Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s Board of Directors has awarded four $10,000 scholarships to high school graduates from the four-county region.
The scholarships were presented during a reception honoring the scholars on Thursday, July 21 at the Foundation office in Henderson. Foundation board members, school personnel, and family members of the recipients joined the celebration.
The scholarship program was launched in February with invitations to each of the high schools in the region to nominate one candidate for the $10,000 award. Nominees had to have a minimum GPA of 2.5 with plans to pursue careers in health care. From those students nominated, one scholar per county was selected to receive the $10,000 scholarship.
Scholarship awards were presented to:
Kimberly Berry, graduate of South Granville High School, who will attend Vance Granville Community College and major in Nursing.
Jacqueline Calamaco-Conde of Franklinton High School, who will attend Wake Technical Community College and major in Nursing.
Cameron Overton, graduate of Vance County Early College High School, who will attend East Carolina University, majoring in Biology, with plans to become a cytotechnologist.
Katelyn Richardson, from Warren Early College High School, who will attend Winston-Salem State University and major in Nursing.
Funding for Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s scholarship programs are made possible through a gift from the estates of Dr. Andrew and Felcie Newcomb. More information about the Foundation’s scholarship and grant programs is available at the website, www.tnhfoundation.org/
Four $10,000 Scholarships Awarded by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
TRIANGLE NORTH HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION STRIVES FOR A DEEPER, BROADER IMPACT ON HEALTH
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a regional healthcare grant making organization, which evolved from the previous fundraising organization, Maria Parham Healthcare Foundation. Established in 1987, Maria Parham Foundation was governed by a group of community and hospital leaders. The revenues and operating funds were generated by individual donations and fundraising activities to support health education, health promotion, and the purchase of health equipment at the hospital.
The Foundation was reorganized and the name was changed in November, 2011, after Maria Parham Medical Center merged with the for-profit Duke LifePoint organization. Triangle North Healthcare Foundation has been funded by an endowment that was created from the assets of the former nonprofit hospital. Board members are appointed by the Board of Henderson Vance Healthcare, its parent organization.
Statewide News
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Awards Grants for Local Health Impact
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s Board of Directors has awarded 15 grants totaling $456,000, which will support programs designed to positively impact health throughout the four-county region.
Since beginning grantmaking in 2013, the Foundation has invested over $3 million in funding for programs to improve health in the four-county region, which includes Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties.
“Through our grants with local partners, we are investing in programs that will help fulfill our mission to improve health,” said Val Short, executive director for the Foundation. “Our hope is that these grant awards will result in healthy outcomes for children and adults in the four counties we serve,” said Short.
Grants awarded this year include programs that will provide a broad range of approaches for improving health-- from programs that heal and support victims of trauma; programs that teach and promote healthy lifestyles; and programs that provide care, treatment, and support for those with addiction disorders. “In all of our grant programs, health and wellness are at the heart of what they do,” said Short.
Recipients of the 2022 TNHF grants include: Special Olympics of NC – Partner Up- Power Up in Vance & Franklin; Shepherd Youth Ranch in Creedmoor—Trails to Success; Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central NC-- Triple Play; Granville County Cooperative Extension, Get Fit and Lose It; Masonic Home for Children at Oxford-- staff training for trauma-informed care; Oxford Preparatory School-- Cheers to Healthy Eyes & Ears; Strength and Mending (S.a.M) Child Advocacy Center – Child Forensic Interviews; TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.) – Long-Term Substance Abuse Recovery for Triangle North Residents; NC MedAssist – two projects --Mobile and Free Pharmacy Services for Low Income, Uninsured in the TNHF Region and Hope for Health Community Day Event; Vance County Schools – VCMS Healthful Living; Henderson Family YMCA—three projects-- After School Camp, Safety Around Water, and Summer Day Camp; and Edmonds Tennis and Education Foundation—Tennis Court Resurface Project.
All of the grant programs fall into one or more of the Foundation’s five focus areas, which include Child Well-Being, Chronic Disease, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder, Nutrition and Physical Fitness, and Reproductive Health.
