Easton, Maryland, June 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Qlarant Foundation, the mission arm of Qlarant, will provide grants totaling $412,500 to 20 community organizations that support underserved populations in Maryland and Washington, DC.
The Foundation reviewed applications from 79 highly-qualified organizations and ultimately selected eighteen organizations to receive grants and ranging from $10,000 to $40,000. In addition, they selected two organizations to receive smaller financial gifts to support short-term projects.
“Our grantee organizations are a special group, dedicated to improving the lives of extremely vulnerable people in their communities,” said Dominic Szwaja, Chair of the Qlarant Foundation Board of Directors.
“The efforts of these organizations reach people across a large geographic area and address both medical and social issues impacting their clients’ health.” Dr. Catherine Smoot-Haselnus, Chair of the Qlarant Board of Directors said, “As we experienced last year at the start of the pandemic, COVID-19 has intensified the needs of these organizations. We’re so pleased to be able to once again, have the opportunity to support programs that improve the health of individuals and communities in the region.”
Grantee organizations usually look forward to getting acquainted and sharing information about their programs during the annual Qlarant Foundation Grantee Awards event, which is normally held at Qlarant’s corporate headquarters on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Recognizing the continuing need for social distancing, Qlarant will host a virtual reception on Wednesday, July 21st.
This year, Qlarant Foundation has funded these impactful programs:
Bay Hundred Community Volunteers—Constructs and installs aluminum modular wheelchair ramps to eliminate barriers to obtaining medical care for residents with functional disabilities and reduce isolation and loneliness.
Breast Care for Washington, DC—Provides access to lifesaving breast cancer screening services in medically underserved populations by removing barriers to these services. Screenings are provided to all women, regardless of their ability to pay, at both its fixed and mobile locations.
Bright Beginnings—Addresses family wellness and identifies mental health issues and developmental delays early so that children can develop with confidence and be ready for kindergarten. Services are dedicated exclusively to families experiencing homelessness.
Camp Attaway—Operates a therapeutic summer camp program for children who are at risk because of an inability to manage their emotions and behaviors. Also supports families by providing parent education and support groups conducted by a child psychologist.
Community Free Clinic—A safety net provider for uninsured Washington County residents. The majority of the patients suffer with chronic diseases tied to cardiovascular health. By providing health care at no cost to the medically uninsured, the clinic combats chronic disease, mental health, and other health issues while striving to make the community, as a whole, healthier and stronger.
Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions—A community health outreach worker program in Caroline and Dorchester counties designed to improve health care access and health status for marginalized and underserved residents.
Girls in the Game—An after-School program in Baltimore City for elementary and middle school girls addressing such issues as health, body image, bullying, personal safety, and diversity.
Grace Center for Maternal and Women’s Health—An expansion of Project H.O.P.E. (Holistic Opportunities for Prevention and Education) across the Delmarva Peninsula. The program focuses on providing critical assistance to moms and their children needed to address trauma, mental illness, and addiction.
Helping Up Mission—Provides access to health insurance services and an oral health care program for men and women experiencing substance use disorders, poverty, and homelessness in Baltimore City.
International Rescue Committee—Helps refugees and victims of human trafficking, whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by conflict and disaster, to survive, recover, and gain control of their futures.
Miriam’s Kitchen—A social service program providing nutritious meals in a dining room setting for the homeless, with doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, social workers, and lawyers on location to break down barriers and improve access to care.
National Alliance on Mental Illness, Maryland—Strives to improve the quality-of-life for individuals with mental illness and their families across Maryland, including all socioeconomic, race, ethnic, gender, or other statuses.
Rebuilding Together, Caroline County—Makes critical home accessibility modifications and repairs of private homes for disabled clients. The work includes building ramps and bathroom accessibility remodeling.
Talbot County Empty Bowls—An independent, volunteer, grassroots organization raising funds that provide support to ten food pantries in Talbot County.
Talbot Interfaith Shelter—The S4 (Shelter-Stability-Support-Success) program provides temporary shelter, case management, educational programming, relapse prevention support, and access to mental health services and grief counseling to people facing homelessness on Maryland’s Mid-Shore.
The House DC—A neighborhood center providing high school students with a safe place to meet after school to participate in enriching activities.
There Goes My Hero—A program seeking to diversify the bone marrow donor registry so that it reflects the demographics of the United States at-large.
Ulman Foundation—A residential program for adolescent and young adult cancer patients and caregivers at the Ulman House, which reduces the financial burden of these patients and allows them greater access to high-quality care.
University Legal Services, Inc.—A jail and prison advocacy project advocating for access to health care, mental health care, and comprehensive reentry support for District of Columbia adults with psychiatric disabilities and co-occurring substance use disorders who have been recently incarcerated in DC and in Federal Bureau of Prison facilities.
University of Maryland Medical System Foundation, Inc.—The annual Goldgeier Award recipient for the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital Breathmobile Program, which provides free treatment and specialty-based preventive care to underserved children with asthma in Baltimore City.
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About Qlarant Foundation
Qlarant Foundation, the mission arm of Qlarant, is a national not-for-profit organization that provides grants to charitable and not-for-profit organizations in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Grants are provided for projects that help improve the health care and human services for individuals and communities. Since 2006, Qlarant Foundation has awarded grants totaling $6 million to 87 organizations in Maryland and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.qlarant.com/foundation.
Glennda MoragneEl
(Toll Free) 800.999.3362 x11539
(Cell) 410.804.7550
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