| The Grants Program Invests $237,720 to Support Community Services Throughout the State
ATLANTA, GA – February 3, 2005 - The March of Dimes Georgia Chapter announced today their 2005 grant review results. Every year the March of Dimes invests funding to organizations with the capacity, competence and experience to accomplish projects that would provide quality health care for women and infants. In fact, in 2005, the March of Dimes Georgia Chapter is awarding $237,720 to 12 community organizations throughout the state. The grants range from $10,000 to more than $32,000.
March of Dimes funding priorities for 2005 were to increase access to and quality of health care for women and infants, availability of prevention services, and availability of genetics services and folic acid education. In addition, some grant funds were dedicated to projects focused on preventing premature births, which is in line with the national Prematurity Campaign the March of Dimes launched in 2003.
"The Georgia Chapter Community Grant’s Program is designed to invest in community projects that further the March of Dimes mission and support national campaign objectives," says Susan Huffman, Chair of the March of Dimes Grants Committee. "Our twelve grant recipients have the experience and the competence needed to give babies a helping hand in 2005."
The 2005 Georgia Chapter community grant recipients are as follows:
- St. Joseph’s Mercy Care Services, "Perinatal Education Program" - $32,478
Summary: The Perinatal Education Program will provide an opportunity for recently arrived pregnant Hispanic immigrant women to learn about prenatal and infant care and how to access available maternal and child health programs.
- Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness, "Enhancement of Pregnancy Outcomes in the Latino Community" - $25,000
Summary: The Enhancement of Pregnancy Outcomes in the Latino Community Program will improve the pregnancy outcomes of the 150-175 Latino participants by offering educational activities and support services.
- Grady Health System, "Centering Pregnancy" - $25,000
Summary: The project will implement Centering Pregnancy, a model of group prenatal care, for indigent Spanish-speaking immigrant women. The group care will provide culturally competent prenatal services, education, social support, and self-care activities that will promote increased satisfaction and participation in prenatal care, and will improve health outcomes.
- Grant Park Clinic, "Promotora Program" - $25,000
Summary: The Promotora, bilingual lay health educator, will provide nutrition and folic acid education in the clinic and in the community as an extension of the current prenatal program.
- Refugee Family Services, "Maternal Health Initiative" - $25,000
Summary: The Maternal Health Initiative will provide prenatal risk assessments, pregnancy case management support and educational services for refugee women in metro Atlanta who are at high risk for premature birth due to histories of physical trauma, poor nutrition, inadequate or no access to health care, high birth rates and/or low levels of education.
- East Health District 9-1 and 9-3, "Fetal Infant Mortality Review" - $22,900
Summary: The Fetal Infant Mortality Review project tracks fetal and infant deaths via a medical record review and home interviews with the goal of determining factors that contribute to infant demise.
- Parent and Child Development Services, " Turning Point Outreach Program" - $17,600
Summary: The Turning Point Outreach program is an educational program on the signs and symptoms of pre-term labor for pregnant and parenting teens and support services for pregnant teens in Chatham County public schools.
- Pickens County Council on Child Abuse, "Healthy Families" - $14,513
Summary: The Healthy Families project will combine connections with all first-time families, voluntary home visitation for high risk mothers, and Commanzando bien prenatal education classes for Hispanic women to positively impact birth outcomes.
- Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, "Prematurity Assessment" - $11,400
Summary: The Prematurity Assessment project will use the OB/GYN’s in Georgia to assess services and systems in place to reduce prematurity and determine, as the main providers of women’s health and obstetrical care, what could be done to decrease premature births.
- Catoosa County Health Department, "Baby Shower" - $10,000
Summary: The Baby Shower program will provide education and support to new moms. In addition, the funding will assist in supporting the Perinatal Case Management Program and help increase the number of clients that utilize the PCM Program.
11. Jackson County Health Department, "The Cabbage Patch" - $13,329
Summary: The Cabbage Patch program is an incentive program that will provide educational information to high-risk pregnant women to enable them to have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.
12. Houston Healthcare, "Middle Georgia Access to Care" - $12,500
Summary: The Middle Georgia Access to Care project will increase access to perinatal services, improve the quality of prenatal care, and provide education to women in Houston, Peach, Macon, Pulaski, and other surrounding middle Georgia counties.
In addition to these community grants, the March of Dimes Georgia Chapter also funds community awards which are small, non-competitive awards of $3000 or less. These awards are given on a first-come, first-serve basis during the calendar year.
The next application process, for the 2006 community grants, will begin with requests for letters of intent going out in late spring. Applications are due in early summer and invitations to submit a full proposal are sent mid summer. Full proposals are due in early fall with notification of awards in January. Those interested in either a community award or the 2006 Community Grant Program should contact Alison Pierce Tolley, Associate Director of Program Services, 404 350-9800 x 218 or atolley@marchofdimes.com.
ABOUT MARCH OF DIMESThe March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a five-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.
www.marchofdimes.com/georgia
Media Contact: Brittney Gray, Director of Communications, 404-350-9800 x 224 or bgray@marchofdimes.com
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