December 14, 2023 3:20 a.m.
Mercy Foundation recently received grants to support three of their programs that directly benefit Douglas County.
A Mercy release said the first is a two-year Victims of Crime Act continuation grant from the Department of Justice for $213,239 to support Mercy Foundation’s Douglas County Human Trafficking Task Force. Their UP2USNOW violence prevention work launched the community’s human trafficking task force initiative. Since then, the program has increased awareness and provided tools to identify victims and survivors among law enforcement, medical and social service providers and other industries, such as truck drivers and tattoo artists. The foundation is able to respond to the needs of victims by supporting a victim advocate, providing a single point of entry for access to services and resources.
The release said as human trafficking has become more prevalent in the community, building a coalition of task force members will sustain the progress that has been made in addressing exploitation.
The second grant is from the Oregon Health Authority for $93,750 in support of Mercy Foundation’s school-based telehealth program for 2023-2025. This grant works in concert with Mercy Foundation’s Healthy Kids Outreach Program, serving schools in Douglas County. This grant will increase awareness and access to telehealth services in rural communities. In partnership with Evergreen Family Medicine and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, the foundation will be able to expand the program to include more schools across the county.
The third grant is from Oregon State University for $77,000 to address food insecurities among patients being discharged from Mercy Medical Center. By hiring additional Community Health Workers, the foundation will be providing nutrition-based community resources such as SNAP benefits, Meals on Wheels and various food products in their first ever Mercy Food Closet.
Mercy Foundation President Lisa Platt said, “These grants are an amazing testament to our many collaborative programs and the amazing support we receive to continue these vital programs for our county”.
To learn more about the Mercy Foundation, call 677-4818 or go to: www.mercygiving.org