In 2007 the Foundation awarded $7.4 million to over 70 local health-related programs.
Successful Local Childhood Obesity
Model Receives National Attention
June 18, 2008
By: Gil Bartlett, Chair of Williamsburg Community Health Foundation Board of Trustees
---- and Gary S. Mathews, Superintendent of Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
If there is one thing about which we can all agree -- childhood obesity is one of the greatest public health issues of our time. The June 9 Op Ed on childhood obesity was read with great interest by those already engaged in efforts to change the equation. The good news is that work is already underway in Williamsburg and James City County to improve the health of the next generation of citizens and leaders in our area.
Over the past three years, the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation has provided $2.5 million to the Williamsburg James City County Public Schools (WJCCPS) to develop a comprehensive program to change the culture of wellness in our community by starting with school age children and their families and school staff. The goal is to encourage young people to learn to make choices that will promote good health during their formative years in an effort to instill life long habits, and for school staff and families to be engaged as role models. The result is the WJCCPS School Health Initiative Program (SHIP) now in place in all schools in the WJCCPS division. SHIP serves as a catalyst to bring together people and resources to promote and support healthy eating, physical activity and access to health care.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) has invited SHIP to present at an upcoming national conference. This will highlight the success of the SHIP model as a community approach to obesity prevention.
Data show SHIP is already changing the culture of the next generation of school age children, their families and the community:
- During the 2007 – 2008 school year, 931 students were enrolled in 47 after school clubs from cooking to biking to dancing to yoga to promote physical activity and healthy eating;
- 2007 survey of parents of children who participated in a SHIP summer camp partner program with James City County Parks and Recreation indicates that more than half made changes at home to improve the amount of physical activity and nutritional food their family enjoys together;
- Out of 93 parents surveyed regarding the SHIP summer camp program 62 parents, or 67 percent of respondents, report a positive difference in the attitude of their children related to healthy eating;
- To date the SHIP School Health Outreach staff has worked with parents in our area to enroll or reenroll over 600 children in FAMIS or Medicaid, the state sponsored insurance programs.
Research-based evidence supports that what one eats affects learning. Therefore, starting September 2008 SHIP will implement a vending makeover in all WJCCPS schools which includes point of purchase nutrition information for all vending items.
This upcoming school year all vending machines on WJCCPS school property will offer selections that contribute to a balanced diet. Also worth noting is that deep fryers in all school kitchens have been replaced with convection ovens.
It’s the business of schools to remove barriers to learning. Healthier children are happier and more effective learners. This is a significant community partnership, the likes of which is a ‘win-win’ for students and families.
The Williamsburg Community Health Foundation looks forward to continuing its effective and innovative partnership with Williamsburg James City County Public Schools , and other community partners in order to advance the very important work of addressing and preventing childhood obesity.
Together WJCCPS and WCHF will keep the community informed as the program continues its efforts in our schools and our community.
- Gil Bartlett, Chairman of the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation and Gary S. Mathews, Superintendent of W-JCC Public Schools
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation
Strengthens Support for Grantees
June 2, 2008
Historic Triangle area non profits funded by the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation (WCHF) will have increased access to technical assistance as a result of three new additions to the staff and a new meeting facility.
President and CEO, Kerry Mellette says, “After more than a decade of grant making to local health and service agencies to improve the health of people living in Williamsburg and the surrounding counties, the time is right to provide expertise to support grantee efforts to better quantify, evaluate and share their success with the community and beyond.”
As the community expands, many WCHF grantees report it can be tough to identify free meeting rooms for non profit use. To help meet this need, WCHF is making the Foundation’s Healthcare Meeting Room available to grantees. An open house for WCHF grantees under the theme, “Healthy Eating for the Meeting,” is set for Thursday, June 12th, between 4 and 6 p.m. WCHF staff will be on hand to welcome past and present grantees.
Joining the WCHF professional staff are Project Officers, Carrie Dolan, an epidemiologist and Paulette Parker, a health care program policy analyst. Diane Powers is a veteran communications strategist with national experience. Receptionist Brenda Womack rounds out the additions to the team. With the exception of an additional program officer, new staff members are filling previously existing positions.
Carrie Dolan is a native of Williamsburg and received her education at Tulane and Johns Hopkins University. She led a major research project on HIV/AIDS in Jamaica for the local Ministry of Health where she developed expertise in data collection and interpretation. Since joining the Foundation, Dolan has worked with the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools on a monograph accepted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a best practice on the more than 2.5 million dollar WCHF funded School Health Initiative Program to reduce childhood obesity.
Paulette Parker completed a graduate degree at William and Mary and then worked as a healthcare policy consultant conducting research projects for government agencies and non-profits. Parker joins the Foundation from York County Community Services where she served as Special Projects Coordinator. One of the projects Parker administered while at York County was an $880,000 Community Development Block Grant which funded the reconstruction of 29 homes and a public road following Hurricane Isabel. As a health care policy and public policy professional, Parker will consult with grantees.
