Community Health Charities of Nebraska (CHC-NE) is proud to announce that three of its 22 member charities received the inaugural grants from the Curt Gordon Memorial CHC-NE Foundation. These funds were awarded above and beyond the quarterly distributions that these charities are receiving from CHC-NE, which are provided by donors through the annual statewide campaign.
- The ALS Association, Mid-America Chapter was awarded $4,000 to expand patient services into central and western Nebraska. “Twenty-eight percent of Nebraska clients served by The ALS Association Mid-America Chapter live outside of the Omaha area. The majority of these clients are unable to travel to our ALS Certified Center of Excellence at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. The Curt Gordon Memorial Grant from CHC-NE will allow a member of our Nebraska Care Services Team to travel the state several times each year visiting clients in their homes to assess needs and initiate one-on-one consultations regarding a myriad of ALS topics,” said Colleen Wachter, Executive Director. “In addition, our staff member will facilitate support group meetings aimed at individuals with ALS, caregivers and families. They will advise clients on equipment needs and refer them to appropriate vendors. This travel will also allow them to provide outreach to physicians, hospices and home health agencies to educate on ALS and the needs of those living with this disease. This is a new approach to offering central and western Nebraska clients a hands-on approach to ALS care.”
- The Nebraska Kidney Association was awarded $4,000 to purchase a new machine to expand their KEDS (Kidney Early Detection Screenings) program into central and western Nebraska. “Most health-related charitable organizations help those impacted by their specific disease. The Nebraska Kidney Association does that, as well. However, we have a screening that we conduct throughout Nebraska that provides an opportunity for prevention as well as education. Since 1 in 6 are at risk for developing kidney disease, we have a lot to do to continue to reach those who are greatest at risk,” said Tim Neal, Executive Director, "which includes those who have diabetes, hypertension or a family member with either of these conditions or over the age of 60. Our goal in screening those that are highest at risk is that with the proper knowledge they may be able to either prolong or avoid the onset of kidney failure with a change of diet and or exercise or perhaps taking medicine that was prescribed but not knowing how important it is to take.”
- Nebraska Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation was awarded $1,000 to provide speakers for their new state fair program. “The funding received through the CHC-NE Foundation grant will help us provide education and research to an underserved portion of our bleeding disorders community in Central Nebraska,” said Maureen Grace, Executive Director. “There are families and individuals across the state affected by bleeding disorders who are not always able to come to our programming often offered in Omaha or Lincoln. We are very excited to be offering this educational opportunity through our Kearney Education Day to our clients all across the great state of Nebraska.”
The purpose of the Foundation is to provide direct support for health programs whose impact would be vital to individuals and the community. These initiatives would not otherwise be possible through CHC-NE’s annual workplace giving campaigns or through current charity resources.
“The partnership with CHC-NE is important to the Nebraska Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation because it connects us to so many amazing opportunities to spread our mission across the state, raise funds to support our mission and work with other amazing health-focused nonprofits,” Grace said.
Community Health Charities of Nebraska established the CHC-NE Foundation in 1997 as a response to the ever-increasing needs for services from its member health charities. In July 2007, following the death of retired longtime CHC-NE President Curt Gordon, the Foundation was renamed in his honor. The Endowment Fund was required to exceed $500,000 in assets before funds could be distributed. It reached this goal in 2016. The grants are distributed from the interest and dividends earned each year.
“CHC-NE has been an incredibly valuable partner to The ALS Association Mid-America Chapter for several years. Our partnership is one of trust and admiration. They are always there to help advise us on fundraising in Nebraska and have helped us raise tens of thousands of dollars over the years. We are very grateful for their commitment to The Mid-America Chapter as well as all of the wonderful organizations that they partner with across the state,” Wachter said.
The CHC-NE Board of Directors is responsible for the Foundation’s management, including oversight of the distribution of funds through a grant-making process. Grants must meet identified needs with achievable and deliverable outcomes based on the following criteria:
- Funds must be used to expand existing programs or for new initiatives where the member charities’ current resources are not sufficient to meet the needs.
- All monies distributed through the Foundation must be used for funding very specific charity programs, and may not be used for annual operating costs.