Space Coast Health Foundation Announces 2016-2017 Grants of Nearly $1.9 Million
By Space Coast Daily // December 30, 2017
total grant money to date nearly $6.5 million
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — Brevard County residents benefitted from more than $1.87 million invested in projects to help improve their healthcare in the past year through grants made by the Space Coast Health Foundation.
The foundation, whose mission is to benefit the health care needs of Brevard County residents, today announced its grant total of $1,875,352 for the foundation’s 2016-2017 fiscal year. Grants were made to 26 organizations and collaborative projects. Since it began grant making, SCHF has granted a total of $6,471,031.
“It is an honor to be part of this effort that has already provided nearly $6.5 million in assistance to Brevard County in the past three years,” said SCHF Board Chair James Dwight, President of Florida Preparatory Academy.
“We are thrilled to see the progress being made in our community to create new opportunities for residents to gain access to health care, as well as to enhance existing services.”
The foundation provides two types of support: Venture Grants for large, single or multi-year collaborative projects, and Pickett Responsive Grants to organizations that support health initiatives.
In 2016-2017, the Venture Grants included a $1 million grant in partnership with Health First to the Brevard Health Alliance for Project Access, as well as mission-focused projects such as expanding Mental Health First Aid training and Dental Day.
SCHF facilitated four Mental Health First Aid Training courses for first responders such as police and emergency personnel, as well as teachers and those in the faith-based community who work with youth and adults.
The training teaches people to recognize symptoms and appropriate responses to mental health issues as exhibited by adults and youth.
Dental Days are collaborative day-long clinics staffed by volunteer dental professionals. In 2016-17, two clinics held in Melbourne and Port St. John provided free tooth extraction for more than 300 county residents.
Other Venture Grants provided funding for counseling and behavioral health programs at Catholic Charities of Central Florida and South Brevard Women’s Center.
In addition to Venture Grants, SCHF awarded Pickett Responsive grants in the 2016-2017 fiscal year to the following organizations for these projects:
| ORGANIZATION | PROGRAM OR PROJECT |
| AMIKids Space Coast, Inc. | Health Services for At-Risk Youth |
| Housing for Homeless | Case Management for Homeless Clients |
| Brevard Cares | Mobile Response Team |
| Brevard County Legal Aid | Children’s Legal Advocacy Project |
| Children’s Home Society | Translation Services |
| Club Esteem | Smart Choices Program |
| The MORGAN Project | Sensorium Multi-Sensory Sessions |
| The South Brevard Sharing Center | Homeless Prevention & Rehousing |
| Brevard Neighborhood Dev. Coalition | Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds |
| Community of Hope | Camp Hope |
| Daily Bread | Emergency Medical Program |
| STEPS, Inc. | STEPS Day Treatment Program |
| The Children’s Hunger Project | Weekend Meals Backpacks |
| The Salvation Army | Domestic Violence Program |
ABOUT SPACE COAST HEALTH FOUNDATION:
The Space Coast Health Foundation is a grant-making organization established to enhance the health and wellness of individuals and communities in Brevard County. The foundation was formed as a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c) 3 organization in 2010 with funds from the October 2010 sale of the Wuesthoff Health System, including its hospitals, hospice, nursing home and other medical services.
SCHF’S leadership and board of directors set as its vision to create a legacy of wellness for Brevard County communities using a model of collaboration of individuals, organizations and resources. To achieve that vision, the foundation uses its funds to make grants for collaborative efforts with other organizations also committed to improving healthcare in Brevard County.
After completing the financial and organizational requirements associated with the transfer of the Wuesthoff Health System assets, the foundation’s leadership conducted community research to identify Brevard County residents’ primary healthcare concerns and began making grants to meet those needs in 2014.
The specific community health care needs chosen for funding are determined through focus groups, one-on-one interviews with community representatives and quantitative research. For the foundation’s first three-year cycle of grant making (2015-2018), those priority areas were identified as access to medical, dental and behavioral health services.
In addition to grant making, the foundation also fulfills its commitment to a healthy Brevard by operating the Child Advocacy Center of Brevard, a program of SCHF that investigates child abuse and protects child victims.
Click here for more information on the foundation’s goals and the grant application process.
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