Diane Powers formerly directed statewide communications for the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and has managed major social marketing programs for the Federal Government including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and CDC. Her non profit experience includes leading family health, military and social service and HIV/AIDS communications initiatives at American Red Cross National Headquarters. A former journalist, she will support the foundation directed strategic communications planning needs of WCHF grantees.
Administrative Assistant, Brenda Womack, replaces Shelby Boltz and is another new face at the Foundation. She is the first person most people will speak with when connecting with staff. Womack comes from Snow & Associates where she was an Advocate & Recruitment Specialist. Ms. Boltz was promoted to Executive Assistant to the President and CEO.
Health Foundation Announces
$2,228,967 In Grants
May 2, 2008
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation has announced $2,228,967 in grants awards to 22 area non-profits (a complete listing is located here). Gil Bartlett, Chair of the Foundation Board, presented the grant checks at a reception for grantees at the Williamsburg Community Building on Thursday afternoon.
The grantee awards represent a wide array of organizations addressing Williamsburg Community Health Foundation’s funding priorities of access to healthcare and prevention of illness and disease. Two of the grantees provided presentations on their programs. Gloria Morales, Coordinator for the Network for Latino People, spoke about its Certified Medical Interpretation System (CMIS) program. The CMIS program provides training for interpreters to become certified medical interpreters. In exchange for the training, the interpreters are required to provide 40 hours of free interpretation services to area non-profits.
Dr. Thomas Irungu from the Three Rivers Health District presented on its project that will greatly improve access to dental care services for children. The Health District was awarded multi-year funding in the amount of $781,824 for a mobile dental van. The dental van will greatly improve access to dental care and oral health education to low income, underserved children in the counties of Gloucester, King and Queen, King William, Mathews and Middlesex. Kerry Mellette, President & CEO of the Foundation, stated “On average, only 40% of the children eligible for Medicaid and FAMIS dental services in these areas have visited a dentist. The lack of dental care providers is greatest in King and Queen County, which does not have a single dentist.”
Some of the programs awarded grants will benefit specific populations within the community while others will benefit the entire community. The Peninsula Area Agency on Aging’s SHARP program allows the frail elderly to live independently at home. Likewise, the Dream Catchers organization’s therapeutic horse-riding program will benefit special education students. Other funded projects, like the Planning Council’s “Social Indicators Report” will benefit the entire community by identifying community-wide health and social indicators.
Since its inception in 1997, the Foundation has given over $33 million in support of community health programs, the majority of which are implemented in Williamsburg, James City County and York County.
Health Foundation Funds Dental Van
For Surrounding Counties
May 2, 2008
What is the single most chronic childhood disease in the United States? Is it asthma, hay fever or some other disease? Most would be surprised to learn it is dental caries – or tooth decay. It is 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever. Dental caries is a preventable infectious disease which if left untreated can cause heart and lung diseases, stroke, low birth-weight, and premature births.
Although the association between dental caries in children and future illnesses in adulthood is well-known, many children in Virginia do not see a dentist on a regular basis. Virginia fares only slightly better than the nation in child dental health visits. Nationally, 2003 data reveal only 59% percent of children have had both a medical and dental preventive care visit in the past 12 months. The same percentage is 61% for Virginia. The Virginia Department of Health estimates that more than 50% of 5-9 year olds in Virginia have at least one cavity or filling, a proportion that increases to 78% by age 17. Students with dental illness miss approximately 250,000 hours of school each year in Virginia.
While the challenge of assuring children in Virginia have regular dental preventive care visits is a great one, the challenge for children living in rural areas is even greater. A recent National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services report identifies the following as barriers to accessing dental services in rural areas: geographic isolation; lack of adequate transportation; larger percentage of elderly population; lack of fluoridated community water supplies; less access to dental insurance; difficulty finding providers willing to treat Medicaid patients; and acute provider shortages. The Virginia Rural Health Association identifies access to dental and mental health services as two of the greatest health access challenges facing rural areas.
The Williamsburg Community Health Foundation’s service area currently includes a number of rural counties that have significant challenges in assuring preventive dental services for children. Those counties are Gloucester, King & Queen, King William, Mathews, and Middlesex. Therefore, the Foundation awarded funding in the amount of $781,824 to the Three Rivers Health District to purchase a mobile dental van to serve children in these counties. The mobile van will travel to the schools. School leaders in the area are enthusiastically awaiting the provision of dental services as they are confronted with children who miss school because of tooth decay.
The funding also furthers the goals of the Commonwealth’s Smiles for Children program. Although the program provides coverage for diagnostic, preventive, restorative/surgical procedures, as well as orthodontia services for Medicaid, FAMIS and FAMIS Plus children, there are not enough dental providers willing to serve the children of these programs. On average, only 40% of the children eligible for dental services in these areas have visited a dentist. The lack of providers is greatest in King and Queen County, which does not have a single dentist.
The Williamsburg Community Health Foundation is excited about this initiative as it will clearly provide a much-needed preventive service to children. It is likely these services will serve as a protective health measure.
