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Edward-Elmhurst awards nearly $4 million in health equity grants

When Edward-Elmhurst Health merged with NorthShore University Health Systems earlier this year, a cornerstone of that deal was a pledge of $100 million by each hospital group to award annual "community investment fund" grants to local organizations promoting health care equity and access.

The first batch of those grants was announced recently, with nearly $4 million going to 14 suburban agencies and advocacy groups from the former Edward-Elmhurst Health's investment fund.

"We had a process where we looked at which proposals would have the biggest impacts," said Annette Kenney, chief strategy officer for NorthShore - Edward-Elmhurst Health. "We weighted different criteria on how many people would be served, if any other organizations were doing the type of work already and the sustainability of these programs."

The recipients of the grants from the hospital group's southern region - Edward-Elmhurst Health's former footprint - were chosen from 46 applicants in Cook, DuPage and Will counties seeking nearly $21 million combined, officials said.

Among those grant recipients were both educational foundations at Naperville Unit District 203 and Indian Prairie Unit District 204.

"Specifically, this funding will be used to provide mental health support to children and families through the creation of mental health clinics," said Adrian Talley, District 204's superintendent. "Services will be provided after school and on the weekend. This grant expands the type of mental health supports we will have available for our children and families."

District 204 received $500,000 in grant funds.

District 203's RISE program that serves students with mental or behavioral health issues and their families received $250,000.

"These are funds that will be used for wraparound services for families in crisis," said Wendy Goettsch, Naperville Education Foundation's executive director. "It may be transportation to a food pantry or to get a parent into a program to get a GED so they can get a better job. It's a safety net."

In addition to the school foundations, other organizations receiving grants include:

• DuPage Health Coalition, $250,000 for medical debt relief and financial literacy

• Greater Family Health, $400,000 for a new clinic in Franklin Park

• Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project, $250,000 for its health justice program

• Friends of Lisle, $250,000 for expanded food storage and distribution

• Loaves and Fishes, $325,500 for food delivery

• Bridge Communities, $292,500 for transitional housing

• DuPagePads, $250,000 for emergency housing

• KidsMatter, $250,000 for workforce training and mental health services for high school students

• VNA Health Care, $93,000 for a nursing workforce development program

• Easterseals of DuPage & Fox Valley, $250,000 for mental health of children with disabilities and their families

• Outreach Community Ministries, $333,200 for mental health services access

• Stepping Stones, $300,000 for a recovery home for women and children

Annual returns from the initial $200 million investment cover the cost of each year's funding. The hospital group's northern region awarded $2.6 million to agencies in NorthShore's former footprint in February.

"This is the power of community," said Mary Lou Mastro, CEO of the group's south region. "We're excited because these will be long-term, enduring relationships and efforts to fulfill our mission of advancing the health of our communities."

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