Future Fund Announces 2024 Grantees
$60,000 in nonprofit grants awarded to support healthcare advocacy
Future Fund, a permanent grantmaking endowment of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro (“Community Foundation”), is pleased to announce its 2024 nonprofit grantees. The Grants Committee of the Future Fund awarded $60,000 to six local organizations that are creating lasting impacts in the community through innovative healthcare advocacy programs.
“Our young professionals are proud to support organizations that are driving critical healthcare advocacy and ensuring equitable access for all. This year’s grantees embody the passion, innovation, and dedication that define our generation’s commitment to creating healthier, more resilient communities. We are excited to invest in their efforts to make lasting, positive change.”
Below are the nonprofit organizations and initiatives that Future Fund is supporting within its chosen field of interest for 2024: Healthcare Advocacy.
2024 Nonprofit Organizations and Programs Supported by Future Fund
PDY&F Community Garden is working to address food disparities in East Greensboro. They are continuing this work by creating their GardenFit program, which Future Fund’s grant award will support. This community-driven initiative tackles the challenges of food deserts, limited access to recreational opportunities, and high obesity rates by providing residents with tools to adopt healthier lifestyles.
PDY&F will enhance its GardenFit program by expanding access to fresh produce and bolstering its health education and fitness components. This funding will allow the organization to serve more residents, provide additional resources for gardening and exercise, and facilitate educational workshops on nutrition and wellness. GardenFit also emphasizes mental health by offering a stress-reducing space for gardening and exercise while fostering a sense of community and belonging. Through these efforts, PDY&F aims to create sustainable, positive health outcomes in East Greensboro.
CFVF United exists to provide transition services to Combat Female Veterans and their families, supporting life after war. They directly confront the issue and lack of support services to address the unique and multi-layered post-deployment obstacles faced by female veterans. With funding from the Future Fund, CFVF United aims to expand Breaking the Silence, emphasizing that mental health is a critical component of healthcare.
The project will promote mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and advocate for mental health services as essential healthcare. Through outreach, education, and advocacy, CFVF United will ensure that female veterans, often overlooked in traditional healthcare systems, receive comprehensive and empathetic support. This initiative integrates mental health into the broader healthcare narrative and championing systemic change to improve outcomes for female veterans.
Community Housing Solutions (CHS) improves the lives of low-income seniors in Guilford County through its Aging Gracefully program, which utilizes the evidence-based CAPABLE model developed by Johns Hopkins University. In partnership with Cone Health and Triad Healthcare Network, the program delivers a comprehensive, personalized approach to senior health and home safety. Over four to five months, participants work with an occupational therapist, a registered nurse, and CHS construction staff to receive health education, training, and home modifications tailored to their needs.
These modifications, such as walk-in showers, access ramps, and handrails, enhance accessibility, prevent falls, and support independent living. The program has been proven to reduce falls by 80%, alleviate depression, and significantly improve participants’ ability to perform daily activities, ensuring they can remain safe and confident in their homes. This funding will allow CHS to provide critical home repairs and accessibility modifications to additional participants, addressing the growing demand for these transformative services.
Depressed While Black is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Black psychiatric patients by addressing their unique needs with dignity and care. The organization provides Black-affirming personal care items and transitional support to ensure patients can focus on their recovery and reintegrate into their communities. Through initiatives like the Black Beauty Supply Kits, patients receive all-natural, handmade items such as shampoos, conditioners, hair oils, and shea butter tailored to Black skin and hair textures.
These kits help patients maintain grooming, a critical aspect of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) that influences discharge readiness, particularly in hospitals lacking resources suited for Black patients. Additionally, the organization’s WISH List program supplies essential items to patients and staff, often filling critical gaps for unhoused individuals leaving psychiatric care. Future Fund’s grant award will allow Depressed While Black to expand their services into the Cone Health system.
The Greensboro Cerebral Palsy Association (GCPA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children from birth to age three with developmental delays and disabilities, along with their families. Through its core Infant-Toddler Early Intervention Program, GCPA provides comprehensive therapeutic services and early intervention strategies designed to improve developmental abilities and support overall wellness. Operating 180 days a year in alignment with the Guilford County Schools calendar, the program offers personalized, full-day programming led by therapists and classroom staff.
GCPA will use their grant award to help fund their Community-Based Rehabilitative Services Program (CBRS). This program plays a crucial role in supporting parents as they navigate healthcare networks, understand their child’s diagnosis, and implement developmental strategies in their daily routines. The CBRS program provides targeted, consistent support for families, addressing challenges like behavior management, access to resources, and administrative assistance. By formalizing and expanding this service, GCPA aims to better equip families with the tools and knowledge needed to foster their child’s growth and well-being.
Mustard Seed Community Health is the only free-standing nonprofit and charitable clinic in Guilford County. Mustard Seed Community Health has been dedicated to improving the well-being of residents in the Cottage Grove community of East Greensboro and beyond for the past ten years. Their services extend beyond medical treatment to address critical social determinants of health. Patients receive personalized care from the clinic’s founder, Dr. Beth Mulberry, who works closely with a team to provide counseling, food assistance, wellness checks, and access to community resources.
The clinic’s Health Outreach Team plays a vital role in connecting patients to services such as healthy food boxes, social programs, and educational resources. Their Mobile Food Market, open to the entire community, provides fresh produce and healthy options for residents. Over the years, Mustard Seed has grown significantly, expanding its operations to neighboring apartments to meet the increasing demand for their services. Through their compassionate, community-focused approach, they have made a meaningful impact on the lives of vulnerable populations in Greensboro. Future Fund’s grant will allow Mustard Seed to continue expanding their work to meet the needs of Guilford County.