CINCINNATI — The HealthPath Foundation of Ohio (HealthPath) recently awarded $112,000 in grants to 14 organizations dedicated to improving community health in western Ohio, including to several within Shelby County.

The grants are part of HealthPath’s Community Connections initiative, which awarded 20 grants this year totaling $160,000 to Ohio nonprofit organizations. The grants offer general operating support of $8,000 over two years, or $4,000 per year.

The 2019 grantees, which service Shelby County, include Miami County Dental Clinic, for “creating cavity-free kids and healthy Ohioans;” and the Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Disorders Association, the Salvation Army, Sidney-Shelby County YMCA, and the Tri-County Board of Recovery & Mental Health Services, for “creating healthy Ohioans.”

“All Ohioans, regardless of their status, wealth, or circumstances should have the ongoing opportunity to achieve their fullest health potential,” said Eric DeWald, president of HealthPath. “The Community Connections initiative is designed to do just that by truly focusing on Ohioans and tackling the health issues most important to them. Our goal with the initiative is to help create organizations that become true partners with the community.”

The 2019 Community Connections initiative focuses on organizations that have strong community engagement strategies and achieve one of HealthPath’s results areas of Cavity-Free Kids to ensure Ohio’s children ages 0–12 have healthy mouths; Healthy Ohioans to ensure residents have access to the resources they need to be healthy, including access to care and healthy food; and Safe Elders to ensure older adults living in the community are supported and safe from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Since the Community Connections program began in 2012, HealthPath has awarded almost $1.5 million through 176 grants to organizations throughout Ohio.

For more information or for a full list of 2019 grantees, visit www.healthpathohio.org.