foundation. It is amazing what the foundation has done for our organization and the children and adults in the community.”
Upward Smiles, which has offices in Festus and Farmington, has received $2,524,805.69 in grants from the foundation since 2014.
“We were very excited to help fund this project,” Endres said. “This is going to expand services for children, which is the primary population they serve, but it will also expand to some adults as well.”
Cauley said it will cost about $550,000 to purchase and equip the dental bus, which will accommodate up to three patients at a time.
She said Upward Smiles primarily serves children, but the agency also will treat adults at outreach programs and community events. “The beauty of being on wheels is being able to be mobile and reach out to different areas,” Cauley said.
The Jefferson County Health Department also operates two dental buses in the county, and Comtrea, which provides health care services in the county, also has one.
Cauley said her agency will work with those agencies to help identify areas where another bus will help the most.
“We don’t want to impinge on other mobile units that are already going to schools and areas in need,” she said. “We will be able to reach out to find out who is in need and start a schedule to provide access to care.”
Other large grants
■ St. Louis Counseling, formerly called Catholic Family Services, got the second largest grant – $200,000 to provide mental health counseling in county parochial schools and at its Herculaneum office, 1349 McNutt St.
“It maintains our ability to continue to meet the needs of Jefferson County as it relates to mental healthcare for individuals and families,” St. Louis Counseling executive director Tom Duff said. “It is really important that the foundation was able to continue this with us because right now we are kind of in the middle of a mental health pandemic. We are at about a 27 percent uptick in requests for the services. We have added a part-time therapist at our office in Herculaneum to help meet the needs.”
St. Louis Counseling has received $1,878,807.16 from the foundation since 2014. That total includes a $509,787 grant the organization received in 2016 as part of the foundation’s proactive grant program, which provided larger sums doled out over a three-year period.
“Year after year, the reports they submit to us show great outcomes,” Endres said. “We are very pleased to continue to fund them.”
■ The Jefferson College Foundation received the third largest grant funding – two grants totaling $128,391.
One of the grants was for $74,391 to buy six nursing patient simulators, and the other was for $54,000 to provide 18 scholarships to students entering health occupation programs.
“(The simulators) are one of the best training tools for students,” said Blake Tilley, executive director for the Jefferson College Foundation. “The teacher can change what the patient does to get the student to react and use their training to serve the patients.
“Nursing and healthcare is a very high demand occupation at this time due to several reasons, including the pandemic. We are grateful the Jefferson Foundation believes the same that we do about the importance of producing qualified healthcare students for the county.”
Jefferson College has received $1,156,375 from the foundation since 2014.
Tilley said many of the students who benefit from the grants remain in the county to work for Mercy Jefferson.
“It is one of the benefits of the foundation that we can impact part of that cycle,” Endres said. “It is huge that this partnership is working out so well between us and the college and then the college and Mercy. It helps our community, and that is why we are here.”
New recipient
Angels’ Arms, an agency based in south St. Louis County that provides homes, resources and emotional support for foster parents and children, was awarded $75,000 to purchase a foster home in Jefferson County.
Angels’ Arms operates 13 homes that serve nearly 100 children in St. Charles County, south St. Louis County, Ballwin, Florissant and St. Louis.
Bess Wilfong, founder and executive director of Angels’ Arms, said the agency will begin looking for a home to purchase at the start of 2022, with hopes to move in foster parents and children by the spring.
She said she does not know where in Jefferson County the agency will purchase a home. The home will have to have a minimum of four bedrooms and two bathrooms so it can accommodate five to seven foster children at a time.
Wilfong also said the agency looks for homes in high-performing school districts.
“We are excited that they are coming here,” Endres said of Angels’ Arms. “They have been very successful in St. Louis County, and now they will expand into Jefferson County.”
The Angels’ Arms grant is one of three that directly addresses needs of foster children. The foundation also awarded $9,600 to Atlas Youth Outreach to develop a support group for teens in foster care, and a $5,000 grant to South County Foster Closet to support foster care services.
