Thank you for staying in touch with LORHN throughout the year; we are wrapping up our first quarter of our new fiscal year and are excited about the continued success of existing programs, new ones starting, and opportunities on the horizon. Each day our team is in the field meeting rural residents where they are to provide linkage to essential needs and healthcare services. LORHN is working with partners within our region and throughout the state to improve access to quality health services, increase vaccine uptake for preventable diseases, provide relevant health information and education, coordinate trainings for rural healthcare professionals, and identify opportunities to meet emerging needs of our residents.

As we enter the winter and holiday seasons, the need for trusted information and advocates will increase. Know that LORHN Community Health Advocates are available to provide information and connect residents to services they need - from enrolling in health insurance, help making online appointments, applying for financial assistance via various programs, to finding a substance use treatment center.

Our hearts go out to our family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors on the West coast. We still have not taken in the full scope of destruction the storm has caused and remain hopeful that the loss of life is not as high as anticipated. Hurricane Ian recovery resources are listed below as well as opportunities to volunteer if you felt led to do so and are able.

Florida survivors who live in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties can apply for federal assistance.

Stay prepared for future hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. We all have another two months of hurricane season ahead of us; the best thing we can do is prepare and plan ahead of time so we are prepared to respond quickly and efficiently. Familiarize yourself with local shelter information and complete the Shelter In Place Survey to assist the Florida Division of Emergency Management efforts after a hurricane or tropical storm.

Sign up for LORHN's bi-weekly distribution of the GrantStation Insider Content e-newsletter or view LORHN's GrantStation Insider Content e-newsletter archive page for previous funding opportunities.

**Short application window between October 3 - October 14, 2022**

The program offers a J-1 Visa waiver to foreign physicians who commit to serving for 3 years in an underserved area of Florida, waiving the foreign medical residency requirement and allowing them to remain in the United States. The program is intended to provide physician services in areas that typically have difficulty attracting and retaining physicians.

Licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced registered nurse practitioners who work full-time at an eligible employment site in Florida may apply. The program offers loan repayment assistance to nursing personnel who agree to serve in areas of the state where there are critical nursing shortages. Applicants can receive up to $4,000 per year for a maximum of 4 years.

Almost 70 percent of Glades Electric Cooperative members participate in Operation Round-Up, which helps people in GEC's service area who have exhausted normal avenues of financial assistance. The fund is for deserving individuals and organizations. If you know of people who need and deserve assistance and live within the Glades Electric service area (Glades, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee counties), encourage or help them to complete an application. 

The Agricultural and Labor Program, Inc. (ALPI) (Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Martin, Polk and St. Lucie)

All applicants applying for services must have a total household income of no more than 150% Federal Poverty guidelines; be responsible for paying their home heating or cooling bills; and be a U.S. citizen, qualified alien, or permanent resident of the U.S. Programs are available for individuals, children, and families.

Farmworker Coordinating Council of Palm Beach County, Inc.

This non-profit agency provides case management for families, education programs, community health education and healthcare coordination, food, clothing, diaper and toiletry distributions, financial literacy, transportation, translation and interpretation, emergency rental, and more.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) to help low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices. Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household. To receive the connected device discount, consumers need to enroll in the ACP with a participating provider that offers connected devices (Note: not all internet companies offer device discounts.) The internet company will provide a discount to the consumer.

The National Center for Mobility Management provides grants and technical assistance to support communities that are ready to take concrete steps toward implementing transportation solutions to help underserved residents become more fully engaged in economic opportunities, improve their health and well-being, and/or become more integrated into their community. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and government agencies that are able to receive, or be a sub-recipient of, federal funding. Deadline: November 23, 2022

Community development loans to local governments, public service authorities, user associations, nonprofit organizations, and other community entities for the development and/or construction of large-scale community projects. Deadline: ongoing basis

USDA Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees provide financing for telephone and broadband infrastructure in rural areas. Funds may be used to finance broadband-capable telecommunications services, including improvements, expansions, construction, acquisitions, and refinancing. Applications accepted year-round

Learn about Federal Grant forecasted, posted, and archived grants available via various Federal Government Programs. Grants Learning Center provides information about eligibility, writing, reporting, policies, systems, and more.

Knowing where to start looking for help for yourself, a friend, family member, or client can be overwhelming. LORHN has developed a community resource guide for each community of our service area. Every guide includes phone numbers for various county services as well as local medical services, senior services, medical and social support services, food, housing and utilities, pregnancy and childcare, mental health services, and employment services.

Click each geographic area below to download the community guide. Please share them! Notice something missing? Let us know!