Rebecca Wass / Barton Health

In an effort to impact the health of our community the Barton Foundation recently opened their grant opportunities for programs and organizations benefitting the South Lake Tahoe area. Barton Health Grants provide funding for programs targeted at underserved populations and/or providing great impact to the health status of the community. The total grant amount available for 2012 is set at $25,000 and is generally dispersed between five and 10 local organizations.

Last year, Barton Foundation and Barton Health’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC) gave $25,000 to several South Lake Tahoe organizations to help fund health-related services and programs. After the review of 20 grant proposals, 10 recipients were awarded Barton Health Grants.

The programs awarded addressed some of our area’s most pressing health needs such as nutrition, physical fitness, and mental health. This year the CAC will also consider grants targeted at vulnerable populations such as the elderly and homeless.

The Barton Health Grant proposals are reviewed by the CAC and the final grant recipients were approved by Barton Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

The 2011 Barton Health Grant recipients were:

— Lake Tahoe Unified School District, “Healthy Choices-Eat Right” program – $7,700
— El Dorado County Jail, “Healthy Education Addiction Recovery Through Self Responsibility” (HEARTS) program – $3,200
— The Drug Store Project, “Prevention of teen drug use program” – $3,000
— Family Resource Center, “Heart Health Series Workshops for Latinos” – $2,100
— Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) “Support of abused and neglected children” – $2,000
— Bijou Community School “Exercise Circuit Course” – $2,500
— National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “Funding for medications provided to mentally ill patients” – $1,500
— Tahoe Youth & Family Services “Nutrition programs along with the “Little Latina’s Program” – $1,000
— Sports Connection, “Funding for local youth to participate in athletic programs” – $1,000
— American Youth Soccer Organization (South Lake Tahoe AYSO 282), “Scholarship Fund” – $1,000

2012 Grant proposals will be accepted through Friday, June 29 and can be submitted online at www.bartonhealth.org/grants or in person at the Barton Foundation office at 2092 Lake Tahoe Blvd. suite 600, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. For more information please call (530) 543-5612.