The Healthy Lakewood Foundation (HLF) Board of Directors awarded $253,455 in funding for its Community Grants program at its July Board meeting. Twelve area organizations were granted funds to advance programs that address social determinants of health and support populations historically under resourced in the community.

HLF believes that the economic, structural, and social conditions of the Lakewood community have a profound impact on the health of its residents. HLF’s Board President Khalilah Worley Billy explains that “Through our Community Grants Program, HLF’s funding is targeted to address food insecurity, housing and neighborhood conditions, access to high-quality educational programs, and social and community connections.”

Moreover, HLF places a priority on programs that support low-income single-parent families, children and youth, older adults, and immigrants and refugees.

Funding included awards to:

• Lakewood Community Services Center for its Summer Lunch and Enrichment Program that addresses food insecurity during summer months and creates socialization, education, and recreational opportunities for children.
• Emerald Development & Economic Network, EDEN, Inc. (EDEN), to improve resources for and relationships with Lakewood landlords with the goal of increasing affordable housing options for residents experiencing housing insecurity.
• Madison Court Community Coalition (MC3), a newly formed organization in Lakewood seeking to address gun violence, community connections, and increase youth engagement through planned community events.
• Lakewood Public Library to reinstate Connecting for Kids programming at the Main and Madison branches.
• Additionally, two previous grantees, ASIA, Inc. and the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, were awarded funding to continue their important work supporting Lakewood residents over the next two years.

“These grants are the result of HLF’s first open call for applications as we implement our comprehensive grantmaking strategy in 2022,” explains HLF’s Executive Director Kate Ingersoll. “We are grateful for the range of high-quality proposals that we received and the commitment of each applicant to advancing health in the Lakewood community. We look forward to assessing the impact of this funding and learning from our grant partners about the challenges and opportunities in providing these supports and services in our community.”

See the complete list of grant funding awarded on HLF’s website.

HLF’s next funding opportunity in the Lakewood community opens on August 15. 

About the Healthy Lakewood Foundation

About the Healthy Lakewood Foundation: The Healthy Lakewood Foundation (HLF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity. HLF was created to ensure remaining assets from the conversion of the Lakewood Hospital will continue to benefit the health and wellbeing of residents in the City of Lakewood. HLF’s grantmaking addresses the social determinants of health, the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age in Lakewood, Ohio. HLF’s mission is to advance programs, policies, and practices that inspire a Lakewood community in which health and wellness are reflected in all aspects of life. To contact HLF, please visit our website or email info@healthylakewoodfoundation.org.