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation
Elects New Trustees and Officers
January 18, 2008
The Williamsburg Community Health Foundation Board announces its 2008 officers and four new trustees. Gilbert Bartlett, Williamsburg resident for over 30 years and local attorney, was elected as Board Chair for a second one-year term. He has served on the WCHF Board since 1999. Nancy Campbell will serve as Vice Chair; Douglas Myers, Treasurer; and Kerry Mellette, Secretary.
The four new trustees elected to the Class of 2011 are as follows:
Randall Foskey, President, Foskey/Phillips Marketing & Advertising, has held numerous leadership roles in the greater Williamsburg community. He is currently Chairman of the Williamsburg Landing Board of Directors and is a past president of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance, Williamsburg Rotary Club, and Colonial CASA.
Stephen Montgomery, President & CEO of Williamsburg Landing, Inc, is a member of Williamsburg Rotary Club, Community Leadership Services, and the Community Services Coalition. Montgomery, a graduate of Virginia Tech, also holds a Masters degree in Health Administration.
A lifelong Williamsburg resident, Bernard Ngo, President, SunTrust Bank Williamsburg/Gloucester; has a BA degree in Economics from the University of Virginia. He serves on the boards of the Williamsburg Symphonia, Williamsburg-James City County Education Foundation, and Goepper Scholarship Trust. He has served as the Campaign Cabinet Chair and Board President for the Greater Williamsburg United Way.
Sanford Wanner has been the James City County Administrator for 12 years. Wanner has a masters degree in administration from George Washington University. He serves on the Board of numerous community organizations including the Colonial Chapter of the American Red Cross, Peninsula Regional Jail Authority, and the Historic Triangle Funders Forum.
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation is a not-for-profit, independent foundation governed by a 21-member volunteer Board. Its mission is to improve the health of people living in Williamsburg and surrounding counties by addressing healthcare needs and policies, promoting responsible health practices, and strengthening access to quality health services.
LEAD! Seminars Help Local Nonprofits
Secure Needed Resources
January 16, 2008
Asking for financial support may be one of the most challenging tasks facing nonprofit volunteers and staff. In the Williamsburg area, growing needs and increased numbers of nonprofits seeking to address those needs have made the quest for financial support not only challenging but highly competitive.
LEAD!, the organizational and leadership development series for nonprofit professional and volunteer leaders offers a chance for nonprofit agencies to increase their knowledge and skills related to creating a year round development plan, running a successful annual fund, and attracting major gifts to their organizations. Two half day seminars, “The Annual Fund: The Foundation of Your Fundraising Success” will be offered to teams of nonprofit CEO’s, development staff, and volunteer fundraising leaders from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., followed by lunch and an afternoon session “Secrets of a Successful Major Giving Program” from 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m on Tuesday, February 19, 2008.
Laurie Rogers, returns to LEAD! as faculty for the February event, bringing her experiences as annual fund director, director of development and director of a $30 million capital campaign. Ms. Rogers also teaches courses related to fundraising at UVA’s School of Continuing Education, and at VCU’s Especially for Nonprofits Program.
The LEAD! seminar series, now in its second year, is sponsored by The Williamsburg Community Health Foundation, in collaboration with The College of William and Mary, School of Education’s School Leadership Institute. According to Kerry Mellette, WCHF CEO, “the Foundation is committed to building the capacity of the nonprofit agencies and organizations whose services align with the Foundation’s mission ‘to improve the health of people living in Williamsburg and surrounding counties’. To accomplish this goal, LEAD! brings experts in nonprofit leadership and management to this community to address issues that the local leaders have identified as priorities. The Foundation’s support allows the seminars to be offered at fees that nonprofits and their boards can afford without worrying about spending funds that are needed by the programs they provide.”
The February 19 seminars will be held at the Cascades at Colonial Williamsburg’s Woodlands Conference center. The fee for the morning or for the full day on December 6 is only $35 including lunch. Lunch and the afternoon session is $25. Registration is limited so be sure to register early. For more information see the LEAD! brochure.
To register call Charlene Mann at 221-2353 or email lead2@cox.net.
2007 Grant Awards for Local
Health Needs Top $7 million
December 17, 2007
The Board of Williamsburg Community Health Foundation in early December approved $1.8 million in its final round of grant making for 2007. When added to the funding already approved in 2007, this marks a milestone for the Foundation’s first ten years of grantmaking - a record of $7.4 million awarded in any given year.
These new grants will help the region’s health care clinics implement chronic disease management programs, provide affordable prescription drugs, and take other steps to strengthen and expand services to uninsured and underinsured residents living in Williamsburg and surrounding counties. Funds will also support organizational development, technology needs, and professional development opportunities for staff, board members, and volunteers for local non-profit organizations.
As a direct result of a new strategic plan implemented in 2007, this latest round of funding is a grantmaking strategy that calls for more Foundation initiated grants. With Foundation initiated grants, potential grantees are invited to participate in a project with a specific health focus outcome developed by WCHF staff and/or consultants. Foundation initiatives are developed based on health needs assessments and/or Board directive and may involve planning and capacity building financial support along with multi-year funding.
