Osteopathic Heritage Foundations

Nearly $673,000 in Osteopathic Heritage Foundation grants will benefit Ohio's Fayette, Madison and Pickaway county residents

Fifteen human service, education and government organizations serving Fayette, Madison or Pickaway county this month received grants totaling $672,588 from the Columbus-based Osteopathic Heritage Foundation.

The funding awards, part of the Foundation's Community Responsive Grantmaking Program, will impact health and quality of life for vulnerable populations in these three central Ohio counties.

Organizations selected by the Foundation to receive one-year grants are as follows:

Fayette County programs -

Fayette County Commission on Aging ($69,350) - for two vehicles to provide home delivery of meals and senior transportation services.

Fayette County Department of Job and Family Services ($50,000) - to expand programs that help re-unify families and heal family dynamics, as well as provide a safe environment for children and families to visit or exchange custody.

Community Action Commission of Fayette County ($48,000) - for the capital campaign to construct a facility for administration and program delivery of services to vulnerable residents.

Fayette County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities ($37,500) - to support replacement of a bus for transportation services.

Fayette Progressive Industries, Inc. ($30,000) - for replacement of a van to transport adults with mental retardation and development disabilities to community-based rehabilitation activities.

Washington Court House City Schools ($27,700) - for automated external defibrillators in county and city middle and high school buildings.

Madison County programs -

Madison County Senior Citizens Center, Inc. ($69,680) - for replacement of two vans to transport disabled residents and seniors.

LifeCare Alliance ($65,000) - to expand meal delivery to the county's homebound and elderly and to increase congregate dining facilities in London.

Ministry for Community ($49,648) - to establish a free medical clinic for uninsured and underinsured county residents.

Madison County Hospital Foundation ($38,624) - for diabetes prevention, detection, education and services.

Madison County/London City Health District ($20,730) - to provide the homebound elderly with assessment, information, referral and follow-up care by a registered nurse.

Pickaway County programs -

American Red Cross of Greater Columbus ($67,348) -- to work collaboratively with the American Red Cross of Pickaway County to develop a disaster safety network to help residents who are disabled or elderly prepare for emergencies.

Pickaway County Community Action ($46,866) -- to help acquire two vehicles for the transitional housing program.

Pickaway County Senior Center ($32,142) -- for a replacement vehicle and a dishwasher for meal services to the elderly.

Stepping Stones ($20,000) -- to establish a mediation program for families involved in custodial or visitation disputes.

"We are proud to fund these 15 programs that address health and quality of life issues for some of their communities' most vulnerable residents, and we look forward to hearing of the programs' successes," Vincent said.