Beverly Hospital Awards $223K In Grants To North Shore Groups

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly Hospital has awarded $223,000 in grant funding to 11 community-based organizations to help with their shared mission to meet community needs.

The hospital, along with Addison Gilbert Hospitals, awarded the grants to groups that in 2022 focused on chronic and complex conditions, mental health and substance use, equitable access to health care as well as food and housing insecurity.

"We are proud to support organizations that give back to our communities," Beverly Hospital President Tom Sands said. "By partnering with and investing in these organizations, we are able to expand our reach to help our most at-need residents and provide them with access to key services."

The awardees include:

Action Inc. Welcome Home Program: Provides permanent housing and support services to chronically homeless individuals and families, in accordance with the Housing First model. The services provided include intensive, one-on-one case management tailored to each participant's individual needs, with the goal of helping them remain stable in their home.

Backyard Growers agriCulture on a Community Scale: A community-driven transformation of the garden in the Gloucester Housing Authority (GHA) Willowood neighborhood to provide a space where residents can grow and prepare healthy food, share knowledge and socialize.

Beverly Bootstraps Mobile Markets: A free farmers market that promotes better health and nutrition and addresses food insecurity by providing low-income residents with free fresh fruits and vegetables. In order to alleviate barriers such as transportation and mobility issues, the markets are brought directly to housing locations throughout Beverly. In addition to access to healthy foods, the markets incorporate nutrition education, healthy recipes and referrals to a Beverly Bootstraps Case Manager for further assistance.

Gloucester Police Department Teach to Reach Program: The Gloucester Police Department's Community Impact Unit will continue its efforts in providing the "Teach to Reach" initiative. The project provides opportunities for members of local community organizations to participate in training to become a certified recovery coach. These vital recovery coach services provide support to individuals in their efforts to stop or reduce their use of alcohol, opiates or other substances.

Greater Lynn Senior Services Food & Thought Program: This "Food is Medicine" collaboration of the City of Lynn's Food Security Task Force aims to address issues leading to food insecurity. In addition to providing access to healthy food through the food pantry, the program incorporates nutrition counseling, nutrition education sessions, cooking classes and individual support to identify and address behavioral health issues.

Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless CASA Program: This homelessness prevention model embeds highly trained advocates inside community health centers and public schools to assist those facing a financial crisis to obtain or retain housing.

North Shore YMCA Enhance Fitness: An evidence-based group exercise program, offered for free to older adults, that's designed to offset the effects of aging and chronic illness as well as minimize the risk of falls, all while fostering a supportive social community.

Pathways for Children Nurturing Fathers Program: A nationally registered, evidence-based, family education curriculum designed to prevent child abuse and neglect by increasing knowledge of parenting skills, child development, and community services and resources. The program will be offered to at-risk families with children in Beverly, and presented in English and Spanish.

SeniorCare Rendever Virtual Reality Program: Designed to reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, depression and isolation among older adults through the use of virtual reality (VR). The VR program has a variety of applications, including reminiscence therapy, socialization, physical therapy and exercise, and applications addressing dementia.

The Open Door Medically Tailored Groceries Program: An innovative program to help adults with, or at risk for, chronic illness and struggling with food insecurity better manage their health with access to free, diet-specific, nutritious food. In addition, the program provides nutrition counseling, educational workshops and help with meal planning and preparation.

Wellspring House Pathways to Jobs Program: Provides intensive educational and job training readiness and career counseling to help community members obtain employment or transition to a job with higher wages.

Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals are part of Beth Israel Lahey Health.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)