These Foundation initiatives received funding to proceed with implementation in 2008:
The chronic care disease management program was approved for funding in the amount of $905,375. This program is designed to improve the system of care for chronically ill, uninsured residents of Williamsburg and surrounding counties. The funding helps to improve the capacity of ten area health care providers to better serve this population. Angels of Mercy, Bay Aging, Central Virginia Health Services, Colonial Services board, Gloucester-Mathews Free Clinic, Olde Towne Medical Center, Olivet Medical Ministry (Lackey Free Clinic), Rx Partnership, Sentara, and Three Rivers Health District are the participating organizations. Resources will be funded for these safety net providers to enhance collaboration with each other so as to learn from one another and share best practices.
The Greater Williamsburg Medical Access Program has been in place since 2004. It is designed to improve access to prescription medications by the medically underserved and is administered by the Virginia Health Care Foundation. A total of $390,508 was awarded to assure prescriptions will continue to be provided free of cost to those with greatest need by the six current program participants. Six additional safety net providers will be added to the program. As of September 30, 2007, 2,820 uninsured patients received 26,796 free prescriptions valued at $7,842,965.
One of the Foundation’s most significant strategies for long term impact has been strengthening the capacity of local nonprofits. The basic premise of nonprofit capacity building is that strong, effective and well-managed nonprofits are more likely to reach their programmatic goals and achieve their mission. Capacity building grants totaling nearly $500,000 was committed to a variety of capacity building and organizational development projects. This includes over $245,000 for technology needs, $36,000 for professional development, and $84,000 to the LEAD! seminar series that is designed to promote organizational and leadership development in nonprofit organizations.
The issue of inadequate healthcare workforce was identified as a potential “critical issue” in the WCHF strategic plan and is reflective of national, state and local discussions in recent years. A grant of $60,000 was approved for Sentara to proceed with facilitation, research and workforce studies to support the development of a healthcare workforce partnership.
In addition to these grants, the WCHF Board agreed to continue pursuing a children’s mental health initiative. Several focus groups were held in late 2007 to identify critical issues as well as needs and gaps in children’s mental health care delivery. An assessment of what services are currently available to whom will be conducted in first quarter 2008 and a report will follow.
WCHF will continue to provide competitive grant funding in two cycles per year. Competitive grants require potential grantees to send in a proposal and thus “compete” for available funding for a variety of projects that must meet the Foundation’s grant guidelines. After a thorough review process, the Board determines which of the applicants best meet the intended health outcomes.
Since 1997, the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation has awarded $30.9 million to over 100 organizations in Williamsburg and surrounding counties.
Governed by a volunteer 21-member Board of Trustees, the Foundation’s mission is “to improve the health of people living in Williamsburg and surrounding counties by addressing healthcare needs and policies, promoting responsible health practices, and strengthening access to quality health services.”
Health Foundation Announces $4.1 million in grants
October 23, 2007
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation has announced $4,061,427 in new grant commitments for 46 programs. Gil Bartlett, Chair of the Foundation Board, presented the grant checks at a reception at the James City County Library on Tuesday afternoon. He stated that “these awards meet one of the Foundation’s top ten strategies for 2007 of continuing to invest in improving the community’s health by targeting grant dollars to competitive grant making”. With $1.3 million already distributed in the first funding cycle in April, this brings the 2007 total to date of $5.4 million.
The Historic Triangle Substance Abuse Coalition received one of the largest grant awards of $482,000 for core program funding over the next three years. Gina Thorne, Coalition Director, spoke to the audience about the critical benefits of core program funding to the Coalition’s operations. She stated that “core funding allowed HTSAC to increase Coalition membership and staff to meet demands of the community need, measure outcomes of the program, secure additional funds to support Coalition initiatives, and develop a sustainability plan”.
The Rural Infant Services Program (RISP), a program of the Middle Peninsula-Northern Neck Community Services Board, serves infants and toddlers with or at risk for developmental disabilities. This agency received $78,550 to expand Pediatric Developmental Services. Kathy Phillips, RISP Director, said that “the program works to reduce developmental delays and prevention of secondary disabilities for children with special needs in the Middle Peninsula by providing home-based, family-centered therapeutic services. Funding will be used to hire an additional full-time therapist to provide in-home services throughout a large rural area”.
In the Foundation’s priority area of access to healthcare, Colonial Services Board received continuing funding of $480,000 over the next three years for its intensive outpatient treatment program, intensive in-home services, psychiatric services provided at Olde Towne Medical Clinic, and “parenting for positive outcomes” program. Improving access to a full range of care for persons with mental health illness, alcohol and/or drug abuse problems, and mental retardation or developmental disabilities has proven difficult due to limited available services provider facilities and lack of health insurance coverage for these illnesses.
