French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), a Dignity Health member along with Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH) and Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC), is proud to announce it has awarded $48,021 in grant funding to seven unique community non-profit organizations in San Luis Obispo County. Representatives from each organization were invited to a luncheon on January 17, where they were presented with checks to help aid in the critical health and human services they provide to county residents.
Grants are awarded through a Community Grants Program created by FHMC’s parent company Dignity Health. The intent of the annual community grant program is to help non-profit organizations with an interest in building healthier communities by improving health and living conditions. Criteria for this funding cycle were based on the following priority areas identified in the FHMC Community Benefits Plan and Community Health Assessment: Access to Healthcare/Insurance, ER Utilization, Chronic Disease, and Mental Health.
This year, the FHMC Community Grants were awarded to the following local organizations:
- Alliance for Pharmaceutical Access, Inc (APA), to expand its model of providing prescription medications for chronic medical conditions to targeted populations (the uninsured, under-insured, seniors, low and very low income, and other disenfranchised people) in SLO County.
- Cancer Well-Fit Inc, to sustain and grow their exercise program to include training of instructors and purchasing exercise equipment.
- Community Counseling Center (CCC), to deliver one-to-one, couples and group/family psychotherapy at CCC locations in SLO, Los Osos, Atascadero and Paso Robles operated within the FHMC primary service area.
- Coast Caregiver Resource Center, to enhance or maintain caregiver well-being, and to delay or prevent institutionalization of dependent adults in San Luis Obispo by providing respite care to caregivers.
- San Luis Obispo County Child Abuse Prevention Council (SLOCAP), to continue to build, foster, and support a coalition of Promotores (community outreach workers) throughout San Luis Obispo County by providing training, emotional support, and materials to empower a more healthful community.
- SLO Noor Foundation, to continue laboratory and diagnostic screenings (free of charge) for patients as part of our existing primary care medical program, and to begin offering oral health exams/treatments to further optimize overall patient health.
- Women’s Shelter Program, to pay for needed mental health counseling services for Latina victims at the agency’s San Luis Obispo and South County Counseling Centers as well as associated service locations in the South County.