FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida’s (BCBSF) philanthropic affiliate, recently awarded The Salvation Army of Broward County a $60,000 grant for three years. Officials from The Blue Foundation presented the grant at The Salvation Army’s annual Volunteer Award Program on Jan. 27. Funds will be used to continue the employment of a part-time nurse practitioner who coordinates clinic services for the homeless.
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This position was previously funded by the Broward County Medical Association (BCMA), which also supplies volunteer physicians. Due to budget cuts, BCMA was no longer able to fund the part-time position. The Salvation Army expects to receive continuation funding for this position through an endowment that will be established by a donor in the next few years. Funding from The Blue Foundation will enable The Salvation Army to bridge the existing gap in funding until the endowment is established.
The clinic is open one night a week and provides free care to the 30 families with children and 60 singles who live in The Army’s shelters at a given time. Patients receive essential and preventative medical care, ongoing health education, appropriate medication and certification for other needed primary care services.
“The Salvation Army’s mission is ‘to meet human needs without discrimination,’” said Sally Gress, director of development. “The free health care services offered by the clinic are a very important part of meeting the most basic needs of our homeless clients.”
The Salvation Army grant is one of 10, totaling $532,112, that The Blue Foundation will present this winter to nonprofit health clinics and community outreach programs across Florida. Through strategic grantmaking, The Blue Foundation supports programs that increase access to quality health-related services for uninsured and underserved Floridians. The Blue Foundation annually awards up to $1 million in grants during two grant cycles. The next Request for Proposals deadline is March 18. For an application, please call 1-800-477-3736, ext. 63215. Applications will be mailed by the end of January.
The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida is a separate, philanthropic affiliate of BCBSF incorporated in the state of Florida. The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, and its parent, BCBSF, are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information on The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, please visit its web site at http://www.bluefoundationfl.org/ .
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050112/NEW019LOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comThe Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida
CONTACT: Susan B. Towler, APR, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida,+1-904-905-6803, or Susan.Towler@bcbsfl.com
Web site: http://www.bluefoundationfl.org/