The HNHfoundation awarded $649,076 grants during its 2011 program year. The grant awards benefit 31 health-related initiatives and projects at non-profit organizations and government agencies across the State. This year’s grants were awarded to many “first-time” grantees to fund projects that focus on policy and environmental changes to prevent childhood obesity, to provide preventive and restorative oral health for children in Coos County, and to advocate for increasing access to children’s health and dental insurance coverage.
“In this challenging economic climate, I’m pleased the Foundation is able to support so many new and existing initiatives that promote healthy living throughout New Hampshire. Our grants fund projects that are implemented by local and statewide organizations that are making a real difference on behalf of children and families in their own communities,” said Sandi Van Scoyoc, HNHfoundation President. “We know that preventing illness by creating environments that support healthy living and increasing access to health and dental insurance coverage are cost-effective strategies that pay large dividends in the long term.”
The mission of the HNHfoundation is to evaluate and promote access to quality health and dental insurance coverage and healthy lifestyles for the residents of New Hampshire. To support the mission, the Foundation focuses on two areas: to increase the number of New Hampshire children who have access to health and dental insurance coverage and to support initiatives to prevent childhood obesity. Grant categories also include: public policy and advocacy, capacity building, general operating support and grants to leverage other funds.
2011 Grants Include:
$53,628 to Establish Gardens and Curriculum at Early Learning Centers:
Lakes Region Partnership for Public Health
Southwestern Community Services
UNH Child Study and Development Center
White Mountain Community College
New London Hospital Child Care Center
$39,380 to Increase Safe Places to Walk and Bike:
Town of Hebron (on behalf of Newfound Pathway Team)
City of Manchester Health Department
Southern NH Planning Commission
$92,728 for Policy and Environmental Change to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Merrimack Valley Day Care Center
Keene State College
Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital
$25,000 to Provide Restorative Oral Health Care for Coos County Children Up to Age 10
Coos County Family Health Services
North Country Health Consortium
$8,100 for Preventive Oral Health Services for WIC-enrolled Children in Coos County
Coos County Family Health Services
Recipients of General Operating Support (Total of $219,914) include The Foundation for Healthy Communities to support the HEAL Home, NH Healthy Kids Corporation, the NH Center for Nonprofits for NonprofitNext; and the NH Public Health Association on behalf of the NH Oral Health Consortium.
Recipients of Capacity Building Support (Total of $98,825) include MissionWise for Keene State College Early Sprouts Project, Public Policy Institute of Boston on behalf of NH Voices for Health, and NH Housing Finance Authority on behalf of the NH Planners Association.
Recipients of Public Policy/Advocacy Support (Total of $87,010) include NH Public Radio, NH Public Health Association, Public Policy Institute of Boston on behalf of NH Voices for Health, Institute for Health, Law and Ethics (UNH School of Law), and the NH Public Health Association on behalf of NH Oral Health Coalition.
Recipient of Leverage Support (Total of $16,666) awarded to the Nashua Regional Planning Commission to leverage a $3.3million federal grant to build sustainable communities.
Other Support (Total of $7,825) to Concord Hospital Trust to help purchase a mobile pediatric dental x-ray machine; and Media Power Youth to sustain organizational operations.
Early Sprouts Cookbook is now available. The companion to Early Sprouts: Cultivating Healthy Food Choices in Young Children, is filled with child-tested recipes and accompanied by beautiful pictures that will inspire preschool/childcare sites to incorporate healthier foods into their menus. The cookbook is available from Red Leaf Press. Early Sprouts is an HNHfoundation funded project, and we're pleased to support and share the grantee's effort to improve access to healthier food for children.