A new program year has begun for the HCHDF Children’s Health Fund; 5 nonprofit programs and 3 County programs received grants for program year 2014-2015. Grant recipients gathered last month at the Harris Health System Smith Clinic to receive the awards from Mrs. Laura Dale, HCHDF Foundation Board President, and Dr. Jose Garcia, Harris Health System Chief of Pediatrics at LBJ Hospital and UTMB faculty, representing the Children’s Health Advisory Committee in charge of evaluating grant applications.
Since its inception in 2002, the HCHDF Children’s Health Fund has awarded grants for $3,546,669. For grant cycle 2014-2015 grant awards for a total of $366,669 were given to: Child Builders, for the Adopt a School Program at Yellowstone Academy; Harris County Protective Services, for a Family Support Navigator; Harris Health System-Pasadena PAHC, to support the expansion of the Girls on the Run project; Harris Health System-School Based Clinics, for their School Based Mental Health Promotion initiative; Hispanic Health Coalition, to continue with the BOUNCE Healthy Lifestyle program; Houston Area Women Center, to provide integrated health services for survivors of domestic violence; Santa Maria Hostel, to implement their Healing Hearts project; and Star of Hope Mission, for their Project Star Bright.
“We are delighted to receive grant funds from the Children’s Health Fund for our Girl’s On the Run and Pediatric Mental Health programs. Unfortunately, childhood obesity and pediatric mental health issues have become epidemics in our community and there are not enough services to support these issues. We feel privileged to be able to provide services that will have a meaningful impact in the lives of our children” said Dr. Ericka Brown, Harris Health Sr. VP of Ambulatory Care Services.
The HCHDF Children’s Health Fund is an endowment instituted through a tri-party agreement between Harris County, the Harris Health System, and the HCHD Foundation. Proceeds from this endowment support integrated health projects benefiting children in Harris County. Integrated services guarantee the continuum of care addressing physical and mental health needs as well as providing preventive and curative services. “Amazing things are achieved through public-private partnerships, especially the integrated health projects that are receiving funding from us” said Alix CaDavid, HCHDF CHF Grants Officer. “My favorite time in the program year is when we go with members of the advisory committee to visit the grant-funded programs, it is beautiful to see the children and parents that are benefiting from these grants” she added. The 2015-2016 grant cycle will open later on in the fall. Stay tuned for more details by visiting our web site at www.HCHDfoundation.org