KHF Board approves $1.3 million for COVID-19 response and health improvement efforts

November 24, 2020

Media Contact Ashley Booker, (316) 491-8414

WICHITA, Kan. – The Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) Board of Directors recently approved $1.3 million in grant funding to increase food security, assist with COVID-19 antibody testing and support efforts to improve health by the Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters, Newman University and the Greater Wichita YMCA.

The following awards were approved by the KHF Board of Directors:

COVID-19 Response ($1,165,118):

Increase Food Security – $900,000

To address the growing rise in food insecurity across Kansas caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board approved a two-pronged approach to strengthen available food benefits and expanded access to Federal Nutrition Programs in Kansas. This includes:

  • $750,000 to Harvesters – The Community Food Network, as a member of the Association of Kansas Food Banks with Second Harvest Community Food Bank and the Kansas Food Bank. The funds will be used to expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach efforts, promoting and providing application assistance statewide. This support will be available over the next two years.
  • $150,000 to Kansas Appleseed to help their efforts to strengthen and expand available benefits to fight food insecurity through supporting an anti-hunger advocate located in southwest Kansas. This advocate will help with Kansas Appleseed’s anti-hunger work for two years.

American Red Cross COVID-19 Antibody Testing – $265,118

The coronavirus pandemic has caused increasingly low levels of donated blood. KHF will be supporting the American Red Cross serving Kansas to help cover the costs of testing blood donated all across the state between Oct. 2020 and Jan. 2021 for COVID-19 antibodies. By testing for antibodies, donors will learn if they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 and public health agencies will be told about the prevalence of COVID-19 in their communities (through shared aggregate data). The American Red Cross hopes to increase blood donations during this desperate time of need by providing antibody testing and encouraging donors who have recovered from COVID-19 to offer convalescent plasma to possibly help the recovery of those severely ill with COVID-19. The Red Cross is distributing convalescent plasma to hospitals under the FDA’s emergency use authorization (EUA) for the treatment of COVID-19. This EUA may help ensure more patients have access to this potentially lifesaving treatment, providing greater hope to individuals and their families during this difficult time.

KHF has repurposed grant funds or provided additional support totaling more than $16.6 million for COVID-19 initiatives in 2020.

Impact funding support ($150,000):

$50,000 – Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Match Support Specialists

KHF will provide $50,000 to Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters to support the continued stability of the organization’s match support specialists, who provide professional monitoring and engagement with the adult volunteer, at-risk youth and the parent/guardian to ensure the most safe, effective and long-term match possible. Approximately 50 percent of at-risk youth who receive these services represent communities of color.

$50,000 – Newman University Nurse Anesthesia Program

To help comply with new accreditation standards, KHF will award $50,000 to help Newman University transition its nurse anesthesia program from a master’s level program to a doctoral program. This will ensure that Kansas will not lose 40 percent of its annual Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (currently educated at Newman University). Nurse anesthetists are the sole anesthesia providers in nearly all rural Kansas hospitals, and their abilities are desperately needed to continue care for the medically underserved.

$50,000 – Greater Wichita YMCA Expansion of YMCA 360

KHF will award the Greater Wichita YMCA $50,000 in collaboration with the Kansas State Alliance of YMCAs, to expand YMCA 360, an online fitness app that offers health and wellness programs to anyone in Kansas. This planning grant will assist the Alliance to work with and reach communities that don’t have access to a local YMCA and are looking for activities and classes to build healthy habits and provide consistency through programs that are not currently offered in person. Grant funds will be used to conduct market research to understand barriers of diverse populations to make the app relevant and accessible to all. Greater Wichita YMCA and the Alliance will also create and implement a statewide public awareness plan.

About the Kansas Health Foundation

The Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) is a nonprofit organization based in Wichita but statewide in its focus. At KHF, all our work centers on our mission: to improve the health of all Kansans. As part of a new strategic framework, developed by our staff and board of directors, KHF also strives to accomplish three primary purposes: empower Kansas to lead the nation in health; eliminate the inequities that create health disparities; and, for KHF to become THE model for philanthropic impact.

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