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Awards Grants for Health Impact
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s Board of Directors has awarded twelve grants totaling $480,00 for programs that will impact health throughout the region. Since beginning grantmaking in 2013, the Foundation has invested over $3.2 million in grants for over 120 projects improving health throughout the four-county region.
The twelve new grant programs fall into one or more of the Foundation’s five focus areas, which are Child Well-Being, Chronic Disease, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder, Nutrition and Physical Fitness, and Reproductive Health.
“The primary purpose of our grantmaking is to invest in organizations that share our mission to improve health in our region,” said Val Short, executive director for the Foundation. “Our hope is that these grant awards will result in improved health and healthier outcomes for children and adults in Vance, Warren, Granville, and Franklin counties,” said Short.
The TNHF grantees will provide a broad range of approaches to improving health-- from programs that heal and support victims of trauma; programs that teach and promote healthy lifestyles and choices; programs that support dental health; and programs that provide care, treatment, and support for those with addiction disorders. “In all of our grant programs, health and wellness are at the heart of the work they will do,” said Short.
The list of the TNHF grant recipients and their projects for 2021-22 includes:
Granville-Vance Public Health – Caring Fellows Providing Healthy Mouths program will improve overall dental health for patients requiring dental care prior to cancer treatment. Grant funds will cover cleanings, x-rays, fillings, and extractions in preparation for cancer treatment and recovery. Dental services will be provided by Carolina Fellows Family Dentistry in Oxford
Through a second grant, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation will fund the 2021 Community Health Assessment, which will systematically assess the current state of health in both Granville and Vance counties. By collecting and analyzing data, presenting it for discussion to a steering committee of representatives from various organizations, the process will result in setting public health priorities that represent the needs and concerns of the counties’ 100,000 residents. The data collection process includes primary data collected through the community health opinion survey and community focus groups as well as secondary, or existing, data. The results of the assessment will be presented in a report for the public.
Legacy Human Services – Addiction Recovery for Men: Dental Services -- Formerly known as Alliance Rehabilitative Care, LHS will provide men recovering from addiction with dental care and treatment in order to restore their health, well-being, and self-confidence.
Masonic Home for Children at Oxford – Trauma-Informed Model of Care – is a staff training program that will ensure all care and services for children at Masonic Home will be evidence-based, trauma informed, and resiliency-focused. In year two of the training program, staff have reported more resident behaviors showing safe and secure attachments to staff and increased resiliency. Phase 2 of this CARE model will build upon already successful outcomes by completing training of the remaining 52 staff members, incorporating principles into daily practice, and completing baseline data collection. This program impacts over 500 residents and staff.
NC Med Assist – Mobile and Free Pharmacy Services for Low Income, Uninsured in the TNHF Region— continues to provide important services to the Triangle North region through free prescription medications for low income and uninsured individuals via mail order. In addition, two over-the-counter medicine giveaway events will be implemented in 2022 in Granville and Vance counties.
Perry Memorial Library – Vibrant Vitals in Vance will provide intergenerational health literacy programs by partnering with local agencies to bring free food and nutrition programs to 2000 Vance County citizens. The program will feature a “Charlie Cart,” a mobile food preparation station, complete with kitchen supplies and a curriculum guide to engage participants in hands-on and healthy food preparation and cooking. Program leaders will also create a teaching garden. Examples of topics covered are heart healthy meals and diabetic cooking using locally sourced food.
Shepherd Youth Ranch – Trail to Success – provides skill building for youth suffering from grief, loss, abandonment and abuse. Partial scholarships will be provided to 15 youth and their families, referred by a school system, law enforcement, or health professional. Participants enter into an intensive 24-week program, which consists of weekly group and monthly family sessions in a unique program that uses rescued horses to help with therapy. In addition, 10 new adult mentors will be trained to assist up to 35 children and families.
Strength and Mending (S.a.M) Child Advocacy Center – Child Forensic Interviews – provides a centralized, child-centered approach to investigation that reduces the risk of trauma to the children who are victims of abuse. With an interdisciplinary team of professionals located in one, child-friendly location, this program provides an important component of a comprehensive child abuse investigation. The program also offers opportunities for healing for the child and non-offending family members.
TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.) – Long-Term Substance Abuse Recovery for Triangle NorthResidents – provides a two-year residential recovery program with treatment, education, vocational training and health care for residents of the Triangle North region who suffer from alcohol and substance use addiction, free of charge.
In a second grant program, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma, and Substance Abuse, TROSA will continue into a second year to conduct research and analysis on the trauma history of their residents by using an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale. Utilizing the data they collect, TROSA will incorporate trauma-informed care in all of their programs plus develop and implement a new resilience program for residents. The data collected during the first year of the program has validated TROSA’s decision to make training about trauma a priority for staff.
Working Landscapes -- What’s Growing On in Granville County -- Year 2 of the program will continue the plan to increase healthy local food access for 7300 public school students and educate 4500 of their family members about healthy, local eating. The program was interrupted in the previous year by the Pandemic, but the program can resume now that students are back the classroom. Classrooms in four elementary schools will receive monthly Harvest Boxes, which feature local produce, Core Curriculum-aligned lesson plans, activities, and take-home newsletters. Local produce will be served in cafeterias, accompanied by taste test events and newsletter distribution.
In a second grant program, Local Meals, Working Landscapes will continue to serve those impacted by the pandemic, by building its existing meals program into a sustainable source of healthy, locally sourced meals for the region. Area senior agencies will be able to purchase meals that are locally sourced and prepared on an ongoing basis. Grant funds will also be used to expand Working Landscape facilities and programming in Warren County, enabling them to increase production from 250 meals/week (served twice weekly) to 3,125 meals/week (serving 625 people daily).
The Foundation has launched a grant cycle each year since its grantmaking began in 2013. To date, the Foundation has invested over $3.2 million in over 120 projects serving residents of Franklin, Granville, Vance, and Warren counties.
2022 High School Scholarship recipients are pictured with TNHF Board members. From left to right: Emilee Johnson, TNHF Scholarship Chairperson, Woody Caudle, TNHF Board Chairperson, Jacqueline Calamaco-Conde from Franklinton High School, Kimberly Berry from South Granville High School, Katelyn Richardson from Warren Early College High School and Wanda Hunt, TNHF Board member. Unavailable for photo, Cameron Overton from Vance County Early College High School
Foundation’s Grant Recipients Share Successful Pandemic Programs
By Val Short, Executive Director - Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
In response to the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation launched a special relief grant cycle last April. Seven grants to six area organizations were awarded, providing support and sustenance to individuals and families from throughout our region who were impacted by the Pandemic. On February 1 of this year, we launched a second relief cycle, the Community Response Grant program, which will remain open through September.
Two organizations that received grant funds --- Christian Faith Center and Turning Point Community Development Corporation—have provided success stories from their Pandemic relief programs that I’d like to share with you here..…
Pandemic Technology Assistance for Students
Imagine being a mother of six children and suddenly you are forced into converting your home into a classroom, having to facilitate the daily instruction of your children. What makes this scenario even more challenging is that you do not have the finances to purchase the necessary technology for each of your children. This story became the reality of one the parents at Christian Faith Center Academy.
With the most recent wave of COVID-19 in the nation, many households were disrupted as the need for alternative means of educating their children arose. Many districts looked for methods of educating students as schools were lockdown due to the state’s stay-at-home orders. The necessity for remote learning became more prevalent and more than ever, the need for additional parental support became crucial. In every household with school-aged children, additional technology became essential. For this parent at Christian Faith Center Academy, with five school-age children, the need for additional chrome books was pertinent because each child needed to be able to do virtual classes and work assignments at the same time, but they only had one device.
Like most schools serving low-income populations in rural communities, there has been a shortage of funding for items in short supply such as computers. According to one of the administrators of Christian Faith Center Academy, “Outside funding is crucial in assisting us in obtaining technology for our students to utilize outside of the classroom especially due to the mandate of remote learning. Once families receive this technology, it creates an environment that both the students and parents can win and the cycle of learning can continue.” Since receiving funding from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation through their TNHF COVID-19 Relief Program, families at Christian Faith Center Academy, including the family mentioned above, were able to receive chrome books which were a lifesaver for their homes and learning environments.
