What we fund

Meeting mental health needs of children
Zion Benton Children’s Service’s Lind Memorial Dental Clinic provides comprehensive oral health care to over 400 children living in Beach Park, Zion, and Winthrop Harbor. Accessible, affordable, and quality dental care is essential to the long-term health of children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children aged 3-9 years, living at or below the federal poverty level, are twice as likely to have untreated dental cavities as their counterparts living above the federal poverty level.

Comprehensive health for Lake County families
Erie HealthReach Waukegan Health Center’s Healthy Start for Lake County Families Project ensures that low-income pregnant women receive high quality prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care, and that young children have a healthy start to life. The Project provides a full spectrum of services including prenatal postpartum care; pediatric care and vaccinations; health education, oral health, and connection to the Women Infant Children (WIC) program.

Supporting COVID-19 Vaccine Equity
COVID-19 disrupted almost every element of our lives and society. Some of the most disturbing consequences arise from health inequities related to race and ethnicity. For example, data show that for every one White, Non-Latino person that contracted COVID-19, four Black and eight Latino Lake County residents contracted the disease. The Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County (HFNLC) anticipated that this inequity could also be reflected in vaccination rates. To address this, HFNLC awarded five COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Navigation Grants to grantees that would 1) conduct grassroots outreach to the most vulnerable populations in northern Lake County; 2) provide education to address fears and misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines; 3) support navigation services for the most vulnerable populations to get vaccinated, and 4) coordinate with other community organizations, including the Lake County Health Department, to ensure accuracy and consistent messaging throughout northern Lake County. Antioch Area Healthcare Accessibility Alliance, Mano a Mano Family Resource Center, Hispanic American Community Education and Services, Waukegan Public Library, and YWCA Metropolitan Chicago anticipate reaching over 150,000 individuals (combined) through this initiative.

Reaching families through school
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep’s Staff Nurse and Health Education Program provides health education, nursing care, and referral services to 400 students and their families, annually. The program helps address students’ common health issues such as asthma, anxiety, and diabetes; links families to primary care as well as a variety of other health and human service providers; and provides education programs on reproductive health, mental health, nutrition, and general health maintenance.

Preparing students for healthcare careers
Scholarship programs for low-income students – such as those attending College of Lake County – include post-graduation work commitments to help address growing healthcare provider shortages in our area. For example, the U.S. is projected to experience a shortage of Registered Nurses needed as Baby Boomers age and their needs for healthcare grow. Additionally, the Health Resources and Services Administration reports that we “need to add 10,000 providers to each of seven separate mental healthcare professions by 2025 to meet the expected growth in demand.” These needs are intensified in rural and low-income communities.

(perfumesample.com)

Strengthening local nonprofit organizations
Arden Shore Child and Family Services continuously works to strengthen its operations. With the upcoming retirement of key staff, the organization decided to complete a succession planning process. This process will ensure a smooth and thoughtful transition of leadership that ensures sustainability, bridges the knowledge gap that often occurs after key staff depart, and decreases the risk of losing the support of board members and donors.

#Giving Tuesday
#GivingTuesday – celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – is recognized as a “global day of giving,” fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Seventeen northern Lake County nonprofit organizations participated last year and received matching grants from HFNLC. HFNLC matched any new or increased donation from individuals to these organizations. Click here for a list of participating organizations.

(yurtsofamerica.com)

Improving the healthcare system
Partnerships between eight fire protection districts and two area hospitals established two interconnected programs: Mobile Integrated Healthcare, also known as community paramedicine; and Emergency Triage, Treatment, and Transport. These programs allow paramedics to provide services beyond transportation, including telehealth; case management; home care; and health and safety.