$750K GRANT FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany has received a $750,000 grant from The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation as part of the foundation’s Coronavirus Emergency Support Grants.

The grants, which were announced on Wednesday, May 5, total $20 million and will support 25 nonprofit organizations addressing the ongoing health-care and health-related needs of New Yorkers as a direct result of COVID-19.

"At Catholic Charities, we are humbled to be awarded this funding from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation," said Vincent W. Colonno, CEO of Catholic Charities. "The grant will allow us to better provide food, health services and vaccine availability across our Diocese, even in areas with limited access to services. To know that the foundation remains committed to our partnership, and to the people of the Albany Diocese, is a great comfort in a difficult time."

St. Peter’s Hospital Foundation, Inc., also received a $500,000 grant to purchase personal protective equipment for health-care and social-service workers. Catholic Charities will use the money to fund its mobile clinic vehicle (CC MOVE), as well as for rental tents and chairs to bring vaccination sites into rural communities

Other initiatives being supported by the grants include: Funding the development of an outreach campaign to low-income communities expressing vaccine hesitancy at Saint Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers; supplying emergency food and financial assistance to individuals and families in need, including grants to the Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council) to purchase approximately 120,000 pounds of food for the continuation of its emergency food distribution program, and to the Council of Peoples Organization (COPO) to support a mobile food pantry serving Muslim, Arab, and South Asian immigrant communities, as well as the general public, in Brooklyn.

“For many vulnerable New Yorkers, the pandemic’s impact will be experienced for years to come. We honor Mother Cabrini’s legacy by directly assisting those in need during these extraordinarily difficult times. We are concentrating our efforts on relief for frontline workers, financial support for underserved communities, and equitable vaccine distribution across the State,” said Monsignor Gregory Mustaciuolo, chief executive officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.

In 2020, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation awarded nearly $165 million for more than 650 health-care and health-related programs that are addressing the social determinants of health (such as food, housing, education, and employment) and a wide range of health needs across New York State (such as oral healthcare in rural areas).

“A little over a year after the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is continuing to respond by funding essential organizations tackling the pandemic’s ongoing impact on New York’s most underserved communities,” said Kathryn Ruscitto, board director and chair of the Regional Grants Committee. “These grants demonstrate our commitment to help keep New Yorkers healthy, safe, and prepared.”

Up to $50 million in 2020 Coronavirus Emergency Support Grants were included in the two rounds of grants to support COVID-19 emergency programs. These two rounds of 2020 COVID-19 emergency grants helped purchase PPE for health-care and social-service workers and supplied food to food banks and pantries. Grantees also offered unique solutions to address other critical needs that arose during the pandemic. For example:

A statewide effort led by CHCANYS, the Iroquois Healthcare Alliance in Saratoga County, and the Mohawk Valley Health System in Central New York trained approximately 18,000 home care clinicians in COVID-19 testing.

The Home Care Association in Albany expanded access to its Selfhelp Community Services’ Virtual Senior Center, a web-based platform for older vulnerable adults to virtually engage with people in their community.

Click here for a full list of 2021 Coronavirus Emergency Support Grantees.

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission to improve the health and well-being of the vulnerable New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of targeted communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named in memory of a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation provides flexible support for new and innovative approaches that enhance health and wellness across New York State. For more information, visit https://www.cabrinihealth.org