Within a month, what would have been a crisis for this mother turned into a success story and became an overall win-win situation for everyone, especially for the students. Every child in her household received a chrome book and now the mother, who was once without hope, has been empowered to assist her children in their remote learning experience.
Christanie Jones, Administrator - Christian Faith Center
Produce Box Distribution
Through the support of the grant from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, we were able to support our community and a local farm business by purchasing produce boxes that provided access to fresh, healthy, local produce on a bi-weekly basis to families and individuals. This grant allowed a local farm to produce boxes on a consistent basis during a season when they would normally not operate for general business and with even lower activity due to Covid-19. With this funding we were able to provide steady business and build a great working relationship with this farm. The community members who received the boxes experienced many benefits that they shared with us on a regular basis. The majority of our participants' finances were negatively impacted by the pandemic; the provision of the produce box alleviated grocery expenses and financial stress for many of our families.
We collected evaluations from our participants about the impact of the produce box. 97% of responses agreed that access to healthy food was a concern for their household. 97% also agreed that receiving the produce box made it easier for them to eat and prepare healthy food. The following themes were apparent in the responses: access to nutritious food (fruit and vegetables), economic impact (saving money, using resources for other priorities, spending less, issues concerning the affordability of produce in stores), health and safety during the pandemic (limiting visits to grocery stores), and education/awareness of produce (introduced to new recipes and vegetables).
Below are a few responses that capture the essence of the impact from this grant:
"Kept me from having to go to the grocery store as often. Plus it provided me with fresh vegetables and fruits that I would not have normally purchased. Or been able to purchase. And the amount was perfect for my family size."
"It gave us healthy food to eat. And we needed it."
"Provided fresh produce that is typically costly."
"Able to use part of food bill for other necessaries."
"With severe decreases in family household income, food boxes were an immense help."
"It provided a source of fresh food for my family."
"Provided fresh fruit and vegetables so I did not have to go out and also enabled me to try new recipes and spend less during this time."
"It was a blessing to receive fresh produce when we have our grandkids living with us."
"It was helpful because it was enough to feed a family my size and it was healthy."
"The produce box was a big help to my family; we enjoyed all the healthy fruits and vegetables and learning new recipes. I am very thankful for the produce box."
Chalis Henderson, Director - Turning Point Community Development Corporation
Based in Henderson, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a regional grantmaker which funds programs that strive to measurably improve health in the counties of Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren. Find out how to apply for grants from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation by visiting our website: www.tnhfoundation.org
Add Grant Seeking to your New Year’s Resolutions
By Val Short, Executive Director - Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays is behind us, it’s time to think about resolutions for 2020 — for ourselves and our organizations.
The ongoing mission and responsibility of managers of nonprofits is to direct and maintain the financial health of their organizations. Finding and developing new funding streams and resources is always at the top of their new year’s resolutions lists, remaining there throughout the year.
Grants can provide a good source of funding for nonprofits, but writing grants can be time-consuming and intimidating, especially if it’s a new experience. However, writing the grant is not the first step in the grant seeking process. It’s important to begin the process by identifying and researching grant funders to learn about their program preferences and funding priorities.
There are numerous resources available to help identify potential funding sources and grant providers available online and at libraries and book sellers. One important online resource is the Foundation Center at https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/welcome/resources, which provides a searchable directory of grant funders. This directory makes it possible to search for funders by name, location, or organization type and provides the funder’s contact information and website. You can also access tax returns (Form 990) for each funder, in which you can find information about assets of the organization and grantmaking history.
As you investigate potential grant funders to determine if they would be a good match for your organization, it’s important to answer “yes” to the following questions:
Does your organization meet the requirements for applying for a grant?
Does the funder have a history of funding organizations like yours?
Does your project fall into one or more of their funding priorities?
