NVRH Awards $15,000+ in Grants for Health Equity and Inclusion

ST. JOHNSBURY, VT (January 22, 2024) – The Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) Community Health Fund Advisory Committee awarded a total of over $15,000 in grants to H.O.P.E., The St. Johnsbury Community HUB, Lyndon Institute, NEK Community Growth Center, Inc. and Northeast Kingdom Youth Services.

These grant recipients will provide a range of programs, education and opportunities that ensure food access for youth, provide early prevention and wellness information, and support inclusion of vulnerable community members.

• H.O.P.E.: Working with nine area schools, H.O.P.E. will expand their Backpack Program. Designed to provide food insecure students with shelf-stable meals that bridge meal access over weekends and school breaks, the program, now in its 13th year, serves over 100 students.
• The St. Johnsbury Community HUB: The St. Johnsbury Community HUB will implement a health and hygiene initiative, helping to support the laundry needs for the community, while also facilitating connection to local resources. This initiative will support good personal hygiene, eliminating the stress and stigma associated with limited access to clean clothing.
• Lyndon Institute: Lyndon Institute will support high school students and adult learners to complete their Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) program, supporting healthcare workforce development. The Community Health Fund award will support LNA exam fees and required criminal background processes for students pursuing their LNA licensure.
• NEK Community Growth Center, Inc.: The NEK Community Growth Center, Inc. will provide health and wellness events, targeting families with children birth to 13 years old in the St. Johnsbury and surrounding areas. This initiative will offer education, demonstrations, health screening and greater understanding of key aspects of wellness. This initiative aims to serve 20 families with the goal of bridging the gap between school and home to make wellness accessible.
• Northeast Kingdom Youth Services: Northeast Kingdom Youth Services will develop and provide Welcome Home Starter Kits to meet basic cleaning and personal hygiene needs for recently unhoused youth, ages 16 to 24, supporting them in their transition to independent living.

The NVRH Community Health Fund, which is rounding out its twelfth consecutive year – awarding over $100,000 total – ensures continuous funding for community health programs and services that help to improve the health and quality of life for all people in the community. The priority for the current funding cycle is health equity and resilience.

“This fund was designed to connect grants directly to community partners for their health equity initiatives designed to address the root causes of poor physical and mental health,” NVRH VP Marketing and Community Health Improvement Diana Gibbs said. “Serving as good stewards of donor support, coupled with our own commitment here at NVRH, we look forward to the impact these grants will have on increasing quality of life here in the Northeast Kingdom.”

The NVRH Community Health Fund is sustained by generous donors in conjunction with NVRH’s Community Benefit funding. For more information about the NVRH Community Health Fund and the newly funded projects, please visit nvrh.org/community-health-fund.