September 6, 2019
THEDACARE NEW LONDON ENDOWMENT FUND NOW ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS
Deadline is December 1, 2019
NEW LONDON, Wis. – The ThedaCare Medical Center-New London Endowment Fund is now accepting applications for community grants for 2020.
“In 2019, the Endowment Fund provided a total of $20,000 in grants to four different community organizations,” said Scott Bleck, president of the ThedaCare Medical Center-New London Board of Directors. “We look forward to assisting other organizations this year. It is important that we continue to support all efforts aimed at making the New London area and surrounding communities a better place to work and live.”
Applications must be submitted online through ThedaCare.org and are due December 1, 2019. Grants will be awarded no later than March 31, 2020.
The grant program is dedicated to supporting and enhancing community health, healthcare outreach, education, patient care, rehabilitation and wellness services that contribute to a better quality of life for those living in the Wolf River area. That includes New London, Clintonville, Manawa, Hortonville, Marion, Weyauwega, Shiocton, Fremont and Embarrass.
To apply for funding, the applicant must be a 501c3 and requests should consider the following guidelines:
- Serve the mission and vision of ThedaCare Medical Center-New London.
- Serve an identified/proven health need in the Wolf River region communities.
- Avoid duplication of services by working collaboratively with other community providers/organizations.
- Have a justifiable cost with defined, measurable outcomes.
“All grant applications will be evaluated based on enhancing community wellbeing,” said Beck. “Community needs are regularly identified through the ThedaCare Community Health Needs Assessment.”
In 2019, the Clintonville Little Trucks playgroup received a grant of $750 from the Endowment Fund. It used the funds to obtain new equipment to provide motor skill activities for children and to provide a variety of healthy snacks used during the group sessions.
“The playgroup serves children from birth to five years old and meets for two hours approximately 12 times throughout the school year,” said Suzzann Bessette, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher at the Dellwood Early Learning Center where the playgroup meets. “Applying for the grant was fairly simple, completed online. Thinking through the process helped us focus on exactly how we would use the money and how it would benefit the community.”
The Little Trucks Playgroup, named after the Clintonville Truckers varsity mascot, serves as the Clintonville School District’s “Child Find” program, Bessette said.
“The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requires each school district to have a program that helps identify young children who may have special needs and provide them with early development assistance,” explained Bessette. “Our Little Trucks playgroup serves that purpose for our district.”
During the 2018-2019 school year, some 80 children participated in the playgroup, with an average of 20 children attending each session.
“The playgroup is a great opportunity for parents, guardians and kids to interact with each other and the Head Start and Early Childhood teachers,” said Bessette. “We focus on providing healthy snacks to introduce children and their parents/guardians to healthy choices. When kids see other kids eating broccoli or carrots, they’re more likely to try those foods, and then we hope parents include them in their regular diet.”
Other grant recipients for 2019 included the Harbor House Domestic Abuse Program, Mission of Hope House and the New London Area First Responder Program.
Applications must be submitted online through ThedaCare.org and are due December 1, 2019.
Photo Caption: Clintonville Public School District, David Dyb and Suzzann Bessette, receive 2019 grant from ThedaCare Medical Center-New London Endowment Fund.
About ThedaCare
For more than 110 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization serves a community of more than 600,000 residents and employs more than 7,000 healthcare professionals throughout the regions. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 31 clinics in nine counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service.
For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter. Media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public Relations Specialist at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