Can you meet the deadline for the grant application?
Do you have the organizational capacity to administer the grant funds and grant program?
For organizations that qualify for government grants, Grants.gov is another online resource, which enables searching by topic and agency, and provides instruction information and grant writing techniques.
There are numerous books and publications that can be helpful in your search for grant opportunities. Check your local library or bookseller for these and other helpful resources:
The Only Grant Writing Book You Will Ever Need by Ellen Karsh
The Complete Book of Grant Writing by Nancy Smith
Winning Grants Step-by-Step by Tori O’Neal McElrath
A second important step in your preparation for writing a grant is to gather all of your organizational documents and data into a resource file. Most grant applications require most or all of the following information, so it makes sense to have these items ready and accessible:
Mission Statement
IRS Letter of Determination (if applicable)
Tax ID Number
Charitable Solicitation License (if applicable)
List of Board members
Recent Audit and/or Financial Statement
Contact information for key leaders
Finally, meeting with your grant funder can make the difference in whether or not your grant application will be selected for further review. Contact the funder well ahead of the application deadline and ask for a meeting. Most funders will appreciate this opportunity to get to know you and hear more about your project.
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, based in Henderson, provides technical support and assistance with grant writing. If you are interested in learning about the Foundation’s resources, call 252-430-8532.
TROSA Offers Options, Hope, and Opportunity for A Joyful Life
By Val Short, Executive Director - Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
To continue our theme of success stories, shared by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s grant recipients, we have invited Melissa Spil, associate director of development at TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers) the opportunity to share a success story from someone with ties to our region…..
A “joyful life” after TROSA
By Melissa Spil
Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc., or TROSA, is a multi-year residential program for men and women recovering from substance use disorder. TROSA uses a therapeutic model to help people rebuild their lives and become productive members of their communities.
Located in Durham, TROSA serves people from all over the state and the country. Through a grant from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, TROSA serves at least 20 men and women from Franklin, Granville, Vance, and Warren counties each year. The need here is great. A study by Duke University found that heroin deaths in Vance County increased 13-fold from 2010-2016. And sadly, only 10 percent of people who need treatment for substance use disorder receive it, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Cost is a major barrier to treatment, but at TROSA, recovery services are provided at no cost to those who seek help. Each resident in the program receives free housing, clothing, daily care items, health care, mental health services, vocational training, education opportunities, and continuing care. The program sets its graduates up for success by teaching life and job skills, and just as importantly, showing each person their worth.
Take Linda Neal Bridgemohan, originally from Warrenton. She came to TROSA in 2016, numb from drug use after her eldest child was killed in a car accident. She had no self-esteem and no confidence. “I felt very worthless,” she said.
At TROSA, she worked on rebuilding her life. She vocationally trained in the culinary department, then the medical department, then the transportation department, learning job skills along the way. She took computer classes and courses on relapse prevention and grief. She earned her ServSafe certification before she graduated from the program in August 2018.
Now, she works at a local favorite restaurant in Durham. Just a few weeks ago, she got the keys to a new apartment, which TROSA will help furnish for free (as it does for all grads moving out of TROSA housing). She has her family back again; she and her sister are closer than ever.
“I’m not the same lady that I was when I walked into TROSA,” said Linda. “I’m striving and thriving and living a prosperous and joyful life.”
She hopes that her story will serve as an example to others. She wants her friends, family, and former neighbors in the region to know that “the situation you’re in can always change. Things do change when you commit.”
If you or someone you know could benefit from TROSA’s services, call TROSA at (919) 419-1059. To learn more about TROSA, visit www.trosainc.org.
Please stay tuned for more success stories from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s grantees! For more information about these and other grant programs funded by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, please visit our website at www.tnhfoundation.org or call us at 252-598-0763.
N.C. MedAssist Provides Medications Through Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Grant
By Val Short, Executive Director - Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
To continue our theme of success stories, shared by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s grant recipients, I’d like to focus our spotlight this month on N.C. MedAssist’s free pharmacy program for low income and uninsured residents of our region.
