Gettysburg Hospital Foundation Awards Grants to Address Key Issues and Health Priorities in Adams County

“This year we are able to provide $161,640 in grant funds to address key health and wellness initiatives that impact individuals and families right in our own backyard,” said Kristin Vought, Gettysburg Hospital Foundation Development Director. “We’re grateful for generous donors and like-minded community partners who have joined with us to improve the health of our neighbors.”

Celebrating the grant distributions of the Gettysburg Hospital Foundation are (left to right) Julie Falk, RN, Ph.D.; Stacie Massett, RN and Rachel Donaldson, RN, WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital Maternity Department; Stephanie Newell, speech language pathologist, WellSpan Rehabilitation; Kathy Gaskin, executive director, Healthy Adams County; Richard Howard, MD, and Trista Dawes, WellSpan Cardiology; and Kristin Vought, development director, Gettysburg Hospital Foundation.

The Gettysburg Hospital Foundation’s role is to inspire gifts and grants from individuals, foundations, businesses and other entities to support the health and well-being of people in Adams County and communities in nearby northern Maryland. These grants extend WellSpan’s mission of providing care for all and support the work of Healthy Adams County.

“The funding support from the foundation is vital to the success of Healthy Adams County’s efforts to improve the health and wellness of our communities. The support enables us to address the county’s health and wellness priorities that are identified through our community health assessment such as the need for healthy eating, child safety, and mental health initiatives,” said Kathy Gaskin, Healthy Adams County‘s Executive Director,

Grants allocated by Gettysburg Hospital Foundation support the following programs and services of Healthy Adams County:

• Healthy Options and Fruit & Veggie Bucks programs to support healthy nutrition by providing reduced cost of fresh fruits and vegetables to qualified adults, children and seniors;
  
• New waste management disposal effort in Adams County to allow for proper disposal and recycling of medical sharps such as needles and syringes;
  
• Purchase of child car seats for more than 100 qualified families;
  
• Stress reduction and mindfulness courses for the community;
  
• Walking and wellness programs for community residents;
  
• Cribs for Kids equipment to support healthy newborn sleep practices for qualified families;
  
• Suicide prevention campaign efforts across Adams County;
  
• Behavioral health education and resources; and
  
• Health literacy project to address needs of people with disabilities in Adams County.
  

Grants allocated by the Foundation will also fund the following programs and services provided by WellSpan in Adams County:

• Creation of a low sodium food pantry for congestive heart failure patients to promote healthy eating;
  
• Sleep sacks for newborns to help prevent SIDS and promote safe sleep habits;
  
• Specialized pediatric therapy equipment;
  
• Maternity education video; and
  
• forensic lighting to support the hospital’s sexual assault forensic nurse examiner (SAFE) program.