Columbia, Md. ― The Horizon Foundation awarded more than $1 million in grants in 2017 to community programs advancing the mission to improve health and wellness for people who live or work in Howard County, Md. The grants address community needs and target the Foundation’s strategic priorities to promote healthy lifestyles and increase access to quality, affordable health care.
“We are excited that our grantee partners have embraced innovative change as this community continues to improve the health and well-being in Howard County,” said Horizon Foundation President and CEO Nikki Highsmith Vernick. “We are proud to work with organizations that share our vision of a healthier Howard County for everyone.”
Since 1998, Horizon has invested more than $48 million in community programs, including grants to more than 300 diverse organizations serving the county, from school-based programs to faith-based organizations to health care providers.
As part of its grantmaking this year, the Horizon Foundation awarded eight Strategic Health Initiative Grants and more than a dozen Community Opportunity Grants. Highlighted grants include:
Chase Brexton Health Services: $25,000 for a planning grant to support increasing access to behavioral health services for Howard County’s Latino community.
Community Services Foundation: $25,000 for a planning grant to promote healthy lifestyles in Howard County, through implementation of a health and wellness program known as “Know Better, Live Better.” Students will participate in a year-long, out-of-school-time program that provides youth health education, promotion and training to decrease the risk of chronic disease and disabilities.
Foreign-born Information and Referral Network (FIRN): $25,000 for a planning grant to improve the mental health and well-being of immigrant residents in the county.
Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center: $30,000 to expand mental health education by offering three types of trainings that will help individuals learn how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.
Howard County General Hospital: $119,720 to actively engage in the Speak(easy) Howard initiative and ensure the hospital is able to receive and utilize information provided by patients on their health care agents and advance directives.
Howard County Government: $200,000 to provide multi-year funding to support Howard County Bikeshare in Downtown Columbia, which provides an affordable, accessible transportation option that promotes physical activity.
Howard County Office of Environmental Sustainability: $40,000 to support The Roving Radish, a low-cost meal kit program that provides fresh, regionally produced and locally prepared ingredients for residents to easily cook at home.
Howard County Sponsoring Committee/People Acting Together in Howard (PATH): $150,000 to support multi-year advocacy programs related to school food, afterschool activities and mental health programs.
Korean American Senior Association: $70,200 to strengthen culturally-appropriate services and materials to help older Korean adults complete advance care planning and identify health care agents.
Way Station Inc.: $73,000 for the continuation of rapid access behavioral health services that provide urgent, outpatient, crisis stabilization services within 24-48 hours of referral for Howard County adults in need of immediate access to short term, psychiatric, problem-focused intervention, regardless of ability to pay.
Additional programs supported through grants in 2017 include the Bicycling Advocates of Howard County, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Howard County, Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative and others. For a full list of current grantees or more information the Horizon Foundation’s grantmaking, please visit our grants page.