N.C. MedAssist is a nonprofit, mail order pharmacy, based in Charlotte, and serves those in need from throughout our state. Upon enrollment and with a prescription from a health provider, eligible participants can receive free prescription medications for treatment of chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and asthma.
During the last year, N.C. MedAssist has served 275 patients in the Foundation’s region, which includes Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren counties. These patients received 4,775 prescriptions during the year, with a retail value over $1.6 million. In their final report for the year, N.C. MedAssist provided the following breakdown of participants per county: Vance County—121 patients received 2,395 prescriptions valued at $811,510; Granville County—72 patients received 1,163 prescriptions valued at $417,993; Warren County—43 patients received 685 prescriptions valued at$243,254; and in Franklin County—39 patients received 532 prescriptions valued at $173,660.
In addition to the prescription program, N.C. MedAssist also hosts two Over-the-Counter medicine giveaways in our region each year. In 2018, these events were held in Oxford and Henderson. Over 900 people participated in the two events, each receiving at least $100 worth of non-prescription items, such as aspirin, cough syrup, and vitamins.
In their final report for the year, N.C. MedAssist share stories about three individuals in our region whose lives and health have been positively impacted from this program.
Pascal (Franklin County) - a 69-year-old male enrolled in the Free Pharmacy Program, states that he was extremely worried about his health before coming to NC MedAssist. Now that he is enrolled in the program, he can pay for his living expenses and purchase his groceries. If it was not for NC MedAssist, he would not be able to afford his medications.
Ken (Vance County) - a 55-year-old male enrolled in the Free Pharmacy Program, states that he has a heart condition that can only be regulated with his medications; which he needs to live! Before coming to NC MedAssist, he worried almost weekly about being able to afford his medications. After coming to NC MedAssist, he said he is now taking ALL his medications as prescribed by his physician.
Melissa (Vance County) - a 47-year-old female enrolled in the Free Pharmacy Program, states that since enrolling in the Free Pharmacy Program she is not worried at all about her overall health. She is now able to pay her bills, utilities and purchase groceries. Over the last year, she has not visited the Emergency Room for a prescription that she takes regularly
Please stay tuned for more success stories from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s grantees! For more information about these and other grant programs funded by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, please visit our website at www.tnhfoundation.org or call us at 252-598-0763.
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s Grant Recipients Share Success Stories
By Val Short, Executive Director - Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
In this season of thanksgiving and gratitude, I am feeling especially grateful for the opportunities that we have to make an impact on the health and well-being of our communities through the Foundation’s grantmaking. As part of our grantmaking process, we ask our grantees to submit final reports for their projects that include reflections and evaluations of their work. We ask them to tell us about lessons learned as well as success stories about their participants. It seems fitting for us to share some of these success stories during this season of thanks!
Community Workforce Solutions, located in downtown Henderson and formerly known as INCO, is an organization that provides day programming and supported employment for persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) in the Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren county areas. Their program, “Healthy Boundaries-Safe Living,” teaches social and relationship boundaries, interpersonal skills, and relationship-specific social skills using a curriculum called “Circles.” Led by Kimberly Fren, Vocational Services Director, and her staff, the program served 36 participants who learned about appropriate and inappropriate social behaviors and how to respond in difficult situations.
The program received rave reviews from the clients and according to Ms. Fren, it will be continued. She shared with us this success story:
“We have one individual who has a traumatic history of sexual assault. He has suffered from anger and behavioral issues as a result that he has been working through for most of his life. We were unsure how he would respond; if he would be interested in participating; or if it would be difficult. He surprised us all in that he was open to participating but a bit reserved in answering questions for the pre-test. He participated; did not have any behavioral issues or outbursts; and didn’t get angry during the classes.
His score did not improve markedly from pre- and post-tests, but staff reported they felt it was therapeutic for him. He stated he would definitely do the class again.”
