CONCORD, NH (PRESS RELEASE) — The Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation’s Board of Directors has announced $80,000 in grants to eight nonprofits working to improve the health and well-being of people in Strafford County. Each organization will receive a $10,000 grant to support its operations.
“The GRCHF Board of Directors is pleased to award our first round of grants to these eight nonprofits which provide a range of services critical to the health of Strafford County residents,” said Betsey Andrews Parker, chair of the GRCHF Board and CEO of the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County. “We envision a thriving, healthy and connected community for the people of Strafford County. We look forward to working with residents and nonprofits to help realize that vision.”
The following organizations each received a $10,000 operating grant:
Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation of Dover
Greater Seacoast Community Health of Portsmouth
Southeastern New Hampshire Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services of Dover
Strafford Nutrition & Meals on Wheels of Somersworth
The Joan G. Lovering Health Center of Greenland
Waypoint of Manchester (Waypoint operates sites in Dover and Rochester)
The grants were awarded through GRCHF’s Small Grants program which is a competitive application program open to all nonprofits that serve Strafford County residents. For this inaugural round of grants, the board chose to focus on access-to-care challenges. Access to care was identified by initial research of community needs assessments from the major healthcare providers in the region and may include: mental health, substance use disorder, food security, housing, senior services, transportation and logistics, culturally appropriate care, awareness of services, care coordination and patient motivation.
GRCHF’s mission is to improve the health and well-being and reduce the burden of illness of people residing in Strafford County and surrounding communities. GRCHF does this work by awarding grants, making program-related investments, and providing other financial assistance to health and social service programs, organizations and projects that benefit the community.
GRCHF was created in 2021 with proceeds from the sale of the nonprofit Frisbie Memorial Hospital. GRCHF is a “supporting organization” of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, drawing on the Charitable Foundation’s community knowledge and financial and investment expertise to meet its mission. These eight grants are the first made from GRHCF.
The GRCHF Board of Directors includes (in alphabetical order): Betsey Andrews Parker, CEO of the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, chair; Jennifer Gullison, RN, vice president of operations at Cornerstone VNA in Rochester; Brian Hughes, president and CEO of Holy Rosary Credit Union (HRCU) in Rochester; Sandra Jalbert, community volunteer from Rollinsford; Raude Raychel, founder and president of the Indonesian Community Connect in Somersworth; and Emmett Soldati, owner of Teatotaller Café in Somersworth.
To learn more about the Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation and future grantmaking opportunities, please visit www.nhcf.org/GRCHF.
Related Stories
Aris Moore awarded 2024 Artist Advancement Grant
Portsmouth artist is recipient of grant that helps cultivate the Piscataqua Region’s arts community, boost artists’ careers and helps keep them living and working in the area.
Nurturing the next generation of leaders
Gregory Williams of ADAPT, on how that organization is helping young people to develop confidence and resilience.
Here for the good of communities and people — since 1901
Anne Truslow of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests on how that organization is protecting and managing land for climate resilience as well as recreation, advocating for policy and funding, and engaging people in the outdoors.
