June 5, 2006
Contact: Bev Pfeifer-Harms
Director of Communications
314.345.5500 office

Foundation Awards $3 Million to Local Organizations

St. Louis -Twenty-five area organizations have received more than $3 million in grants from Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) as part of its Basic Support funding effort. The two-year Basic Support grants help organizations maintain existing programs and services.

Those organizations receiving Basic Support grants are:

Almost Home, St. Louis, $100,000. This grant enables the organization to provide counseling, case management and education services to homeless teenage mothers and their children.

Alzheimer's Association of St. Louis, St. Louis, $100,000. Funding supports operational costs to provide information and other outreach services to individuals in southeast Missouri.

Area Resources for Community & Human Services (ARCHS), St. Louis, $199,984. Funding enables the organization to offer vision screenings and eyeglasses for uninsured, underinsured and underserved people in metropolitan St. Louis.

The Belle Center, St. Louis, $89,641. This grant supports salaries, supplies and expenses for the Health Therapy Services Program, which assists children with medical conditions and their families.

Brain Injury Association of Missouri, Inc., St. Louis, $100,000. Funding is for equipment and operational costs for the organization, which increases public awareness of brain injuries through education and services to individuals and families.

The Center for Head Injury Services, St. Louis, $72,478. This grant maintains the organization's efforts to provide durable medical equipment to uninsured individuals in the metropolitan area.

Community Living, Inc., St. Louis, $197,971. Funding helps with operational and equipment costs for the organization, which provides health care and residential services to adults with disabilities.

Council for Extended Care of Mentally Retarded Citizens, Inc., St. Louis, $92,949. Funding supports costs for staff training as part of the organization's operation of a care facility for mentally retarded individuals.

Family Care Health Centers, St. Louis, $200,000. Funding supports the organization's efforts in providing access to oral health services for underserved individuals.

Good Samaritan Service Center for the Homeless, St. Louis, $100,000. This grant supports the organization's transitional housing program, which provides residential and support services for homeless families in St. Louis City and County.

Kilo Diabetes & Vascular Research Foundation, St. Louis, $100,000. This grant supports operational costs of the organization, which provides no-cost diabetes awareness programs and screening services to high-risk seniors.

Maternal Child and Family Health Coalition of Metropolitan St. Louis, St. Louis, $67,000. This grant covers operational expenses of the organization, which works to improve maternal, child and family health.

National Kidney Foundation of Eastern Missouri & Metro East, St. Louis, $94,967. This grant provides for operation costs related to the organization's screening program for kidney disease among lower income, uninsured and underinsured people.

Our Little Haven, St. Louis, $99,586. Funding allows the organization to provide early intervention and care for infants and young children affected by abuse and neglect.

Paraquad, Inc. St. Louis, $200,000. This grant supports the organization's Consumer Directed Services/Independent Living Services program, which helps disabled individuals live independently.

Presbyterian Children's Services, Inc., St. Louis, $200,000. Funding supports mental health services offered by the organization, which hopes to prevent child abuse and neglect and serves children and families in 49 Missouri counties.

Provident Counseling, Inc., St. Louis, $190,033. This grant supports operational expenses related to the organization's prevention, intervention and treatment health services for youth and families.

St. Louis Care and Counseling Services, Inc., St. Louis, $34,950. Funding allows the organization to continue providing transportation to health providers for the elderly and disabled in the City of St. Louis.

St. Louis Regional Asthma Consortium, St. Louis, $99,978. This grant supports operational expenses of the organization, which strives to improve the quality of life of people living with asthma.

St. Louis Transitional Hope House, St. Louis, $100,000. Funding supports the organization's follow-up program for former homeless individuals leaving the structured residential program.

United Services for the Handicapped in St. Charles County, St. Peters, $199,760. Funding is for staffing so the organization can continue to strengthen and enhance its physical and occupational therapy programs.

The Wellness Community of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, $99,760. This grant supports operational costs related to conducting support groups for those suffering with cancer.

West End Mount Carmel Community Outreach Services, St. Louis, $99,588. This grant addresses operational expenses of the organization, which provides support and education for individuals coping with addictions.

Wings of Hope, Inc., Chesterfield, $100,000. This grant covers gasoline and oil expenses needed to maintain the organization's medical air transport service.

MFH has committed $12 million to Basic Support funding in 2006. For more information about other funding opportunities in 2006, visit the MFH website, www.mffh.org.

Established in 2000 through the for-profit conversion of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri, MFH is the largest non-governmental funder of community health activities in the state. MFH is in its fourth year of grantmaking, issuing more than $167 million in grants and awards to date. It is dedicated to serving the uninsured, underinsured and underserved in 84 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis.

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