“Improving Birth Outcomes in Granville and Vance Counties” was a Granville-Vance Public Health program funded by the Foundation. This program focused on the expansion of “Centering Pregnancy”, an evidence-based program that convenes groups of pregnant women whose babies are due around the same time. In addition to receiving their prenatal care, they participate in learning activities that are designed to improve the high rates of infant mortality in the two counties. Over 50 mothers were served during the year, including 22 from Granville County and 28 from Vance County. The program was led by Shasheena Jones, Maternal Health Coordinator, who shared this poignant story about one participant:
“One notable success story from our project this year is that we had a prenatal client who was here with no family and this was her first pregnancy. At first, she was nervous about being in a group setting with strangers. After she came to the first session, she was hooked. She never missed an appointment and she was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. Her prenatal appointments were not just appointments-- they were bonding times that she shared with other moms and experiences that she loved. Her Centering group became her family!”
Please stay tuned for more success stories from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s grantees!
For more information about this and other grant programs funded by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, please visit our website at
www.tnhfoundation.org or call us at 252-598-0763.
WestCare in Vance County Provides Safety Net for Teens
By Val Short, Executive Director - Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
There are many hidden gems in our four-county region and one such gem is WestCare, a 16-bed residential program for female juveniles who have been referred from the North Carolina Division of Juvenile Justice.
Located on Kerr Lake in Vance County, WestCare offers a gender-responsive environment that is focused on trauma-informed care for young women ages 13 to 17 who have been designated as Level II juveniles, as defined by the seriousness of their offenses and their delinquency histories. During the four to six months these young women are in residence at WestCare, they are totally immersed in the quiet, lakeside setting. In addition to receiving physical and mental health services at WestCare, they attend the on-site school and participate in social and recreational activities.
According to WestCare NC’s Executive Director Kim Marino, their primary mission is to assist young women in learning the skills and tools needed to successfully re-integrate with their families and into their communities. Many of these girls have experienced traumas, such as physical and emotional abuse, abandonment, and loss. In the last five years, WestCare’s data shows 94% of their adolescent female clients at the Vance County facility experienced some type of trauma; 87% reported sexual trauma and 98% reported substance use or abuse.
Through a grant from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, WestCare has been able to expand the training and credentials of its staff members to better understand and serve these traumatized youth. WestCare’s licensed clinical social worker has received specialized training in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. TNHF grant funds have also enabled another staff member to become a certified substance abuse counselor, which will qualify her to conduct assessments, develop treatment plans, and conduct group and individual counseling for WestCare residents who have substance abuse disorders.
WestCare NC is part of a large, international nonprofit organization based in Las Vegas, NV. The facility at Kerr Lake opened in 2011. WestCare contracts with the N.C. Division of Juvenile Justice at their facility in Vance County. During the last year, 61 adolescent females were served at the Vance facility from throughout North Carolina, including one from Vance, five from Durham, five from Wake, and two from Halifax.
For more information about this and other grant programs funded by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, please visit our website at
www.tnhfoundation.org or call us at 252-598-0763.
Dental Health is Focus of Alliance Rehabilitative Care Grant Program
By Val Short, Executive Director - Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
One of the 11 projects funded by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation for the coming year will focus on dental health for residents of Alliance Rehabilitative Care’s (ARC) Addiction Recovery Center for Men in Henderson.
The Recovery Center houses adult men who have been diagnosed with chronic substance abuse disorders. Short term and long term health problems are common among the residents of the Center and some health issues have been addressed through other programs. But dental care is often overlooked and unaddressed by those struggling with substance abuse disorders.
According to Jeanne Harrison, ARC Executive Director, most of the men admitted to the halfway house do not qualify for health benefits and have no health insurance. In the past three years, half of those admitted have required immediate dental care due to abscessed teeth and extreme decay. Studies have shown the links between gum disease and poor dental health and chronic diseases, such as heart disease.
Through this program, entitled “Access to Dental Care,” which will be offered to new residents of the Recovery Center beginning in October, dental screenings will be provided during the intake process. With their consent, residents will be scheduled for a full dental evaluation and treatment with the Carolina Fellows Dental Clinic in Oxford. If further dental treatment is recommended, additional appointments will be scheduled as needed.