Since its inception in 1997, Williamsburg Community Health Foundation has given over $29.2 million to support local community health programs that will address unmet health needs. Governed by a volunteer 21-member Board of Trustees, the Foundation’s mission is “to improve the health of people living in Williamsburg and surrounding counties by addressing healthcare needs and policies, promoting responsible health practices, and strengthening access to quality health services.” The next competitive grant cycle will begin in Spring 2008. Agencies interested in applying for grant awards should check the guidelines or call the Foundation at 757/345-0912.
2006 Report To The Community
Building Bridges - Tenth Anniversary
July 18, 2007
The WIlliamsburg Community Health Foundation's 2006 Report to the Community is now available online. Through a decade of grantmaking, the Foundation has been building community bridges for improved health by connecting individuals, programs, organizations and funding. We are building bridges to health care for the uninsured and underserved; to healthy lifestyles, creating healthy communities; and building bridges to strengthen non-profit organizational capacity.
The Report features the Foundation's first ten years of grantmaking. It also highlights the 2006 grants and investments. It describes effective partnerships, community collaborations and creative programs such as implementation of the School Health Initiative Project (SHIP), the completion of the two-year capacity building assistance program for 11 agencies called Healthy Organizations Williamsburg (HOW) and the overwhelming participation by the non-profit community in the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) seminar series. The report also focuses on the Foundation's ten years of grantmaking
Request a hard copy of this report.
Health Foundation Announces $1.3 million in grants
April 5, 2007
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation has announced $1,317,636 in new grant commitments for 23 programs. Gil Bartlett, Chair of the Foundation Board, presented the grant checks at a reception at James City County’s Legacy Hall on Wednesday afternoon.
In the Foundation’s priority area of access to healthcare, a grant of $637,847 was awarded over the next three years to a collaborative project headed locally by the Peninsula Agency on Aging. “No Wrong Door” is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s approach to one-stop for adult health and human services. The vision of the No Wrong Door System is to have Resource Centers in every community serving as highly visible and trusted places where individuals can turn for information on the full range of long-term support options and entry to public long-term support programs and benefits. A statewide public-private partnership to provide service providers with a web-based technology application to integrate the manner in which seniors and disabled individuals receive long-term care, this project will enhance service delivery by streamlining case management and reducing duplication of service.
In the Foundation’s priority area of prevention, Child and Family Connection received funding to address the mental and behavioral health needs of low-income children with assessments, intervention plans, and counseling. Colonial Community Corrections will receive funding for its Better Ways project to reduce alcohol and drug abuse among clients placed on court-order probation as well as inmates released from incarceration. Capacity Building is a Foundation priority to help build effective non-profit organizations that have the capacity to manage and sustain high-impact programs. Colonial CASA received $30,000 for its Associates Program to activate a group of volunteers to take care of support services thus allowing program staff more time to devote to client advocacy and case management. The Historic Triangle Senior Center will purchase new computers and technology needed for its program to provide hands-on computer training to seniors 55 and over.
The Foundation started a new grantmaking process this year to allow for two consolidated competitive grant cycles. The second cycle begins May 7 when Letters of Intent are due. Agencies interested in applying for grant awards should check guidelines or call the Foundation at (757) 345-0912.
Since its inception in 1996, the Foundation has given over $24.5 million to support local community health programs and would like to consider funding more projects that will address unmet health needs in the surrounding counties. Specifically, the counties of Charles City, Gloucester, King & Queen, King William, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Surry and York as well as the Town of West Point.
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation is governed by a volunteer 21-member Board of Trustees with a mission “to improve the health of people living in Williamsburg and surrounding counties by addressing healthcare needs and policies, promoting responsible health practices, and strengthening access to quality health services.”
$200,000 Awarded to Local Jurisdictions for
Emergency-Disaster Preparedness & Relief Funding
October 31, 2006
As part of a special community health initiative, Williamsburg Community Health Foundation has awarded $200,000 to the local jurisdictions of James City & York Counties and the City of Williamsburg to assist with their emergency/disaster preparedness and relief planning needs. Recent natural disasters and other catastrophic events have heightened interest in strengthening the public health and safety system nationwide.
Jonathan Weiss, Foundation Grants Committee Chair, stated that “basic public health and safety infrastructure is essential for effective preparation for and response to emergency events. Health grantmakers are in a strong position to help their communities prepare for and respond to a variety of emergencies.”
James City County’s Emergency Preparedness Planning Group meets every other Monday afternoon. This group is comprised of staff leaders who actually operate the Emergency Operations Center during disasters. Cross-jurisdictional collaboration efforts are comprehensive and communication a priority as county officials also meet with representatives from the Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way, City of Williamsburg, York County, and others. Sanford Wanner, JCC Administrator, told Foundation leaders that “emergency management is complex and the demands far exceed what any local government can provide. Partnerships are necessary in order to be as prepared as possible in anticipation of many different types of disasters.”
To meet extensive public information needs, a generator will be provided through this grant funding to the County’s primary radio station so it can continue to broadcast without interruption valuable information during times of community-wide power outage. A reverse 911 system will be established to have an efficient mechanism for notifying all residents of critical information at the same time. A limited number of home generators will be purchased and made available to residents with special needs, such as home oxygen systems, during times of power outages. A new Electronic Hurricane Display Board will be strategically placed to provide visual communication for highway travelers to give up-to-date emergency information.
