Sponsored Institutions - Stories

By Claire Henry
Public Relations and Communications Specialist, Dominican Hospital

January 30, 2018, Santa Cruz, California – Dignity Health Dominican Hospital awarded nearly $180,000 in grants to six nonprofit organizations through its Annual Community Grants Program. Each of the nonprofits was recognized for its commitment to providing innovative resources and support to improve quality of life for the Santa Cruz County residents most in need.

Dominican Hospital awarded the grants during a special luncheon in January 2018.

“As we observe the work of these organizations, we feel a deep sense of inspiration and gratitude,” said Nanette Mickiewicz, MD, President of Dominican Hospital. “Consistent with Dominican Hospital’s mission, they support the disadvantaged in our community by forging new collaborations and pursuing innovative strategies to deliver real, measurable improvements to quality of life. We affirm their leadership, dedication, and creativity in reaching out to those in need.”

Grants were made to the following organizations:

• Dientes Community Dental Care: $20,000 in support of a collaboration between Dientes, the County of Santa Cruz Homeless Persons Health Project, and the Homeless Services Center to provide dental screenings, oral health education, referrals to care, and dental treatment for people who are homeless. The goal is to provide access to a dental home for regular preventive care and to educate people who are homeless on ways to improve oral health and avoid dental emergencies.
  
  
• Digital NEST: $20,000 for the WellNEST program, which will – through classes, workshops, activities – establish for low-income youth and young adults the connection between healthy daily food and activity choices and an increased capacity to learn, achieve, stay healthy, and ultimately earn a self- and family-sustaining income.
  
  
• Encompass Community Services: $30,000 for Project Bright Star, which focuses on integrated behavioral health needs of adolescents, using strategies that build awareness about the value of early intervention and prevention, the connection between physical and emotional health and wellness, and the availability of local resources.
  
  
• Recuperative Care Center (RCC): to support those experiencing homelessness in Sana Cruz County. RCC offers 24/7 shelter services in a safe, home-like setting with meals, housekeeping, security, case management, health care, medication management support, and clinical social work services.
  
  
• Janus of Santa Cruz: $48,424 for Project Unite, which will support eligible patients to transition successfully from the hospital to treatment for substance abuse disorder and concurring disorder and from treatment to community living with individualized recovery maintenance plans.
  
  
• RotaCare Bay Area: $25,000 for the all-volunteer Santa Cruz RotaCare Free Clinic, which provides free health care weekly to the most vulnerable uninsured and underinsured populations of Santa Cruz County. Physicians, registered nurses, Rotary Club members, and Spanish/English interpreters provide medical care, diabetes education, pharmaceuticals at reduced costs, and referrals to Dominican Hospital specialists.

Feature photo: From left, Dominican Hospital Community Board member Ana Ventura Phares and Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, President of Dominican Hospital, present a replica of a grant check to a representative of Janus of Santa Cruz.