Maryville receives $20,000 grant for children's health care center

To help ease the increased needs of Illinoisans during the COVID-19 pandemic, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois has awarded Maryville Academy a $20,000 grant as part of BCBSIL's $1.5 million COVID-19 Community Collaboration Fund.

"The grant will be used to support the Maryville Children's Healthcare Center to specifically pay for nursing staff salaries," Director of Nursing Helene Pochopien said. "This helps with the costs we have incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

The Maryville Children's Healthcare Center addresses a need in the community for pediatric primary health care services for medically fragile children. It provides transitional hospital-to-home services for children with complex medical conditions and trains parents on the specialized care their child will need at home.

The Children's Healthcare Center is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and nursing staff provides round-the-clock care to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the children entrusted in Maryville's care.

BCBSIL selected 75 organizations across Illinois with missions focused on access to care, hunger and shelter to receive $20,000 grants to help address the current crisis.

"We know COVID-19 is challenging the resources that allow local organizations to provide a safety net for people most in need," said Steve Hamman, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.

"While we continue to help ensure our members have access to the care and coverage they need, these grants allow us to broaden our impact and make a difference in the lives of so many."

For a full list of grantees, visit www.bcbsil.com.

Maryville is a human services organization that has been caring for children in need for 137 years. Throughout its history, Maryville has retained its steadfast commitment to healing children, providing them with safe and compassionate care, and empowering them to reach their fullest potential.

Today, Maryville runs programs in seven sites in the Chicago metropolitan area and includes family support services, health care programs, mental and behavioral health services, educational and youth development programs, residential care and community outreach.

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