Since the advent of Hurricane Isabel in 2003, the City of Williamsburg, in a unique partnership with community citizens and neighborhoods, has worked on a comprehensive emergency preparedness strategy. The purpose of the “75-point Lessons Learned “ Plan is to improve the City’s infrastructure, communications, public safety, emergency response and debris removal. These new funds will assist with the areas that have been identified as necessary to update and maintain power and communications in the event of a man-made or natural disaster. It will include the purchase of a new replacement generator to serve the 911 Emergency Response System, generator site preparation and wiring costs, and shelter-ready supplies for the City’s Emergency Shelter at Quarterpath Recreation Center.
The human suffering that resulted from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 brought forth a stream of new considerations in emergency planning all over the U.S. One is the fact that public shelters are relied on heavily during extreme emergencies and/or disasters, and the need for backup electrical power to support a variety of shelter needs is critical. Of the four primary disaster shelters in York County, only one is currently equipped with permanent generator power. York County will use its grant funds for engineering, design, and installation of an electrical generator to serve an existing shelter in the Bruton/Northern area of the county.
Health Foundation Announces $3.3 million in grants
October 10, 2006
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation has announced $3,324,970 in new grant commitments for 44 programs. Gil Bartlett, Vice Chair of the Foundation Board, presented the grant checks at a reception at the James City County Library on Tuesday afternoon.
It is anticipated that the Foundation will pay a total of approximately $5 million in grants by year-end. This will include the Foundation’s multi-year commitments to several agencies providing primary health care for uninsured, low income residents and $520,000 as the second year commitment to the school health initiative (SHIP).
In the Foundation’s priority area of primary care, Gloucester–Mathews Free Clinic, Lackey Free Clinic, and Olde Towne Medical Center will be utilizing new grant dollars to increase health services for patients with chronic diseases. Each of the community health clinics and other “safety-net” providers the Foundation currently supports is challenged by how best to cope with increasing numbers of patients diagnosed with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. It is projected that at minimum, 30% of the uninsured population in our service area suffers from chronic disease. Other grant funded projects focused on primary care will look at diminishing the gaps in current mental health services.
The Network for Latino People will utilize $130,000 to implement a program for community medical interpretive services to assist health professionals in providing care to non-English speaking patients. Several agencies, such as Bacon Street, will work on prevention strategies to provide substance abuse intervention and treatment services for youth and their families.
The College of William and Mary Schroeder Center for Healthcare Policy will conduct a major household survey and other analyses of access to physician and professional health care in the medically underserved areas in the greater Williamsburg region.
In the area of allied health workforce development, Thomas Nelson Community College will use $154,563 to hire faculty and purchase clinical equipment for teaching nursing courses and phlebotomy skills. A pilot project will be implemented to offer Spanish language classes for emergency health care professionals.
The Foundation revised its grantmaking process this year to allow for two consolidated competitive grant cycles in future years. This will give organizations a standardized time line for submitted applications. Agencies interested in applying for grant awards for 2007 should check guidelines or call the Foundation at (757) 345-0912. The next deadline for a Letter of Intent is Monday, November 6.
Since its inception in 1997, the Foundation has given over $18.5 million to support local community health programs and would like to consider funding more projects that will address unmet health needs in the surrounding counties. Specifically, the counties of Charles City, Gloucester, King & Queen, King William, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Surry and York as well as the Town of West Point.
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation is governed by a volunteer 21-member Board of Trustees with a mission “to improve the health of people living in the Greater Williamsburg Area in collaboration with area partners.”
View our 2006 Grant Awards here.
Getting fit to fight obesity
Brazilian jujitsu, ballroom dancing, Pilates and yoga will be used to help
W-JCC students lead healthier lives.
BY CAROL SCOTT
223-5686
September 2, 2006
JAMES CITY -- The floor of D.J. Montague Elementary School's multi-purpose room was vibrating. Basketballs hurtled just above the rim. Hula-Hoops clicked together on waists and arms. A boy in saggy pants dangled upside down from a metal bar. A girl pushed her hair back with her hands and carefully bent her elbows to do a dozen push-ups. In the middle of the afternoon commotion, Stefanie Johnson kept time. "SWITCH!" she yelled. Shrieking and squealing, children moved from one exercise station to another - mats laid out for stretching, sit-ups and push-ups with spots for pull-ups, basketball and Hula-Hooping.
"Come on, guys, this is the easiest one," Johnson - who works for James City County Parks and Recreation - told two girls sprawled motionless on the stretch mat. Behind them, a boy shimmied his hips, balancing four Hula-Hoops on his waist. The summer camp exercise drill wasn't just a way to shake away seasonal doldrums. It was part of a Williamsburg-James City County program to teach healthy eating and exercise to students and turn back the rising tide of childhood obesity, junk food-packed vending machines and sugar-sweetened drinks.
