DAYTON, Ohio, June 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the first half of its 10th anniversary year, the CareSource Foundation has provided funding to 83 organizations in Ohio through five signature grants, four "surprise" grants, and 74 responsive grants. Since 2006, the CareSource Foundation has awarded over 1,000 grants and invested more than $13 million to strengthen the network of health and human service nonprofit organizations throughout Ohio.
The CareSource Foundation provides funding to nonprofits who are working to eliminate poverty, providing much-needed services to low-and moderate-income families, building healthier communities, developing innovative approaches to address critical issues of children, adults and families.
CareSource is a leader in cultivating partnerships that enhance and improve the health care and life services for consumers. All of these grants have been selected through a rigorous review process that evaluates innovation, impact and sustainability.
"Over the last decade we have seen great challenges in the areas of well-being and health care. What is most exciting, however, is the impact we have had as the result of partnerships with some of the most impressive nonprofits in the country. Ohio has brilliant, passionate people who work hard for positive change," said Cathy Ponitz, Executive Director of the CareSource Foundation. "As we look ahead to the next 10 years we are optimistic about the opportunities for social innovation and making a lasting difference in the lives of our most vulnerable populations throughout the state."
10th Anniversary Celebration
In the spirit of the CareSource Foundation mission, the 10th Anniversary milestone will be celebrated through "surprise grants" of $10,000 each to 10 of the most innovative partners throughout Ohio. Four grants have already been awarded to the following recipients:
• Children's Defense Fund
• Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Wellness Initiative
• National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Cleveland
• Reach Out Montgomery County
The six remaining surprise grants will be awarded later this year.
CareSource Signature Grant Recipients
The CareSource Foundation awarded four Signature grants during the first half of 2016. These awards are focused on innovative, high-impact approaches to solving critical social issues. In total, $737,000 in awards have been allocated to the following organizations:
• Equitas Health (formerly AIDS Resource Center Ohio): $212,000 grant to address health inequities in the LGBTQ community through the ARC Medical Centers in both Columbus and Dayton.
• Finance Fund Healthy Food Initiative: $150,000 grant to create a funding stream for communities across Ohio to launch food-related initiatives that specifically address issues of food insecurity, access to healthy foods and food desert issues in low-income areas.
• Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton: $125,000 grant to create a partnership between Dayton Public Schools, Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County and CareSource which will provide mobile, on-site visits to all K-5 students with asthma in the DPS system.
• Preschool Promise: $250,000 grant to support countywide strategy that will ensure that all 4-year-olds in Montgomery County are prepared for kindergarten by having access to affordable, high-quality preschool.
Funding by Region
Dayton / Springfield, Ohio - $156,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami Valley
Boys & Girls Club of Dayton
Children's Development Center
Citi Lookout
CityHeart
Day of Caring 365
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Wellness Initiative - 10th Anniversary Grant
Family of Addicts
Helping Hands Community Outreach
Homefull
Kids in New Directions (KIND)
Marriage Resource Center of Miami Valley
Miami County Recovery Council
On-The-Rise
Project READ
Reach Out Montgomery County - 10th Anniversary Grant
Rehabilitation Center for Neurological Development
South Community
St. Mary's Development Corp.
We Care Arts
Welcome Dayton (Unitarian Fellowship for World Peace)
Cincinnati / Hamilton / Middletown / Mason, Ohio - $74,000
Abilities First Foundation
Beech Acres Parenting Center
Cedar Village
Celebrating Restoration: A Place of Hope
Central Connections
Children's Home of Cincinnati
Churches Active in Northside
Community First Solutions
Salvation Army
Starfire Council of Greater Cincinnati
Stepping Stones
Supports To Encourage Low Income Families
YWCA of Greater Cincinnati
Cleveland / Akron / Youngstown Ohio - $152,200
Adoption Network Cleveland
Battered Women's Shelter
Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland
Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center
Family Promise of Loraine County
Forbes House
Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland
Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential
May Dugan Center
Metanoia Project, Inc.
Miami Foundation: Project Ujima
Mobile Meals
National Alliance of Mental Illness: Cleveland - 10th Anniversary Grant
North Coast Health
Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition
Rose Center for Aging Well
SCOPE of Trumbull County
St. Paul's Community Outreach
Teen Start
University Settlement
Womankind
Columbus / Chillicothe / Delaware, Ohio - $124,000
Advocates for Ohio's Future
Breathing Association
Canine Companions for Independence
Central Community House
Charity Newsies
Childhood League Center
Children's Defense Fund - 10th Anniversary Grant
Cornerstone of Hope
Furniture Bank of Central Ohio
Hopewell Health Centers Lower Lights Christian Health Center
Mental Health America of Licking County
Near Northside Material Assistance
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio
Simon Kenton Council, Boy Scouts of America
Southeast
Toledo / Findlay, Ohio - $33,000
Baby University
Blanchard Valley Residential Services
The Daughter Project
St. Paul's Community Center
Toledo Community Service
Pike County / Barnesville, Ohio - $16,000
Community Action Committee of Pike County
Ohio Hills Health Services
About CareSource
CareSource is a nonprofit health plan nationally recognized for leading the managed care industry in providing member-centric health care coverage. Founded in 1989, CareSource is one of the nation's largest Medicaid managed care plans. Today CareSource offers a lifetime of health coverage to more than 1.5 million members across four states including offerings on the Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicare Advantage plans.
Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, CareSource has a workforce of 2,700 employees located across the region. CareSource is living its mission to make a lasting difference in its members' lives by improving their health and well-being. CareSource understands the challenges consumers face navigating the health system and works to put health care in reach for those it serves.
For more, visit caresource.com, follow @caresource on Twitter, or like CareSource on Facebook.
For more information about the CareSource Foundation, visit www.caresourcefoundation.com.