Two years, $2.4 million to improve health care access
in Lake County

Foundation boosts local non-profits working with uninsured,
underinsured residents

WAUKEGAN, IL (January 19, 2010)—Doctor visits and diagnostic services for uninsured and underinsured families. Mental health counseling for at-risk teens making a fresh start. Breast cancer screenings and follow-up care for poor women of color. These and other critical healthcare services are a reality for thousands of Lake County residents, thanks to more than $2.4 million in grants made to area not-for-profit organizations by the Healthcare Foundation (HFNLC) of Northern Lake County since November 2007. The foundation today announced this milestone as well as its latest round of grant making: $841,811 to 17 local agencies.

“The health of Lake County is inextricably linked to the health of its residents,” says Ernest Vasseur, the foundation’s executive director. “And while we’re proud to have contributed more than $2.4 million to improve the collective quality of life here over the last two years, this is just a start. As we continue to improve access to quality healthcare services for everyone, we strengthen our county’s viability as an economic engine and cultural resource.”
Foundation grant recipient YouthBuild Lake County sees firsthand the critical relationship between health and other facets of life. “It’s important to help at-risk young people deal with underlying health and wellness issues before we can offer them the academic prep and career training that enables them to ‘leave the streets for Main Street’,” says Laurel Tustison, YouthBuild’s executive director. “Without the support of the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County, we couldn’t provide mental health and substance abuse counseling, diagnostic screenings and referral services that help young people address significant issues—including post-traumatic stress syndrome and substance abuse—and prime them to succeed for college and careers.”

The foundation also provides grant dollars and technical assistance for organizations that offer grassroots assistance to the community it serves, like Mano a Mano Family Resource Center in Round Lake Park. “The foundation’s support has allowed us to train community health educators who meet with individuals and families in small groups, host health fairs and connect people to community healthcare services they may not know about,” says Carolina Duque, executive director, Mano a Mano. “Delivering information and assistance in intimate, cultural relevant ways helps us reach more people and make a bigger difference.”

HFNLC’s current grants included $174,011 awarded for pediatric health care efforts, assisted by $150,000 from the now-closed Happy Day Nursery School in Waukegan. The school’s board of directors and the Illinois Attorney General directed that the foundation distribute its assets to benefit pediatric health care, including:

• $25,000 to Community Youth Network for the Living in Families Effectively (LIFE) program
• $16,000 to Kids Hope United for part-time clinical nurse to provide health services to three programs
• $98,611 to Lake County Health Department for the Asthma Intervention Project
• $34,400 to United Way Lake County for nursing services provided through the Success By Six home visiting program

For a complete list of current HFNLC grants, (click here for recipients)
About the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County
Founded in 2006 following the of the sale of Saint Therese Medical Center and Victory Memorial Hospital to Community Health Systems, the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County strives to improve the health status of uninsured, underinsured and medically underserved residents by supporting local non-profit organizations providing quality health care services. The foundation is especially interested in addressing gaps in health services; increasing capacity of effective organizations and programs; and fostering innovative solutions to persistent healthcare access problems.