School teachers and Williamsburg Community Hospital educators visited summer camps to teach the children and their instructors new exercise routines and healthy eating tips. Like other Hampton Roads schools, W-JCC - with a $2.3 million grant from the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation - is trying to stem the tide of unhealthy eating and widening waistlines. In 2003-04, 17 percent of children and teens ages 2 to 19 were overweight, more than 12.5 million nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. The December $2.3 million grant paid for hiring a dietician, a physical education teacher and a health worker who makes home visits, plus three other staff members, over three years.
W-JCC's School Health Initiative Project aims to sweeten the deal by offering students unorthodox classes such as martial art Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, ballroom dancing, cycling, Pilates and yoga. The project emphasizes activities that students can do at no cost and without fancy equipment. Starting this fall, a pilot program called "Challenge Clubs" will meet at each school for six-week fitness classes taught by College of William and Mary students. Bus transportation after school will be provided, and the classes will be free. The pilot program will involve students who might not normally take advantage of after-school programs, said Denise Corbett, health initiative project coordinator. More students will be involved later.
The program also targets foods students eat. A report on the contents of vending machines in the district found that only 16 percent of what was in the machines was nutritious, Corbett said. "We certainly want to get that up to maybe 60 percent before the year is over." Other districts have tackled soft drinks. Poquoson City Schools do not serve nor sell soft drinks, Gloucester schools are phasing them out and Suffolk schools won't sell them starting this school year. Part of the stepped-up health efforts are because of a federal mandate that goes into effect this school year. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 requires all schools that receive funding for lunch programs to have a wellness policy in place by the first day of school. That includes most schools nationwide. In Williamsburg, fundraisers should stay away from food items, and food fundraisers should meet nutritional guidelines.
Teachers are also being encouraged to put stretch breaks and physical games into their classes, Corbett said. The stretching won't take much time out of class, and it will teach kids to incorporate movement into their everyday activities, she said. It's all part of trying to make fitness a constant reality in students' lives, Corbett added. "This is a slow, gradual process - little baby steps - but we're starting."
2005 Report To The Community
Investing In The Future
July 21, 2006
The WIlliamsburg Community Health Foundation's 2005 Report to the Community is now available online. The report highlights the Foundation's strategic investments of resources, funds and energy made during 2005. It describes effective partnerships, community collaborations and creative programs. To request a hard copy of this report, please follow this link.
Website provides current data for
building
a healthy community
Williamsburg, Virginia (July 12, 2006)
Williamsburg Community Health Foundation and the United Way of Greater Williamsburg are sponsoring an ongoing resource for community planners, funders, nonprofit organizations, and interested citizens to learn more about our community, its needs, and its potential. The website, www.communityreportcard.org, was created last year to publish the results of a community assessment of the Historic Triangle. It was recently updated with changes to the original data since March 2005. The primary report is a narrative that describes the state of the community and provides graphs to illustrate trends. The assessment suggests thirteen vision statements which, if reached, would indicate that this community is a healthy one.
The original community assessment was commissioned in late 2004 by the Historic Triangle Funders Forum (HTFF) , a collaboration of eight Williamsburg-area organizations that fund health and human services projects in the Historic Triangle area. Six of those members funded the initial project: City of Williamsburg, James City County, Sentara WCH, United Way of Greater Williamsburg, Williamsburg Community Health Foundation, and Williamsburg Community Trust. Betsy Schmidt, a local non-profit consultant, is the author of the assessment who will update and maintain the website.
The 2006 Update does not point to any major changes from the original assessment. The community continues to grow rapidly, as does its wealth. In fact, the price of homes increased enough that both James City and York Counties reduced their real estate tax rates. Many of the indicators, including substance abuse indicators, library circulation statistics, motor vehicle accident deaths, and opinions concerning transportation options, remained constant from the original assessment. Other indicators either stayed constant or improved. All Historic Triangle schools, for example, maintained full accreditation, and York County Schools achieved AYP for the first time. The rate of teen pregnancies and rate of founded child abuse continued a downward trend.
Despite the original report’s observation that the high cost of living would make it difficult for some to meet basic food, clothing, and housing needs, the United Way’s Information and Referral found fewer requests for housing, mortgage assistance, and prescription drugs in 2004-2005 than in 2002-03. I & R continued to serve a large number of homeless, however, and requests for help with food and clothing remained high. A second surprising, and somewhat disturbing trend, was that a smaller percentage of women received prenatal care in their first trimester of pregnancy in Williamsburg and James City County. Perhaps the most surprising finding, although it confirmed a trend that was highlighted in the original report, was that the number of students taking Limited English Proficiency services jumped almost 30% in York County (from 121 to 164) and almost 300% in James City County (from 53 to 209) from 2002-2004.
Thus, the Historic Triangle remains a growing and vibrant community, which brings with it the types of problems that occur in growing communities. Too many people need help obtaining food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. Too few have health insurance, and too many have limited English proficiency. The average wage remains well below the state and local average. Time will tell whether the changes noted in the past year are an anomaly or part of a larger trend. In the meantime, this highly educated and prosperous community should use its resources to tackle these problems and reverse any downward trends.
