Samaritan Awards Social Accountability Grants May 19, 2023 For many years, Samaritan Health Services has partnered with other local nonprofits to address the unmet health and medical needs of underserved populations, through its Social Accountability grants. For this next cycle of grant funding, Samaritan will award close to $1 million to support nonprofit organizations in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties. The new funding process required collaborations among organizations and would be for three years. “While reviewing grant applications this year, committee members commented on the huge need for services in our communities,” said JoAnn Miller, director of Community Health Promotion, who oversees the grant process. “They expressed appreciation for the nonprofits that create programs to provide much-needed assistance to those in need.” Because of this, the Social Accountability committees representing the five Samaritan hospitals selected 11 projects to support, with $707,589 in grant funding. The committees also decided to continue their financial support of other local nonprofits, in the amount of $245,000. The total Social Accountability funding to be disbursed over the 30 months between July 2023 and December 2026 is $952,589 and is dependent upon Samaritan’s financial status in 2024 and 2025. The following projects received grant funding: Benton County After-School Enrichment – Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis, Corvallis School District and Linn Benton Food Share. Food for Families – Corvallis Environmental Center, Corvallis Parks and Recreation, South Corvallis Food Bank. Rural Child Care Health/Nutrition Education and Activities – Philomath Youth Activities Club, OSU-Moore Family Center, Philomath School District, Philomath Community Library, Corvallis Parks and Recreation, Old Mill Center, Strengthening Rural Families. Hot Meals for Vulnerable individuals, Sheltered and Unsheltered – Stone Soup Corvallis Inc., Unity Shelter and Linn Benton Food Share. Emergency Financial and Sustainability Support for Vulnerable Benton County Citizens – We Care and Casa Latinos Unidos. HELP Employment Workshare Project – Corvallis Daytime Drop-In Center and Vina Moses. Additional continued support will go to the Benton County Oral Health Coalition (Benton County Health Department, Love INC and Strengthening Rural Families). Linn County Healthy Smile – Boys & Girls Club of Albany and Practical Dental Assisting of Oregon. Food, Hygiene, Rent and Utility Assistance for Lebanon Households – Fish of Lebanon, St. Vincent de Paul and Salvation Army. Stand By Me: Oregon Program – Cascades West Council of Governments and Casa Latinos Unidos. Additional continued support will go to Sweet Home Emergency Ministries, Sweet Home/Lebanon Farmer’s Market, Meals on Wheels, Volunteer Caregivers, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Santiam, Jackson Street Youth Services and Faith, Hope and Charity. Lincoln County Guatemalan and Latinx Community Cooking Classes and Farmer’s Market Tours – Food Share of Lincoln County and OSU Extension. Early Childhood Project – Neighbors For Kids and Olalla Center. Additional continued support will go to Family Promise, Food Share of Lincoln County, Meals on Wheels and My Sister’s Place/My Safe Place. Social Accountability grants are part of the larger Samaritan Community Benefit program, which encompasses the organization’s efforts to build healthier communities by providing direct and in-kind support for services such as health screenings, health professions education, health research and community health activities. Community benefit also encompasses the charity care that Samaritan provides to low-income patients. Visit samhealth.org/CommunityBenefit to learn more and to read the 2023 Community Health Impact Report.
