- Last Updated on Friday, 05 March 2021 14:15
Jefferson Regional Foundation, focused on addressing the social determinants of health for residents in the South Hills and Mon Valley areas of Allegheny County, has announced new grantmaking priorities and recently elected a new group of Board members, emphasizing diversity and strong ties to the Jefferson area.
Board Chair Jim Graham, a retired PNC Executive Vice-President explained, “As a learning organization, we are inspired and informed about changing community needs and opportunities by our grantee organizations, our partners and residents. The development of our new priorities was guided by listening to our partners in the 99-member Jefferson Community Collaborative, to over 1,000 local residents who participated in our Around the Table South community conversations, and by the results of community assessments and independent surveys of stakeholders.”
The six new priorities which will guide the Foundation’s grant investment and initiatives in the Jefferson area: health and wellness, diversity, equity and inclusion, workforce and economic opportunity, civic engagement and policy work, early childhood and youth development, and capacity building.
Kelleigh Boland, the Foundation’s Director of Grantmaking and Strategy observed, “the Foundation has awarded over $14.4 million in grant awards to 120+ organizations since it was funded for community grantmaking and outreach in 2013 as part of the agreement which brought Jefferson Hospital into the Allegheny Health Network. A total of $2,733,200 in 53 new grants were awarded over the recent funding year ending June 30, 2020”.
In 2020, the Foundation expanded its focus on civic engagement by awarding grants and mini-grants for Census 2020 outreach initiatives. Quickly responding to new community needs arising from the pandemic, the Foundation distributed $500,000 in emergency COVID grants in April and May 2000 to 18 organizations for community needs including: food distribution, technology and school supplies, diapers and cribs, cleaning supplies and face masks, financial and mortgage counseling and prepping local green spaces for family outdoor activity. The Foundation continues to provide community support in 2021 with a new COVID Impacts Fund.
The Jefferson Regional Foundation Board has elected three new Directors to its Board and added three new community leaders to serve on its Committees. All six of the new Directors and members are women whose strong ties to Jefferson include living and working in the area.
New Directors include: Dr. Tiffany Evans, Dean at CCAC South; Helen Fallon, Professor Emeritus at Point Park University; and Frances Smith Rohrich, Senior Vice President/Learning Director at PNC Bank to its Board of Directors.
Three new Committee members have also been appointed; Caitlin Green who is Senior Director at Service Link; Jo DeBolt who is Partner Emeritus of La Piana Consulting; and Virginia Weida, President of Virginia Weida Designs.
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