Healthy Together Cleveland receives foundation grant

From left, Rev. Frances R. Webber, Washington Outreach Ministry Director; Emily Arey, Hospice Cleveland County Foundation Exec. Dir.; Richard F. Baker, HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County Exec. Dir.; Jordan Frye, project and program coordinator for Healthy Together Cleveland; J.T. Scruggs, Hospice Foundation Board of Directors and Mary Elliott, Healthy Together Cleveland Steering Committee Vice Chair.

The Board of Directors for Hospice Cleveland County Foundation recently awarded a $50,000 grant to support the Everyone Eats Emergency Food Fund Drive, spearheaded by Healthy Together Cleveland (HTC) to combat food insecurity in Cleveland County.

“As we continue to face unprecedented challenges, community support is vital. Everyone Eats is a testament to what we can achieve when we come together with a shared purpose. We are delighted to provide this grant to launch the campaign and hope it will inspire others to participate,” said Katie Borders, President, Hospice Cleveland County Foundation.

Last month, HTC announced that 1 in 6 people in the county are experiencing food insecurity.

Due to recent FDA cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), local food pantries are being impacted.

Washington Outreach Ministry (WOM), a local nonprofit organization which serves as the primary food hub for Cleveland County, is one of those being impacted. WOM supports 17 food pantries in Cleveland County alone, serves over 15,000 people each month, and is facing a $375,000 shortfall this year. Healthy Together Cleveland is raising funds to support Washington Outreach Ministry’s efforts. All donations are tax deductible. More information can be found at http://bit.ly/3Ig2Qjj .

“Collaboration is the heart of community impact. We are deeply grateful to Hospice Cleveland County Foundation for their generous support of the Emergency Food Fund Drive: Everyone Eats,” noted Jordan Frye, project and program coordinator. “Together with Healthy Together Cleveland, the HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County, and Washington Outreach Ministry, we are uplifting our community and ensuring that everyone has access to the food and the support they need.”

(continued below)

According to the USDA, food insecurity is defined as not having reliable access to enough food for a healthy, active lifestyle.

Causes include income-related factors, cost of living, community, and health-related factors. Food insecurity can affect mental and physical health, overall well-being, and school and work performance.

The mission of the Hospice Cleveland County Foundation is to strive to maintain the the hospice tradition in Cleveland County by supporting efforts to help people lead healthy, productive lives and experience peaceful, dignified deaths. They seek to ensure that all people have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and in life.

Created due to the merger between Hospice Cleveland County and VIA Health Partners, Hospice Cleveland County Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation supporting local nonprofit organizations.

For more information about the Everyone Eats Emergency Food Fund Drive, contact Co-Chairman, Mary Elliott, Healthy Together Cleveland Steering Committee at maryjacksonelliott@gmail.com or 720-353-5785.

Healthy Together Cleveland logo

(Press release)

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