Jefferson Foundation 2021 Round 2 grants
ALIVE: $50,000 to support counseling services, transportation services and the Nights of Safety program for Jefferson County victims of domestic violence.
All For Family: $10,000 to help the agency lease larger program space and expand the number of families served.
Angels’ Arms: $75,000 to establish a foster home in Jefferson County and increase services to foster care families.
Anthropedia Foundation: $30,000 to support the Northwest R-1 School District wellness center and to provide workshops and seminars throughout the community.
Antonia Fire Protection District: $11,485.01 to implement a community First-Aid/CPR and Stop the Bleed program.
Arnold Food Pantry: $10,000 to purchase food and to help cover general operating expenses.
Atlas Youth Outreach: $9,600 to develop a support group for teens in the foster care system.
Brain Injury Association of Missouri: $15,000 to provide services to brain injury survivors and their families in Jefferson County.
C-6 Educational Foundation: $10,000 to purchase gift cards for students who need clothing, shoes and coats and to support prevention programs, Special Olympics and special needs proms.
Center for Hearing & Speech: $40,000 to provide hearing and screening services at Jefferson County schools and to provide the full-service audiology program for Jefferson County residents.
Cherish: $17,000 to develop meeting space for grief support groups and activity space for grief programs.
City of Hillsboro: $26,685.63 to purchase fitness equipment for the Hillsboro Police Department.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Jefferson County: $22,319 to support the agency’s marketing efforts to reach and recruit CASA volunteers.
Covenant House Missouri: $10,000 to provide services for Jefferson County youth who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
Deaconess Faith Community Nurse Ministries: $16,000 to support a faith community nurse to provide health services and education at three local food pantries.
Deaf Empowerment Awareness Foundation, dba DEAF Inc.: $5,267.08 to provide deaf awareness and sensitivity training to Jefferson County first responders and community agencies.
Disability Resource Association: $10,495 to provide continuing education opportunities for in-home aides and to support youth programs.
Disability Resource Association: $38,827.27 to support the home modification program and for facility improvements.
Dunklin R-5 School District: $40,000 to purchase wheelchair-accessible playground equipment.
Eye Thrive: $25,000 to implement a summer program in Jefferson County and for technology upgrades.
Faith Community Church: $17,409 to purchase equipment for the food pantry and for facility improvements.
FamilyForward: $51,250 to expand early intervention/prevention services to Jefferson County.
Feed My People: $53,420 to replace the agency’s roof.
Finding Grace Ministries: $50,000 to purchase a sprinkler system for the Transitional Living Center.
Get Healthy De Soto: $20,250 to expand programs and services.
Grandview R-2 School District: $39,825 to construct a walking path around the elementary school playground.
Great Circle: $55,000 to support the Incredible Years Parent Education program for families in Jefferson County.
Hand ’n Hand Pregnancy Help Center: $25,000 to provide clients with pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, health-related educational materials and basic needs.
Heart of the Apostle Fellowship: $10,000 to provide program support for the toy and food distribution program and for the basic needs program for homeless teens.
Hillsboro Fire Protection District: $15,867.20 to purchase a chest compression device.
Hillsboro United Methodist Church: $10,000 to purchase food and other basic needs items.
Hope Lutheran Church: $5,000 to provide financial assistance to individuals and families in need.
Jefferson College Foundation: $54,000 to provide scholarships to 18 students entering health occupation programs.
Jefferson College Foundation: $74,391 to purchase six nursing patient simulators.
Jefferson County Community Partnership: $90,000 to provide program support
for the Children & Families Safe program.
Jefferson County government: $22,350 to provide Jefferson County law enforcement officers the opportunity to attend the Law Enforcement Survival Institute.
Jefferson County government: $38,134.66 to purchase outdoor exercise equipment for the Juvenile Detention Center.