Throughout 2005, the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation sponsored 12 public forums on the Assessment topics. Community leaders and funders participated in the discussions and listened to the citizen's concerns. These discussions produced insight into the community's concerns and issues, the assets that can address these concerns, and the progress that has been made to date.
Peninsula EMS staffers honored with awards
SPECIAL TO THE DAILY PRESS, June 29, 2006
GLOUCESTER -- The Peninsulas Emergency Medical Services Council recently held its annual regional awards program. The event, sponsored by the council, Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services and Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, also celebrated the 30th anniversary of the council.
Award winners included:
- Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Medical Services: Williamsburg Community Health Foundation.
- Excellence in EMS: Elizabeth Jo Martin, vice president, Riverside Tappahannock Hospital.
- Outstanding Pre-hospital Provider: Wayne T. Berry, Newport News Fire Department.
- Outstanding EMS Physician: Dr. Cheryl Lawson, Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue.
- Outstanding EMS Pre-hospital Educator: Roxann M. Gabany, New Horizons Vocational Technical Training Center.
- Nurse with Outstanding Contribution to EMS: Kimberly A. Conner, Riverside Regional Medical Center.
- Outstanding Emergency Medical Administrator: Don D. Wilson, Peninsulas EMS Council.
- Outstanding EMS Agency: Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue.
- Outstanding EMS Call: York County Fire and Life Safety.
- Outstanding Contribution to EMS for Children: Annetta Lynn Norwood, York County Fire and Life Safety.
- Outstanding EMS Telecommunications Officer: Donald Terry Hall, York County.
- Regional Scholarship, $1,000, outstanding contribution to EMS by a high school senior: Sondra N. Harris, Poquoson Fire and Rescue, Kecoughtan High School.
The regional winners will compete for the Governor's EMS awards. The high school winner will compete for the $5,000 scholarship awarded by the governor's EMS advisory board.
For more info and photographs
Williamsburg Health Foundation Elects
New Trustees & Officers
Williamsburg, Virginia (January 23, 2006)
The Williamsburg Community Health Foundation Board announces election of its 2006 officers and two new trustees to its Board. F. Roger Thaler will chair the Board with Gilbert Bartlett serving as Vice Chair; Gwen Williams, Treasurer; and Kerry Mellette, Secretary.
Virginia McLaughlin and Jeffrey Smith were named as the new Board trustees. Dr. McLaughlin is Dean of the School of Education at the College of William and Mary. She serves on the Board of the Williamsburg-James City County Schools Foundation and was active in the work of the W-JCCS Strategic Planning Evaluation and Phase II Committees from 1995-2000. She has been a leader and facilitator in the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Historic Triangle Program since the program was initiated in 1993.
Jeffrey Smith is the Assistant Superintendent for Academic Services for Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools. He is a current member of the United Way of Greater Williamsburg Board and the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce Education Committee.
This organization is a not-for-profit, independent foundation governed by a 21-member volunteer Board. The Mission of the Foundation is to “improve the health of people living in the greater Williamsburg area in collaboration with community partners” and has given $18.5 million in grant funds to community programs in the last nine years.
Historic Triangle PAD Task Force adding defibrillators
Williamsburg, Virginia (February 10, 2006)
The Historic Triangle PAD (Public Access to Defibrillation) Task Force held a news conference to announce plans to add more than 150 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public safety and animal control vehicles and facilities. Citizens were invited to attend the announcement and demonstration of the defibrillators Feb. 9 at the Williamsburg Fire Department, 440 N. Boundary St. Local fire and police officials, community leaders and health organization representatives were in attendance.
“In recognition of February as American Heart Month, the Historic Triangle – composed of James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg – will become one of the most heart safe regions in the state,” said James City County District Fire Chief Bob Ryalls, Chair of the Historic Triangle PAD Task Force. “By strategically placing defibrillators throughout the community, trained citizen rescuers can greatly increase the chance of survival for victims of sudden cardiac arrest.” A James City County resident will tell his story at the news conference of how he was recently saved by prompt AED response.
The Historic Triangle PAD program has already placed more than 50 AEDs in all Williamsburg-James City County Schools, all schools in York County’s Bruton District, park facilities, the Jamestown-Scotland Ferries, Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center and other places in the past two years. In addition, more than 250 local citizens have been trained in CPR and AED use. The PAD Program is financed through a $450,000 grant from the Williamsburg Health Foundation.
The community defibrillation program was developed to save the lives of sudden cardiac arrest victims, a leading cause of death in the United States. In the Greater Williamsburg area, there are approximately 50 to 60 cardiac deaths each year. “For each minute that defibrillation is delayed, the victim’s chance of survival decreases by 7-to-10 percent,” Ryalls said. “The goal of the Historic Triangle PAD program is to achieve a 3 minute response time from collapse of the victim to the delivery of the first defibrillator shock.”
For more information about the defibrillator program, visit the Historic Triangle Public Access Defibrillation website.
Last Updated: Friday, June 20, 2008