BHF Honored with Chamber Unmasked Hometown Heroes Award

I would like to nominate the Bloomington Health Foundation for the business/organization category of the Hometown Heroes award. In the uncertain time of COVID-19, BHF’s four-person team and board immediately stepped up from their respective remote locations to not only sustain normal operations, but to additionally address the critical health issues that manifested as a result of the pandemic. The three specific types of support they offered to the community were innovative and display a strong love of our community.

Leading and Convening
BHF was a founding member of the COVID-19 Coalition, a local group comprised of cross-sector leadership that was assembled to identify and address community issues resulting from the pandemic. BHF leadership connected member needs to resources and assisted with the facilitation of weekly calls.

The Foundation is also a member of the City of Bloomington’s Social Services Working Group, a panel of local organizations that were called together by Mayor John Hamilton to examine potential issues of local safety net agencies. BHF was tasked with monitoring emergency food provisions for the community by convening food banks, IU sustainable food systems science experts, and other representatives of food organizations on a weekly to bi-monthly basis. This subcommittee addressed three core areas: 1) Securing ample food supplies for Hoosier Hills Food Bank, the only food bank in the region and whose busiest month in their history was this past April, to satisfy their 30% increase in demand. 2) Ensuring food pantries, school programs, kitchens, and delivery services could remain open during the pandemic. 3) Launched a community-wide campaign to enroll people in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) by strategically distributing thousands of flyers with assistance from local partners. As a result of their work on this subcommittee, BHF was recognized by Hoosier Hills Food Bank’s 2020 Hunger Action Awards and nearly a dozen families have been signed up for SNAP benefits.

Grant Deployment
To alleviate the financial hardship experienced among local agencies delivering critical services, BHF committed $70,000 to the United Way of Monroe County for the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. This fund has aided organizations such as Amethyst House, Area 10 Agency on Aging, Bloomington Meals on Wheels, Centerstone Indiana, Community Kitchen, HealthNet Bloomington Health Center, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, Pantry 279, and many more, and allowed them to continue their services to our community when needs were greater than ever.

As recommended by the Monroe County Health Department, BHF quickly partnered with Master Rental Center to provide a tent, tables, chairs, and heaters for Wheeler Mission Bloomington to provide space for social distancing and curb the spread of the virus. Additionally, the Foundation continues to fund hand washing stations for both Wheeler Mission and Shalom Community center, to further curb the spread among those experiencing homelessness.

Dana Jones, Wheeler Mission Bloomington’s Area Program Director said, “Bloomington Health Foundation was one of those community partners to first reach out to show concern for this at-risk population. With help from a grant from BHF Wheeler was able to procure a tent which enabled guests to not only observe social distancing but also give guests a safe, comfortable place to stay during the day. Additionally, under the same grant, a handwashing station has been installed at the entry of the shelter that enables each guest to enjoy the same opportunity to have clean hands as each citizen of Monroe County. This opportunity for additional hygiene and social distancing for our guests has produced an environment in which not only has Wheeler Bloomington yet to experience its first COVID-19 positive guest, it seems to have also resulted in the added benefit of reducing the transmission of colds and flus. Because of Bloomington Health Foundation’s support Wheeler Bloomington has been able to continue to provide services to those experiencing homelessness. From the onset of the pandemic to this present date, Wheeler sites experienced more than 185 visits to our sites daily and provided essential services (meals, clothing, showers, face masks, shelter) to 435 of those at risk in our community.”

Education and Awareness
Foundation staff also prioritized the amplification of important COVID-19 information from community partners. This information was shared at a high frequency through their multiple social media pages, website, and their weekly direct email communications. BHF also established a partnership with the Monroe County Health Department and B97/Hoosier Country to create ongoing Public Service Announcements that share COVID-19 information as well as state and county resources.

Helping Bloomington Monroe, an online directory with over 1,800 social service listings that the Foundation launched in February, received a significant push in advertising during the pandemic. Website searches doubled during the month of March as users searched for needed resources during the quarantine. The City of Bloomington was a key partner in launching the site and continues to maintain the database moving forward. “Last winter’s launch of Helping Bloomington Monroe was well-timed for aligning our resources in advance of this crisis,” said Mayor John Hamilton.  “Getting easy access to information about health care, housing, childcare and government assistance is more essential than ever, so we’re glad to help bring this tool to our residents during these difficult times.”

The work of Bloomington Health Foundation has been crucial for many to remain in operation and serve our community while navigating these difficult times. Through their leadership and the partnerships they have established, we can continue to work together for a healthier tomorrow. Thank you for considering this deserving organization for the Hometown Heroes award.