Print Article 7/8/15 This fiscal year, $173,810 of financial support of the Home Nursing Agency Foundation will be given back to the patients, clients, and communities served by Agency programs and services through 25 Mission Grants. This grant funding directly impacts those served through their homes and communities.
Home Nursing Agency leaders represent their programs to receive funds through the 2015-2016 Foundation Mission Grants. From left are Nancy Fogel, Home Nursing Agency Foundation Board Secretary. Janie Christner, Vice President of Home Health; Barry Halbritter, Home Nursing Agency Foundation Board Chairman; Shannon Tronzo, Director of Children and Adolescent Services; Kathy Baker, Vice President of Hospice and Palliative Care; and Phil Freeman, Home Nursing Agency President. Approximately $173,810 was granted to Agency programs and services to help with patient care and community programs.
The Foundation’s mission is to provide financial support to create, improve, or enhance the Agency’s programs and services that ultimately results in a benefit to the individual, the family and the community. The Foundation uses donations from individuals, community contributions, and proceeds from fundraising events, like Mercedes Moment, to annually award Mission Grants. Since 2005, the Foundation has awarded 253 grants totaling $1,338,373.
All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law and all dollars remain in the community—close to home within the cities, towns and boroughs served by the Agency. Your support is greatly appreciated!
For more information about how you can make an impact or to register for a tour of Agency community facilities that benefit from Foundation Mission Grants, please visit www.homenursingagency.com or contact Pam Seasoltz, Director of Development, (814) 946-5411, ext. 2565 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The following Agency programs and services were awarded Mission Grants for the 2015-2016 fiscal year:
Hospice Emergency Fund – To help individuals who are facing a life-limiting illness with emergency one-time funding for utility or fuel costs, medications, air conditioners and other emergencies to ease the emotional and physical challenges occurring at the end of life.
Hospice Volunteers – To provide funds to support the comfort and care of Hospice patients who need bed sheets, neck pillows, hospital gowns, baby monitors, reading materials and comfort bags comprised of lotions, portable CD players, portable projectors to provide images to bed bound patients. Additional purchase would be holiday gift item, such as fleece blankets.
Hospice Educational Resources – To purchase educational booklets to be used by the family as a resource for the signs and symptoms of what to expect during the various stages of dying. Two booklets to be specifically purchased include: A Different Season (The Hospice Journey) and Hard Choices for Loving People. Also to develop patient education binders that are specialized to meet each patient’s and family’s needs.
Hospice General Inpatient Unit – To provide smocks for hospice volunteers serving the General Inpatient Unit at UPMC Altoona to identify them as HNA Hospice volunteers. Also to purchase comfort bags and contents.
Hospice Bereavement – To purchase stationery items (cards, grief support literature) for the extended support mailings to bereaved families. Also to purchase books “Healing After Loss” and journals to be used for those bereaved.
Healing Patch - Children’s Grief Center –To supplement overhead costs, including staff time/facility costs, craft/activity supplies and food. In addition, to cover expenses for staff to facilitate six-week in-school groups with children who would not otherwise have access to a center or grief resources.
Home Health Emergency Fund – To provide funds for Home Health patients and their families who have need beyond normal circumstances and need assistance to purchase life’s basic necessities, i.e. nutritional supplements, bathing/safety aides, bedding and emergency medications.
Pediatric Home Connection – To pay for additional shifts of nursing care, respite and social services support for children who are technology-dependent and suffer from chronic, life-limiting disabilities.
Pediatric Home Connection – To purchase therapeutic items needed by children with chronic, life-limiting disabilities that will help to ensure/maintain the child’s comfort and provide education and stimulation.
AIDS Intervention Project – To assist individuals and families dealing with HIV/AIDS with personal care/hygiene items, cleaning supplies, vitamins and dietary supplements.
Center for Counseling – To assist in providing treatment to more than 300 children and 1,000 adults experiencing behavioral health issues who otherwise would not receive services due to having no insurance, high co-pays/deductibles or private insurances that will not pay for counseling services.
Adult Group Blair (Art Therapy) / Adult Partial Hospitalization – To support the art therapy program with supplies, i.e. paints, clay, paper products and easels and for planning and implementation of art therapy sessions.
Nurse-Family Partnership® – To help with a required 10% match of a Department of Public Welfare Office of Child Development grant ($1 million). This is an evidence-based community health program that transforms the lives of first-time, low-income mothers in seven counties. Care is provided to 300+ families each year.
ACEL – Adult Center for Exceptional Learning – To support the continuation of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA) Artists-In-Residence program that provides ACEL individuals the opportunity to experience art, painting, dancing and storytelling, which can improve their quality of life.
Adult Day Services – To provide additional days of support to help families caring for a loved one who cannot remain safely at home alone. These families do not have access to insurance but need daytime services for their loved one, allowing them to work and have respite care.
Adult Day Services - To support the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA) Artists-In-Residence program that provides Adult Day Services individuals with art experiences, i.e. painting, dancing and storytelling to improve their quality of life.
Blended Case Management/Children and Adolescents – To purchase personal/hygiene products, cleaning products, food, seasonal clothing items and other daily living needs for children and adolescents in the Children’s Behavioral Health Program and to be used for start-up costs for community and school-based activities, i.e. intramural sports, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.
Blended Case Management/Resource Coordination – (Behavioral Health Care for adults diagnosed with a mental illness)
To be used for unexpected emergencies or when an individual has minimal income. Helps to fund household and personal hygiene products, clothes for employment/school and bus passes for those starting employment.
Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) (Provides therapeutic support to children with Bipolar Disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders) - To assist with community activity fees for children receiving behavioral health services and to purchase therapeutic activities and games, pool passes to area pools, weighted vests, teddy bears for children who are experiencing sensory issues and a sensory table to be used at the Children’s Behavioral Health Center.
Children and Adolescents Partial Hospitalization (Blair & Centre counties) – To stock the “Rewards Store” (acute/individual outpatient program) and “group store” (Hearts and Strides – Centre County), a therapeutic incentive-based program that changes negative behaviors into positive ones with the use of a rewards system. Items to include basic school items and activity items to encourage family cohesiveness and participation.
Drug & Alcohol – Help about 45 individuals that cannot afford co pays related to private insurance and monthly liability costs.
Lexington Clubhouse (Pychiatric rehabilitation program) – To support the growth of the “wellness movement” with Clubhouse members. Clubhouse has 51 active members with 50% attending weekly wellness meetings, focusing on nutrition and health. Funds are needed to purchase 6 additional gym memberships to KNT Fitness Program that would be shared among participants, as well at monies needed to purchase healthier food items for the Sheetz Shank Shack that is open to all Clubhouse members.
Opportunity Club – The Club provides a stress-free, stigma-free atmosphere for people 18 years and older who are diagnosed with a mental illness or co-occurring disorder. Funds needed to support four special events/holidays that approximately 150 individuals attend. Funds would be used to purchase decorations/prizes, food, DJ services and room rental.
Children’s Emergency Medical – Used for travel expenses, gas cards, required medical equipment, and lodging/food for families while the youth receives out of town treatment.
Critical Need Funding – To cover any critical need for which no formal Grant request had been made or insufficient dollars had been approved. This allocation will be at the discretion of the Grants Committee.