Awards to 14 organizations promote health
equity in communities throughout Illinois
CHICAGO, July 31,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Meridian Health Plan of
Illinois,
Inc. (Meridian), a provider of government-sponsored
managed care services to families, children, seniors, and
individuals with complex medical needs and a Centene company, today
announced it has awarded $857,500 in
Health Happens Here Grants™ to 14
organizations in the first half of 2024. Health Happens Here
Grants provide funds for local organizations throughout
Illinois to close care gaps and
address the health-related social needs of Meridian members and the
community.
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"We believe that better health outcomes result from caring for
the whole person and their community," said Cristal Gary, Meridian Plan President and CEO.
"These grants will support important services for seniors, maternal
and child health, and health equity efforts. Awards will also aid
unhoused people, immunization events for students, and cultural
events and outreach. By supporting these organizations in
delivering on their missions, we bring care, dignity, and respect
to people and communities throughout Illinois."
These grants provide funds to local organizations throughout
Illinois to help Meridian members
and the community access high quality, culturally sensitive
services. The organizations funded in the first half of 2024
include:
The Link & Option Center, Inc. – $175,000 award
Meridian will fund two doulas to provide prenatal and postpartum
care services to pregnant individuals within the organization's
South Side Chicago service area for 12 months. The grant will allow
doula services to start before Medicaid reimbursement begins. It
will also fund doula training and certification, as well as
training on how to bill Medicaid plans for services once coverage
for doula services is implemented in Illinois. The Link & Option Center,
Inc. provides a suite of prevention, mental health and
addiction treatment, recovery support, and other public safety and
human services for adults, seniors, children, and adolescents, as
well as their families.
Roseland Community Hospital – $150,000 award
Meridian's funding will assist in the ongoing operation of the
hospital's mobile mammography unit, enabling it to reach even more
Meridian members and communities. Meridian will host "Meridian
Mondays" using the mobile units or at the hospital to partner with
Roseland on breast cancer navigation by following up on members'
positive screenings. The mobile mammography tomosynthesis (3D)
van allows Meridian and Roseland to meet people where they are by
bringing screening services onsite to community-based groups,
nonprofits, churches, clinics, and other local organizations.
Southern Illinois University
College of Medicine's Office of DEI – $125,000 award
Funding will expand on the impact of a previous micro-grant from
Meridian that supports projects at Southern
Illinois University – School of Medicine's (SIUSOM) Office
of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. These funds help provide
diversity, equity, and inclusion curriculum for the next generation
of health care providers.
Compass for Kids – Springfield - $100,000 award
Compass for Kids' mission and vision is to provide academic and
social-emotional support to children and families underserved in
their community, ensuring that all children will experience success
and reach their full potential through innovative after-school and
summer programs. Committed to removing barriers to participation,
including transportation, the grant will be used to purchase an
11-passenger van and a minivan.
The Outlet - $100,000
award
The Outlet has offices in seven schools in District 186
Springfield, offering in-school mentoring services and after-school
care for students. The Outlet's vision is to become the hub of
youth development in the region focusing on mentoring, access to
social emotional learning, family support, healthy eating and
training others who work with local area young men and boys. The
grant will help with renovating the new location in Springfield, serving youth ages 8-18
throughout the Springfield,
Decatur, and Jacksonville area.
Children First Fund: The Chicago Public Schools Foundation -
$55,000 award
The Children First Fund creates ways for every Chicagoan to engage
in the success of Chicago Public
Schools (CPS) students and schools through philanthropy and
partnerships. The organization connects CPS and its community of
partners, including businesses, foundations, and individuals,
matching resources with the students, schools, and staff that need
them most. This award will support ten immunization/physical
events, marketing and communications support to raise awareness of
these events in their communities, and Coordinator/Data Entry
support for scheduling and other administrative
functions.
Franklin-Williamson Positive Youth Development -
$54,000 award
Meridian will be purchasing 2,000 back-to-school kits from
Back 2 School America for the yearly back-to-school event. These
kits include all the supplies a student may need for school and
will be distributed at the Southern Illinois Back to School Expo on
Saturday, July 27. Last year this
event served nearly 2,000 students and more than 2,500 adults.
Attendees receive access to dozens of community resources as well
as dental exams, health screenings, immunizations, school
physicals, haircuts, clothing, food supplies, a hot lunch,
entertainment and family activities, all for free.
Connections for the Homeless -- $50,000 award
Connections for the Homeless delivers essential services to people
facing homelessness and housing insecurity in the northern suburbs
of Chicago. This award will assist
with the organization's general operating support.
Hispanic Women of Springfield - $25,000 award
Hispanic Women of Springfield is a
non-profit organization offering a variety of resources and social
activities to promote Hispanic culture and traditions and to
provide a network for those who arrive in the Springfield community, including translation
services; access to food, medication, utility and rental
assistance; and immigration services. This award will support their
cultural outreach and events for the 2nd half of 2024, such as back
to school campaigns, Hispanic Heritage Month Fair, Community
Closet, Meet and Great with Santa, and Latin Party Night.
Greater All Nations Tabernacle (GANT) -
$10,000 award
GANT Senior Luncheon program provides a monthly get-together at the
Springfield Salvation Army for area seniors 55 years and over
to experience a no-cost meal, health and wellness education,
and social/emotional interaction with peers. The grant will
help expand the GANT senior luncheon program to include a
continental breakfast, games, art supplies for activities and
prizes.
Mini O'Beirne Crisis Nursery - $6,000 award
Mini O'Beirne Crisis Nursery provides emergency childcare and a
no-cost essentials pantry for over 160 families in counties within
a 60-mile radius of Springfield,
including Sangamon, Menard, Christian and Morgan. The funding will help with purchasing
diapers and wipes for the Nursery and the families
served.
Infant Welfare Society of Chicago - $5,000 award
Infant Welfare Society of Chicago
provides a continuum of integrated, quality, and preventive health
care services to children and their families, enabling them to lead
healthy and productive lives. This award will support their
nutrition services, assisting with the purchase an industrial
refrigerator/freezer, stipends to employees to offer operating
hours beyond the current two days per week, and supplemental foods
when delivery is unavailable on their scheduled date.
Made Wright, Inc. - $2,000
award
Made Wright, Inc. serves the Springfield and Central Illinois community in helping close
economic disparities by providing financial and academic resources.
These funds will support their Made Movement program and purchase
backpacks and school supplies for their annual back-to-school
giveaway in the fall.
Birth to Five Illinois - $500 award
Birth to Five Illinois supports mobilization of communities to
build and sustain equitable access to inclusive, high-quality early
childhood services for all children and families. This award
supplied books that will be distributed to children of all ages
when attending community events as well as replenish the traveling
library in the Springfield/Central
Illinois area.
About Meridian Health Plan of Illinois
Meridian Health Plan of
Illinois, Inc. and its family of
health plans provide government-sponsored managed care services to
families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex medical
needs. This includes Meridian's Medicaid and Medicare-Medicaid
plans, and YouthCare HealthChoice Illinois. YouthCare is a
specialized program designed to address the healthcare needs of
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
(DCFS) youth in out-of-home placement and former
foster youth. Meridian connects members to care and offers
comprehensive services to support lifelong health and wellness.
Meridian is a Centene company. Learn more at
ILmeridian.com.
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SOURCE Meridian of Illinois