Samaritan Awards Social Accountability Grants December 29, 2021 The five hospitals of Samaritan Health Services have awarded a total of $445,585 in Social Accountability grants to local service organizations, to be distributed during 2022. Social Accountability grants are awarded within Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties. Funding decisions are made by committees consisting of employees and board members at each Samaritan-affiliated hospital. Funded programs address unmet needs of underserved populations and improve overall community health. “Many families and individuals living in our three-county region struggle in their daily lives. Local nonprofit agencies offer a variety of helpful resources and Samaritan is pleased to partner in these efforts by offering Social Accountability grant funding to agencies that meet our requirements,” said JoAnn Miller, Samaritan director of Community Health Promotions. 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. The largest grant of more than $97,000 went to Northwest Coastal Housing based in Newport. The nonprofit that has served Lincoln County since 1991 redeveloped a 42-room hotel in Lincoln City using funds from a State of Oregon Project Turnkey grant. This is the second year Samaritan has supported the hotel project. This will be the final year of Samaritan’s yearly grant distribution. Starting in 2023 Samaritan will distribute three-year grants. “This will have a much larger impact on the community,” Miller said. “The three-year grants will increase collaborations improve overall health in the community.” Community Benefit also encompasses the charity care that Samaritan provides to low-income patients. To be eligible for Social Accountability grant funding, programs must: • Focus on unmet needs in underserved populations.• Be located in and provide services within Benton, Lincoln and/or Linn counties.• Be collaborative, involving partnerships with Samaritan or other local community organizations.• Address a social determinant of health.• Focus on prevention, with an emphasis on improving the health status in the community that includes equity, diversity and inclusion.• Focus on a specific program or project within the agency or organization.• Use quality indicators to measure progress, report results and share them widely to attract more resources.• Plan for self-sufficiency.• Be fiscally responsible. The following agencies received Social Accountability grants for 2022: Benton County • ABC House.• Benton County Drug Treatment Court.• Benton County Habitat for Humanity.• Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis.• Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence.• Corvallis Drop-In Center.• Corvallis Environmental Center.• Faith, Hope and Charity, Inc.• Grace Center for Adult Day Services.• Jackson Street Youth Services.• Old Mill Center for Children and Families.• Oregon Cascades Council of Government –Meals on Wheels.• Pathfinder Clubhouse.• Philomath School Counseling Team.• Senior Corps of Linn, Benton and Lincoln Counties.• Stone Soup Corvallis, Inc.• Vina Moses Center. Lincoln County • Coastal Range Food Bank.• Food Share of Lincoln County.• Neighbors For Kids.• Northwest Coastal Housing Turnkey Temporary Housing Services.• Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments – Meals on Wheels.• Senior Corps of Linn, Benton and Lincoln Counties. Linn County• ABC House.• Boys and Girls Club of Albany.• Boys and Girls Club of Greater Santiam.• Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence.• CASA of Linn Count, Inc.• Faith, Hope and Charity, Inc.• Family Tree Relief Nursery.• Fish of Albany• Fish of Lebanon.• Jackson Street Youth Services.• Lebanon Basic Services.• Obria Medical Clinics/Pregnancy Alternatives Center.• Old Mill Center for Children and Families.• Oregon Cascades Council of Government –Meals on Wheels.• Senior Corps of Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties.• St. Vincent de Paul – Lebanon.• Sweet Home and Lebanon Downtown Famers’ Market.• Sweet Home Emergency Ministries.• Sweet Home Pregnancy Care Center.• Volunteer Caregivers.