Jefferson County Rescue Mission: $15,792.24 to make necessary building repairs and to purchase new awnings.
Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation: $5,937.82 to support one of the agency’s Licensed Clinical Social Workers in obtaining Child Behavior certification.
KUTO (Kids Under Twenty One): $10,000 to support school-based mental health and suicide prevention services.
Living Well Village Foundation: $90,000 to provide scholarships for the residential summer weight loss camp for kids and general operating expenses.
Make-A-Wish Missouri and Kansas: $10,000 to grant a wish for Jefferson County children who have a critical illness.
Mapaville Fire Protection District: $8,250 to purchase a continuing education program for agency personnel.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving: $10,000 to support the Victim Services program in Jefferson County.
Northwest R-1 School District: $10,939.12 to purchase new cardio equipment for the high school.
OATS: $100,000 to provide program support for the JeffCo Express public transportation program.
Office of Job Training Programs: $87,500 to make technology upgrades and to enhance direct services to individuals.
Our Lady Catholic School: $40,000 to construct an all-inclusive playground.
Ozark Food Pantry: $10,000 to purchase food and for general operating expenses.
Peace Pantry: $75,000 to enclose the multi-purpose building, which will allow the agency to expand services.
Pony Bird: $100,000 to assist the agency with capacity building needs.
Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services: $60,000 to support the Family Solutions for Kids program in Jefferson County.
Promise Community Homes: $35,000 to complete maintenance projects at the agency’s three homes in Jefferson County.
Jefferson R-7 Blue Jay Foundation: $20,000 to purchase equipment for the grocery store and resource center program.
Radiant Life Pentecostal Church of God: $10,000 to purchase food and basic needs items.
rEcess: $2,000 to purchase program supplies for the respite program.
Ride On St. Louis: $10,000 to hire a consultant that will help the agency plan for a capital campaign.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis: $15,000 to provide program support that will assist with the cost of services for Jefferson County families.
St. Louis Counseling: $200,000 to provide mental health counseling and presentations in Jefferson County parochial schools and at the agency’s office in Herculaneum.
Society for the Blind & Visually Impaired: $30,000 to pilot a mobile low vision services program in Jefferson County.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Rose of Lima Conference: $5,000 to provide direct financial assistance to individuals and families in need.
South County Foster Closet: $5,000 to support foster care services that are now located in Jefferson County.
Spirit Strides Inc.: $10,000 to provide equine therapy scholarships and program support.
St. Louis Area Diaper Bank: $15,000 to provide program support for the diaper and period supply program in Jefferson County.
St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program: $10,000 to provide program support for the health equipment lending program.
St. Louis Learning Disabilities Association: $5,000 to provide early intervention screenings at early childhood centers in Jefferson County.
Sunnyhill: $5,892.75 to repair the mechanical wastewater treatment plant at the Sunnyhill Independence Center in De Soto.
Sunrise R-9 School: $33,157.11 to purchase a hearing screener and to make upgrades to an outdoor fitness trail.
Teen Challenge of St. Louis: $25,000 to purchase a van to provide transportation for residents.
The Child Core Foundation: $30,000 to purchase a truck and trailer for the summer food program.
The Covering House: $30,000 to help with general operating expenses at the long-term therapeutic home.
The Curators of the University of Missouri: $65,000 to purchase simulators for the nursing program.
The Oasis Institute: $25,000 to provide health and wellness classes in Jefferson County.
The Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation: $10,000 to provide therapy services for Jefferson County families with children who have congenital heart disease.
Upward Smiles: $250,000 to purchase a mobile dentistry bus that will expand dental services for adults and children.
Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis: $20,000 to provide medical equipment for children with special needs.
Victory Christian Fellowship: $10,000 to provide program support for basic needs services.
VOYCE: $10,000 to recruit volunteer ombudsmen to visit Jefferson County long-term care communities.
Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church: $5,000 to support the back-to-school program that provides backpacks, supplies and health screenings.
Total: $2,629,044.89