News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: March 5, 2009
For more information, contact Virginia Elliott, Vice President for Programs, 620-662-8586
Health Fund Celebrates $50 Million in Total Grants
Hutchinson, KS—Trustees of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund today paused during a Board meeting in the Fund's Hutchinson office to celebrate passing the $50 million mark in total grants awarded. Started in 1986 with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Wesley Medical Center, the Health Fund turned a $30 million endowment into a $50 million investment in the health of Kansans.
“It is important in these difficult economic times to celebrate what has been done,” said Kim Moore, president of the Fund, “and to recognize that this Fund will keep giving.”
The Health Fund awards grants each year based on a percentage of total assets. Moore said a consistent formula of approximately 5% for grants each year has proven to work through the ups and downs of the financial market.
“This market is the worst we’ve experienced since the Fund started, but ‘this too shall pass’,” observed Moore, who joined the Fund as its first president shortly after its founding.
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| Incoming Board Chair Rev. Lance Carrithers, Dodge City, retiring Board Chair Janet Hamilton-Newton, Hutchinson, and Health Fund President Kim Moore present the Board with a cake commemorating over $50 million in total grants awarded during the Fund's existence. |
Health Fund trustees also reviewed grants awarded in 2008 as part of the March 5 meeting. Grants totaled $2.19 million and supported programs to improve oral health, access to healthcare, and physical activity and nutrition in Kansas. Making a difference in these three health issues has been the focus of Health Fund grants since 2003.
Moore called 2009 a year of transition for the Health Fund. The Board of 16 Trustees is involved in strategic planning to identify focus areas of funding for the next three to five years.
“Our charge from the Kansas West Conference is to advance health, healing, and wholeness throughout Kansas. We re-evaluate about every three years how we do this most effectively and efficiently with the resources available,” said Moore. “This turned out to be good timing as we complete commitments made in our three focus areas during a year when less grant funding is available.”
Moore said it is also an exciting time to think about the possibilities. “This is really the time to get creative and think about how we use all our resources to accomplish our goals—not just our grant funding.”
Examples, he said, are using grants to attract larger grants from national foundations and government sources to address Kansas health issues or engaging volunteers in the work. The Health Fund has been successful on these fronts in the past and expects to continue to try to leverage grant dollars to do more with less.
Research on a variety of health issues the Health Fund might address in coming years has been narrowed down to four potential health issues for the Board’s decision this year. Mental health for young children, physical activity and nutrition for young children, and environmental health are being considered. In addition, poverty, one of the most pervasive root causes of poor health in Kansas and throughout the world, is being evaluated for any role that the Health Fund might have in establishing paths out of poverty in Kansas.
Also during the meeting, Janet Hamilton Newton was honored for her three years of service as chair of the Health Fund Board of Trustees. Kim Moore presented Janet with a ceremonial gavel and thanked her for her service in guiding the work of the Fund for nine years. Janet is a member of Faith United Methodist Church in Hutchinson and will retire from the Board in June, having served for nine years. Following the presentation, the office of Board Chair passed to Rev. Lance Carrithers. Lance is pastor of First UMC, Dodge City, and has been a trustee since 2004.
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