Barton Foundation awards $50,000 to groups focused on community's health needs

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Fifteen local health programs offered by nonprofits and agencies in the South Lake Tahoe area have been awarded grants by the Barton Foundation. A total of $50,000 was distributed among the groups to aid in their efforts to address the community’s most pressing health issues.

During the 2018 Barton Community Health Needs Assessment, the top health issues identified in the South Lake Tahoe community were access to care, mental health, and substance abuse.

The 15 selected applications for grant funding include projects offering cancer support services, mental and behavioral health programs at schools, and support for non-profit organizations that address unmet health needs of the community.

The awardees are:

A Balanced Life: supporting a Dialectic Behavioral Therapy group at South Tahoe Middle School

Child Advocates of El Dorado County (CASA): providing training for new volunteers
Drug Free Coalition: funding the parent texting platform to help educate on substance abuse issues

Drug Store Project: providing youth education materials during their annual awareness event

Juvenile Services Council: for programs supporting mental health and social skills development

Live Violence Free: providing behavioral support resources at the local Boys & Girls Club

Lake Tahoe Unified School District: supporting services for at-risk foster and homeless youth

SOS Outreach: providing resources for an outdoor mentorship program for low-income children

South Lake Tahoe Cancer League: funding cancer patients’ transportation to treatments

South Lake Tahoe Library: for resource kits to help those with substance abuse and mental health issues

South Tahoe High School Booster Club: for stigma-reducing classroom presentations by therapists

Suicide Prevention Network: for educational resources and presentation materials at local schools

Tahoe Climbing Coalition: supporting activities for at-risk and under-served youth

Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless: providing services at the South Tahoe Warm Room

Tahoe Youth & Family Services: funding a behavioral health counselor at South Tahoe Middle School, Mt. Tallac Continuation High School, and South Tahoe High School

"Barton is committed to collaborating with local partners and stakeholders to tackle our area’s complex health needs," said Chris Kiser, Executive Director of the Barton Foundation." We are thrilled to be able to make a difference in people's lives by awarding these grants, made possible by philanthropy for the health of our community."

Grant applications went through a review process by the Community Health Advisory Committee (CHAC), a group of clinicians, elected officials, private and non-profit stakeholders that serve as an advisory committee to Barton Health’s Board of Directors. The CHAC advocates for pertinent community health issues in the community and works as an oversight committee for the Community Health Needs Assessment.