Tufts Health Plan Foundation awards nearly $1.3M to Healthy Aging & Community Programs

37 organizations awarded throughout Massachusetts   

Tufts Health Plan Foundation announced today that it has awarded nearly $1.3 million dollars in grants to 37 non-profit organizations throughout Massachusetts.  The majority of the grants will support the Foundation’s Healthy Aging initiative, which expands access to programs that improve the lives and well-being of seniors. Grantee initiatives include diabetes management, fall prevention and nutrition and exercise programs.  In addition to focusing on adults over age 60, the Foundation also provided support for programs that will increase basic needs emergency services, improve coordination of patient care and support students pursuing careers in health care for a broader population. The Tufts Health Plan Foundation launched its Healthy Aging program in 2009, an initiative designed to help meet the challenges of an aging society. Through grants in the three areas of vibrant lifestyles, intergenerational collaboration and keeping our seniors safe, the Foundation seeks to fund programs that will elevate the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of older adults; enable them to contribute their experiences and knowledge to their communities; and ultimately help older adults live longer, healthier lives. “This year’s grant recipients represent innovative, community-based programs that are truly making a difference in our neighborhoods,” said David Abelman, executive director, Tufts Heath Plan Foundation. “We look forward to partnering with each organization to ensure that we are expanding access to critical services.” 

Local Grant Awardees

• AIDS Action Committee, Positive Aging/ Lasting Strength, $39,000, Boston
• Alliance Foundation for Community Health, Living Well with Diabetes, $34,000, Somerville
• BayPath Elder Services, Family Caregiver Connections, $44,560, Marlboro
• Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Healthy Aging Project, $54,960, Boston
• Bristol Elder Services, Healthy Lifestyle Workshops, $8,574, Fall River
• Brockton Neighborhood Health Center, Chronic Disease Management for Elders, $45,208, Brockton
• Cambridge Community Foundation, Community Health Initiatives, $10,000, Cambridge
• Cape Cod Foundation, Helping Older People Engage, $20,000, Yarmouth
• Caritas Christi Holy Family Hospital, Osteoporosis Education, Prevention & Exercise, $28,930, Methuen
• Catholic Charities, Friends Feeding Families, $5,000, Boston
• Century Health Systems, Caregiver Care, $15,000, Natick
• Codman Square Health Center, Eat Green and Breathe Easy, $30,000, Dorchester
• Cooperative Elder Services, Inc., Home Safety for the Cognitively Impaired, $5,861, Lexington
• Developmental Evaluation and Adjustment Facilities, Inc., Healthy Lifestyles for Deaf Seniors, $50,000, Allston
• Discovering What’s Next, Transition to Encore Careers, $25,000, Newton
• East End House, Young at Heart, $25,000, Cambridge
• Ethos, Vibrant Living at Home, $49,910, Jamaica Plain
• Great Brook Valley, Chronic Disease Program for Culturally Diverse Older Adults, $66,245, Worcester
• Greater Boston Food Bank, Brown Bag Program for Elders, $10,000, Boston
• Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, Aging with Dignity-Navigating the System, $47,796, Mattapan
• HEARTH, Inc., Housing as the Key to Healthy Aging, $40,000, Boston
• Home Health VNA, Medication Intervention for Fall Reduction, $56,309, Lawrence
• Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, Villa Victoria Elder Support Program, $25,000, Boston
• Jumpstart, Community Corps, $50,000, Boston
• La Alianza Hispana, Art Therapy & Mental Health, $30,000, Roxbury
• Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Transitions of Care Healthcare Partnership, $35,000, Burlington
• Massachusetts General Hospital, Fall Prevention Program, $22,942, Boston
• Minuteman Senior Services, Healthy Connections for Caregivers, $40,035, Burlington
• Montachusett Opportunity Council, Inc., Fun ‘n Fit Vibrant Seniors, $43,375, Fitchburg
• Multi-Service Center, Generations Linked, $7,500, Leominster
• REACH for Community Health, New Horizons, $42,660, North Adams
• Samaritans of Fall River/ New Bedford, Inc., Kare Calls Expansion, $7,500, Westport
• Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Network, Live Long Walk Strong, $105,192, Boston
• Tufts Health Care Institute, Improving Coordination of Care for Patients in MA, $15,000, Boston
• Tufts Medical School, Morton A. Madoff Public Health Fellowship, $25,000, Boston
• Women of Means, Aging in Shelters Collaborative, $15,000, Boston
• YMCA of Greater Boston, Get Fit, Stay Fit for Life, $50,000, Boston