Vidant Beaufort Hospital and Vidant Pungo Hospital recently held their first Community Benefit grants receptions awarding a total of $130,000 to eight local community organizations. This is the first year that either hospital has participated in the Vidant Health Community Benefit grant program. The goal of the program is to support outreach projects that focus on wellness and prevention strategies.
“The Community Benefit Grants program demonstrates the commitment of Vidant Beaufort and Vidant Pungo to improve the health of the community beyond the walls of the hospital,” said president Harvey Case. “And it gives us the opportunity to fund programs that are consistent with our mission of enhancing the quality of life for the people in our community that we touch, serve and support.”
The main priority for the community benefit grants program is to improve the health care in our community. The focus areas for funding are chronic disease prevention and management, access to care, and nutrition and physical activity.
The following organizations were awarded grants:
— Food Bank of The Albemarle/Mobile Food Pantry Deployment — $9,800
— Grace Harwell Senior Center/Chronic Disease Self-Management Program — $9,200
— Beaufort County Physical and Nutrition Coalition/My Plate Project — $6,000
—Beaufort County Schools/Healthy Outcomes for Pregnant and Parenting Students — $40,000
— John A. Wilkinson Center, Dilday Fitness Center — $8,000
— Hyde County Health Department — $22,630
— Engelhard Medical Center, Clinical Provider —$27,670
— Senior’s Center of Belhaven, Health & Wellness Program Coordinator — $6,700
Vidant Health, a mission-driven, not-for-profit corporation, owns leases or has a majority membership interest in nine eastern North Carolina hospitals and has a management agreement with one other. The health system includes Albemarle Health, Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Vidant Bertie Hospital, Vidant Chowan Hospital, Vidant Duplin Hospital,Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital, Vidant Medical Center, Vidant Pungo Hospital, Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Vidant Home Health and Hospice; Vidant Wellness Centers, Vidant Medical Group and physician practices, and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.