Knox County Community Foundation Awards Largest Grant in History
(Vincennes, Indiana) On September 22nd, the Knox County Community Foundation awarded the largest grant in the Foundation’s history to the Good Samaritan Hospital through the Target Lasting Change (TLC) grant initiative. The hospital was awarded $85,580 to increase the hospital’s level of pediatric readiness and expand Mobile Integrated Health-Community Paramedicine, in order to support pediatric patients and their families in Knox County.
The Good Samaritan Hospital graciously accepted this grant award at an outdoor presentation, in front of the Hedde Educational Center. "Good Samaritan constantly monitors trends in healthcare and works to identify specific needs of our patients. As pediatric healthcare needs have increased, especially during the pandemic, we are pleased that the Knox County Community Foundation is offering support of Good Samaritan to bolster Pediatric Readiness efforts in the Emergency Department and throughout our hospital." states Good Samaritan Hospital’s President and CEO, Rob McLin.
He adds, "Once our pediatric patients are discharged from the hospital, our Pediatric Community Paramedicine Program will serve to provide a level of follow-up care only available in a few counties throughout the state of Indiana. These programs are an expansion of our commitment for each child under the age of 18 to "Grow Up with Good Samaritan".
TLC grant recipients must strategically address a pressing community need and aim to make a significant and sustained, positive impact among the population being served and/or the broader community. Knox County Community Foundation County Advisory Board president Craig Kirk states, “When we work together for the common good, it allows the Community Foundation to focus our grant dollars on programs and projects that directly address larger community needs and make a stronger impact.”
Grant applicants are reviewed by the Foundation’s TLC grants committee, chaired by County Advisory Board member Sherry Smith. Smith states, “The community foundation’s motto is For Good. Forever. and it was obvious to those of us on this committee that Knox County’s future is bright,” after reviewing this year’s applicants.
Smith says, “Good Samaritan Hospital brought to our attention that, in 2020 and 2021, our hospital saw a heavy increase in pediatric visits, substance use issues, and mental health concerns for those in our community under the age of 18. We are grateful that Good Samaritan Hospital seeks to address these concerns in a collaborative way, asking our Foundation for assistance in becoming a “pediatric-ready” facility for our region.”
This is the fourth TLC grant since the inception of this initiative in 2008. Generous donors of the Friends of Knox County Fund have allowed for more than $205,000 in grant dollars to be distributed through this specific grant initiative.
The first TLC grant was awarded in 2008 to Life After Meth Inc. for the Community Model Program that helps incarcerated addicts recover and re-enter the community. The second award in 2012 was granted to Children and Family Services for Hope’s Voice, a program that works with those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault. The previous grant was awarded in 2016 to the Salvation Army Vincennes for the Pathway of Hope program. This program assists families wanting to break the cycle of poverty by providing them a path out of constant crisis.
For more information about the Friends of Knox County Fund, please contact Jill Carpenter at jcarpenter@communityfoundationalliance.org.
About the Knox County Community Foundation
The Knox County Community Foundation is one of nine regional county affiliates of the Community Foundation Alliance. The Alliance holds more than 1,200 named funds established by individuals, families, businesses, civic groups, and agencies to improve the quality of life throughout southwestern Indiana, with charitable assets over $118 million. During our most recent fiscal year, grants and scholarships awarded from all Alliance funds to benefit programs, projects, and people in the nine affiliate counties totaled over $3.7 million. The Alliance provides management, administrative, and development expertise and services, so every local affiliate foundation can focus on promoting philanthropy, building endowment, and grantmaking, making a difference in their community today and for years to come.