In addition to government grants, nonprofits rely on the charity of individuals and organizations from the local private sector and sometimes from not-for-profits.
On Feb. 13, Dignity Health awarded $271,821 in checks to community nonprofit organizations across the Central Coast. Dignity Health, a San Francisco-based organization, is a not-for-profit that operates Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, and French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo.
A not-for-profit works much in the same way as a nonprofit, except nonprofits are dedicated to a particular cause. Nonprofits will use their surplus income to advance their causes, whereas not-for-profits use surplus funds to pay shareholders, but also have money to dole out for grants.
For Dignity, there was plenty of cash to spare. These particular grants were awarded through the company’s Community Grants Program. And they don’t go to just any any nonprofits.
Criteria for awarding the grants was based on Dignity’s Community Benefits Report and Plan and Community Health Needs Assessment, which includes access to health care, mental health treatment, education, homelessness and housing, cardiovascular disease and stroke, and cancer prevention and screenings.
“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,” said Dignity Marketing Specialist Kailey Cox.
The following organizations received grants from Dignity: SLO Noor Foundation, HomeShare SLO, Good Samaritan Shelter in Santa Maria, and United Way of Northern Santa Barbara County.
The SLO Noor Foundation’s primary mission is to provide the under-served and disadvantaged of San Luis Obispo County free access to quality, acute, and non-emergency care.
HomeShare SLO will create affordable housing matches between the “over housed” (at least 20 percent of seniors, according to the American Association of Retired Persons) and people in need of housing.
In partnership with the 5 Cities Homeless Coalition, the Good Samaritan Shelter will use its grant money to end youth homelessness in Santa Maria and the Five Cities region by providing tutoring services and after-school programs at their shelter campuses.
The United Way will use the money to provide supportive services for 20 people each year identified as “chronically homeless,” as well as provide housing for 10 of them. This work will increase access to mental health services, Cox said, namely through screening for early detection and education. The purpose is to prevent emergency room visits for uncontrolled diabetic hyperglycemia and cardiac events for at-risk patients.
Highlights
• On Feb 20, Phillips 66 granted $24,000 to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital to expand its emergency services program. The expansion of the emergency department is part of the hospital’s current campaign to increase the size and capacity of the acute rehabilitation department and upgrade the diagnostic imaging technology. The last time the hospital’s emergency department was updated was in 1986 with a space designed to accommodate 16,000 patients per year, although now the hospital receives more than 26,000 patients per year.
• The recent rain has prompted the California State Parks to temporarily close some parks, including Morro Bay State Park, for public safety reasons. According to Dan Falat, a state parks superintendent, the decision came after five significant tree falls and nearly 100 incidents of large limbs falling. Property damage has been limited, Falat said, and no one was injured. Camping reservations have been suspended at least until March 8. Campers with reservations for that period will be contacted regarding refunds, Falat said. For more information, call Falat at 927-2065.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Mar 2-9, 2017.
