Humanitarian organization receives Dignity Health grant
Los Osos Cares aids seniors, people in poverty, and the homeless
– The Dignity Health 2022 Community Grants Program awarded $75,000 to Los Osos Cares, the social justice and humanitarian organization that aids seniors, people in poverty, and the homeless.
This program is funded by contributions from area member hospitals and is intended as a partnership with non-profit organizations working to improve the health status and quality of life in their communities. The funds are to be used to deliver and strengthen services that will improve the health and well-being of vulnerable and under-served populations.
The process for the grant desired by the organization began in Sept. 2021 with Director Linda Quesenberry. Projects they desire to accomplish in 2022 had to match Dignity Health’s funding criteria that include addressing one or more of the prioritized needs of the local hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and Implementation Strategy. It also includes addressing needs that are exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic such as physical, mental health, and health-related social, economic, and human needs. Another requirement is for the funds to serve underserved populations such as seniors, needy families, and the homeless. The grant requires that there be collaboration indicate4d with three or more other organizations that share distinct, complementary, and substantive project roles.
In receiving the grant funds Los Osos Cares must work in some capacity with the local Dignity Health hospital and integrate one or more of the following principles:
- Focus on disproportionate unmet health-related needs;
- Emphasize primary prevention and address underlying causes of health problems;
- Contribute to a seamless continuum of care and build community capacity and demonstrate collaboration.
Dignity Health Grants award from $20,000 to $100,000 and the performance period is 12 months from Jan. 2022 to Dec. 2022. Granted organizations must do a mid-year and final written report.
“We applied for a $100,000 grant,” said Director Linda Quesenberry, “but are really happy to have the $75,000.”
Other partners in the grant that Los Osos Cares works with are St Benedicts for the Laundry Love Los Osos Program, Transitions Mental Health Association (TMHA) for homeless outreach, Wilshire Community Services for senior direct outreach, Alliance for Pharmaceutical Access for low-cost prescriptions, Morro Bay Lions for the Monday evening community dinners in Morro Bay, food distribution, and Laundry Love Morro Bay Program, City of Morro Bay Resource Connection, and Dignity Health Community Programs.
Los Osos Cares serves the communities of Los Osos, Morro Bay, and Cayucos in collaboration with more than 30 area social justice and humanitarian groups.
“We are working on sustainability for seniors,” Quesenberry said, “and we are forming several programs aimed especially for and about seniors.”
Quesenberry emphasized the realization of how the current pandemic is isolating many older people in the community and how this is affecting mental health. Ongoing assistance for the homeless and anyone in the community includes a hot meal once a week (Monday in Morro Bay and Thursday in Los Osos) and the newly instituted Laundry Love program whereby community members and the homeless can get their laundry done, free of charge, on designated days. This service is available in Morro Bay and Los Osos.
Estero Bay Womenade operates through Los Osos Cares and aids community members with emergency funding for their needs.
The organization performs outreach for low-income families, seniors, and individuals with assistance with medical/mental health services, employment, transportation, housing, and legal issues.
Five other service organizations were awarded funds for 2022 from Dignity Health Community Grants: SLO Noor Foundation, Community Counseling Center, Family Service Agency, Future Leaders of America, Inc., and Good Samaritan.
Contact Dignity Health Community Grants by emailing Patty Herrera at patty.herrera@communityspirit.org and Los Osos Cares at wecareinlososos@gmal.com and their website www.losososcares.com.
