Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Community Cares Grant Program Celebrates Ten Years, Announces Increased Funding

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Jul 11, 2024, 11:57 ET

CHOP employees use grants to fund innovative programs in their communities

PHILADELPHIA, July 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) today marked the ten-year anniversary of its CHOP Cares Community Grant Program with an event featuring community leaders, government officials and innovative presentations from past grant recipients.

Extending beyond their commitment to caring for children at CHOP and in the CHOP Care Network, many hospital employees have a strong connection to and are deeply involved in their surrounding communities, volunteering time outside of work hours to promote health and wellness.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) today marked the ten-year anniversary of its CHOP Cares Community Grant Program with an event featuring community leaders, government officials and innovative presentations from past grant recipients.

"Our employees work incredibly hard to care for children in our hospital and in the community, and many have very creative ideas on how to improve children's health," said Peter Grollman, Senior Vice President of External Affairs at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "We started the CHOP Cares Community Grant Program ten years ago to help turn our employees' innovative ideas into reality -- and they continue to exceed expectations."

"Over the past 10 years, CHOP has awarded more than 200 grants and over $1 million for employees' projects. Today, we announced that funding for CHOP Cares Grants will increase from $5,000 to $10,000 per grant," Grollman added.

The CHOP Cares Grants program is an example of how the hospital supports employees in developing and implementing programs that fill specific health or wellness-related needs, such as those identified in the regional Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), by providing financial and technical support to help make a difference in their neighborhoods.

"In recognition of our employees' dedication to children in our community, CHOP offers competitive Cares Grants to support employee volunteer efforts," said Falguni Patel, Director of Community Impact at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "The grants program is an initiative of CHOP's Office of Community Impact and projects are funded by the CHOP Cares Community Fund, which includes individual donations and Hospital contributions."

"We hosted the 10-year community celebration event at the West Philadelphia YMCA, as it has served as a partner and host site for many CHOP Cares grant programs. The YMCA is a community leader and a safe and welcoming space for children and their families," Patel added.

"The Garage Community and Youth Center is a grateful partner of the CHOP Community Cares Grant Program, which has allowed our organization to further develop our health and wellness initiatives, including nutritional education and meal service programs," said Kristin Proto, Executive Director of The Garage Community and Youth Center. "Further, the partnership with CHOP has sparked the career interest of our students who are now serving in our summer internship program, Career Compass, with two high school students cooking daily meals in our Nutrition Kitchen as well as one high school student who interns at CHOP's Kennett Square and West Grove Primary Care Centers this summer. Thank you for your partnership and the support you provide in our community!"

The CHOP Cares Community Grant program has also provided funding for many current programs such as gun violence prevention workshops, food distributions, parent and youth support groups, menstrual hygiene education, iSTEM workshops, career exploration activities and internships, health screenings, and more.

To learn more about the CHOP Cares Community Grant Program, visit: https://community.chop.edu/

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia:
A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu.

Contact: Joey McCool Ryan

Phone: (267) 258-6735

[email protected]

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia