Winchester Hospital Awards $32,500 in Grant funding to Five Community Organizations
Winchester, MA – Winchester Hospital, part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, announced today it is awarding $32,500 in grant funding to five community-based organizations. As part of an ongoing community benefits commitment, these grants will provide much needed funding for local organizations in support of their mission to meet their community’s needs.
Of particular emphasis for the grant awards are programs and services that focus on food access and mental health — need areas which have experienced an increased level of demand due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Each year grant applications are reviewed and selected by the Winchester Hospital Grant Selection Committee, which is comprised of hospital leaders and local partners from across the Winchester Hospital service area.
“Supporting and investing in local organizations allows them to implement thoughtful and strategic programs that dramatically improve the health and well-being of our local communities,” said Dr. Rick Weiner, Winchester Hospital president. “Now, especially during this pandemic, we all need to work together, to improve the lives of the residents that call these cities and towns home.”
Grant recipients include:
Council of Social Concern (CSC), Woburn: The CSC Food Bank provides food at no cost to individuals and families who are experiencing financial hardship due to reduced wages, job loss, and/or long-term illness. The grant money will help support the increased demand for food access due to COVID-19 by providing groceries for hundreds of people in Woburn and Winchester.
Mission of Deeds: Since 1993, Mission of Deeds has helped low-income families maintain safe, functional permanent homes by providing furniture and household items. In an exceptionally challenging year for so many families, the grant money will support local families through food gift cards as well as providing kitchen essentials so they can cook at home while staying safe from the pandemic.
Stoneham Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Community: Grant money will help the Town of Stoneham launch the William James INTERFACE Referral Service helpline, a free mental health and wellness referral helpline, helping to increase local residents’ access to mental health services and care.
Wilmington Department of Elderly Services: Grant money will help support the “Meals & More” program, aimed to increase access to healthy foods and provide social support during the COVID-19 pandemic by distributing fresh produce bi-monthly at the senior center or through home delivery.
Winchester SAFER Coalition: The Winchester SAFER Coalition’s “Social Dilemma Webinar” seeks to create awareness about the mental health challenges that can arise from the use of social media and educate community member via an online webinar and interactive panel discussion on how to reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.
About Winchester Hospital
Winchester Hospital is a 229-bed facility and leading provider of comprehensive health care services in northwest suburban Boston offering a broad range of surgical specialties, including general, bariatric, urologic, thoracic, otolaryngology (ENT), vascular, and orthopedic surgery. They also deliver care in other areas, including pediatrics, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, oncology, gastroenterology, rehabilitation, radiation oncology, pain management, obstetrics/gynecology and a Level IIB Special Care Nursery.
Winchester Hospital is part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, a health care system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,700 physicians and 39,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through groundbreaking research and education.
