United Way Grants $100,000 for Vineyard Services

The Cape and Islands United Way has awarded more than $100,000 to Martha’s Vineyard human service providers as part of its annual Community Investment Grants, the non-governmental funding agency recently announced.

Grants were awarded to the Vineyard Healthcare Access Program, the Vineyard Nursing Association and Island Elderly Housing. Regional nonprofits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod and the Islands, the Cape Cod and Islands chapter of the American Red Cross and Alzheimer’s Services of Cape Cod & the Islands have also been awarded grants for proposals that include Martha’s Vineyard outreach.

Dukes County’s Vineyard Healthcare Access program, which assists Island residents in obtaining affordable health care, received $10,400 from the United Way. That money will be used to fund a Prescription Medication Assistance Program for insurance counseling, enrollment services and emergency financial assistance for prescription medication.

The nonprofit home-based care agency Vineyard Nursing Association has been awarded $8,125 to establish a formal medication management program for Island seniors. Island Elderly Housing, which provides affordable housing for low-income and disabled Martha’s Vineyard residents, received $5,475 to fund its Community Meals Program.

“We are very, very grateful to offer grants to programs on Martha’s Vineyard that have provided great services for many years,” said Richard Brothers, president of the Cape and Islands United Way.

Of the regional nonprofits to receive grants, the Cape Cod and Islands chapter of the American Red Cross has been awarded $5,000 to increase emergency services on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. “The number of trained volunteers and disaster relief support materials on the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket has not yet reached their desired level of readiness,” according to a United Way press release. The Red Cross intends to acquire support materials and establish training programs in both locations with its newly received funding.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod and the Islands has been awarded $50,000 in support of its School-Based Mentoring program, which covers the entire Cape Cod and Islands region. Alzheimer’s Services of Cape Cod & the Islands has also received a hefty grant: $25,000 for a region-wide Family Caregiver Support and Outreach Program. The nonprofit funds educational and support groups, care management consultations and a variety of services for those who are afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and their home caregivers.

More than 11,000 people on the Cape and Islands suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia—more than in Boston and Worcester combined, said Brothers.

In all, the United Way awarded 30 grants to human service providers across Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket and Gosnold, totaling $600,000. The United Way received more than 70 applications this year, of which 30 human service providers were selected to share in $600,000 of donated funds.

Approximately 60 volunteers across the Cape Cod and Islands community review the applications before making recommendations to the United Way’s Board of Directors.

“We try to make sure that every area we respond to is represented,” said Brothers.