As the end of the year approaches, many community groups that provide much needed services for the most vulnerable in the community find themselves with limited financial resources. However, in South Texas some community groups are in a much better position after receiving a blessing in the form of a nice budget boost thanks to grants made available through CHRISTUS Fund, which provided more than $260,000 in donations to area community groups.

The CHRISTUS Fund awards grants to nonprofit community organizations that align their work with CHRISTUS Health’s mission, values and the Coastal Bend’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Every three years, CHRISTUS Health evaluates and reports on the more pressing health needs of the region.

“We are ecstatic to receive these donations, which will assist our patients and provide free medical care and prescriptions, along with healthy cooking classes, behavioral health services and more,” said Sherry Bowers, Executive Director of Mission of Mercy. “Without the support of CHRISTUS Spohn and the CHRISTUS Fund we would not be able to assist as many patients as we can.”

Mission of Mercy is a community-based organization providing free health care and free prescription medications to the uninsured or under-insured. The organization is an important partner to CHRISTUS Spohn. The health system often provides lab services and regularly refers uninsured patients from hospitals, emergency departments and CHRISTUS Spohn’s mobile health unit known as the CareVan. The partnership ensures that no patient ever has to fall through the cracks because they don’t have insurance.

“CHRISTUS Health is committed to working with community-led partnerships. Together we can achieve measurable, sustainable improvements in wellbeing,” said Angela M. MacDonald, CHRISTUS Fund Program Director. “Everyone deserves access to high-quality affordable health care and basic necessities. Our commitment to deliver on this is a reflection of CHRISTUS Health’s mission and core values.”

Another recipient of this year’s CHRISTUS Fund grants is the Mary McLeod Bethune Early Child Development Nursery. Their work provides daycare for children with parents who are experiencing poverty and homelessness. Through the CHRISTUS Fund, CHRISTUS Spohn is able to help those parents who have little to no access to financial and health care resources.

“We want to improve the health and wellbeing of all people in the communities we serve. Through the CHRISTUS Fund we’re touching so many lives including helping those families and their children,” said Steve Kazanjian, VP of Mission Integration for CHRISTUS Spohn Health System. “We believe that by working together, we can make a profound difference in the quality of people’s lives and create sustainable, positive change in our communities.”

The full list of this year’s awardees was announced during a special event at CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi-South. There, CHRISTUS Spohn leaders recognized these amazing organizations, important community partnerships and the invaluable work done by these organizations.

The donations distributed at the CHRISTUS Fund event included:

Mission of Mercy – $75,000

 Corpus Christi Pregnancy Center – $15,000

 Corpus Christi Hope House – $15,000

 Mary McLeod Bethune Early Child Development Nursery – $25,000

 Nueces County Family Drug Treatment Court Advisory Committee – $59,812

YWCA Corpus Christi – $71,128

The CHRISTUS Fund Advisory Committee, made up of community members throughout the CHRISTUS Health ministries, meets twice a year to make grant recommendations for these vital community initiatives.

Community organizations interested in learning more can visit:

christusfund.org