Education is an important component of this program to ensure that Recovery Center residents understand their responsibility for their dental health. Toothbrushes, dental floss, and tooth paste will be provided for each participant and dental professionals at Carolina Fellows will demonstrate the proper techniques for using them.
Additionally, Harrison hopes that addressing the residents’ fears about dental treatment and the actual relief of pain from the treatments will be added benefits of the program.
The Access to Dental Care program is among several projects funded previously by the Foundation for the Addiction Recovery Center. The other projects included “Back on Track,” a medication-assisted substance abuse treatment program; “Access to Care,” which enabled residents to receive medical care for chronic health conditions; and “Life Skills Enhancement,” which provided training in accessing, understanding, and using skills and information that promote healthy lifestyles.
For more information about this and other grant programs funded by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, please visit our website at www.tnhfoundation.org or call us at 252-598-0763.
Three New TNHF Grantees Provide New Strategies for Improving Health
By Val Short, Executive Director - Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
Three of the 12 Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s 2018 grant recipients are new to the Foundation’s growing list of grant partners. They will provide new and interesting approaches to the health problems of chronic disease and mental health in our region.
Definitely not new to the region, but new to the Foundation, Area Christians Together in Service (ACTS) is the Henderson nonprofit that is well known for its weekday soup kitchen and ongoing support of those needing food supplies. Through their Healthy Hearts program, ACTS will provide free, home-delivered meals for congestive heart failure patients who have recently discharged from the hospital.
The meals will be heart-healthy, nutritious, and appropriate for CHF patients and will ensure that these recovering patients are getting the type of nutrition their doctors order for the 10 days after discharge. Participants can look forward to the daily visits of the friendly volunteer who will also provide information and resources for achieving a healthier lifestyle.
The ultimate goal of the program, according to Lee Anne Peoples, ACTS executive director, is to prevent the need for subsequent emergency visits to the hospital. Peoples will lead the program along with a licensed clinical dietitian and a team of well-trained, caring volunteers. Participation in the program is voluntary and patients will be referred to the program through hospital discharge planners.
Also in the chronic disease category is the Diabetes Peer Educator program that is a partnership between the Warren County Senior Center and the Warren County Health Department. This train-the-trainer program will give volunteers the skills and knowledge to go into in the rural communities of Warren County to monitor diet and medication compliance of their diabetic friends and neighbors.
Vicky Stokes, executive director of the Warren Co. Senior Center, and Margaret Brake, director of the Warren County Health Department, will lead the program, but volunteer educators will be the heart of the program.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that is prevalent in our region and especially in Warren County. According to Centers for Disease Control Data, 7.9% of the total population of Warren County received a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in 2013. In the same year, 14.4% of the population self-reported they had been told by a health provider they were diabetic. These rates are significantly higher than the state average, which is 9%.
For diabetics, failure to properly manage their disease by complying with diet and medication requirements can have devastating consequences. Both Stokes and Warren hope that having the support of a volunteer peer educator will have a positive impact on the health and lifestyles of their program participants.
Shepherd Youth Ranch, located in Franklin County, offers a unique therapeutic approach to children with mental health issues. Trail to Success will provide coping skill building and support for children ages 8 to 16 from the four-county region who are suffering from grief, loss, abandonment and abuse.
Through the TNHF grant, partial scholarships will be provided to 10 youth who are referred by the school system or law enforcement. These troubled kids will enter into an intensive 24-week program, which consists of weekly group therapy and monthly family sessions
in a unique program that uses horses to help with therapy.
Located in a beautiful, pastoral area of the county, Shepherd Youth Ranch not only provides therapy and support for the children who come there, but the horses that are part of the therapy themes and curriculum have been rescued from similar experiences of grief, loss, abandonment, and abuse. The program has a successful track record of 14 years. Last year, 37 youth completed the 26-week program. In addition to the 10 scholarships, the TNHF grant will fund a new adult mentor/listener program which will provide an
opportunity for parents to become more involved.
For more information about these and other grant programs funded by Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, please visit our website at www.tnhfoundation.org or call us at 252-598-0763.
Call Us: +1.2524308532
More about TNHF