PROVIDENCE – Ten Rhode Island organizations each will receive $10,000 grants from Tufts Health Plan Foundation’s new Momentum Fund.
The fund was created to develop new ideas and lend support to municipalities as they work to address healthy aging in their communities.
“We developed the Momentum Fund to help smaller communities and organizations that want to do this work,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president of corporate citizenship at Tufts Health Plan, in a statement. “They are adopting more-inclusive policies, building accessible parks and public spaces, and integrating age-friendly practices.”
The foundation assembled review committees in each state to inform the grant-making process. Review committee members have diverse backgrounds and experience and will ensure that learning and insights are shared across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island as the fund enters its second year, according to a news release announcing the awards.
The first Rhode Island recipients of the Momentum Fund grants and their associated projects:
- Benjamin Church Senior Center Inc. in Bristol: Three-Part Alzheimer’s Disease Informational Series for the community, care givers and health care workers
- Catholic Social Services of Rhode Island in Providence: Chores Service Programs in Rhode Island: Analysis and Case Studies
- Child and Family Services of Newport County in Middletown: Dementia Training for Life
- Cranston Senior Services in Cranston: Making Cranston a Dementia Friendly Community
- Educational Center for Arts and Sciences in Providence: Tufts Health Plan Matinés de Domingo (Tufts Health Plan Sunday Matinees)
- PACE Organization of Rhode Island in Providence: Expanding Primary Care Access in the Community
- Progreso Latino Inc. in Central Falls: Creating a Dementia Friendly Central Falls
- Roger Williams University in Providence: Home Modification Community Assessment
- The Providence Village of Rhode Island in Providence: Building Age-Friendly Villages: A New Approach for Rhode Island
- Westbay Community Action Program in Warwick: Protective Support Fund for Older People
In addition to Rhode Island communities, the Momentum Fund is supporting 7 community-led projects in New Hampshire and 10 in Massachusetts, none of which are located in Bristol County.
“Many New England communities recognize older people as tremendous assets,” said Phillip González, the foundation’s senior program officer, in statement. “This is an opportunity for us to learn from communities as they innovate and collaborate to address the needs of that community.”
View a complete list of Momentum Fund grants here.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.