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Horizon Foundation Annouces Actions To Improve The Community Safety Net

On the heels of awarding $3.5 million to Howard County General Hospital and $500,000 to the Howard County Health Department to upgrade access to health care services,
Horizon Foundation President and CEO Richard Krieg today announced a series of awards designed to further improve the community health safety net.

Krieg said, "Due to a variety of factors – among them the present economic recession, job layoffs, increased energy costs and higher food prices – there's been a sharp upturn in families in need.  It's become far more difficult for lower income Howard County families to survive at the margin."

Krieg said that the Foundation has been convening a number of groups to discuss aiding families in need. "In the meantime, we're awarding $100,000 to support the North Laurel Multiservice Center.  To date, we’ve allocated $618,000 to support the Center, which we are now partnering with the County’s Department of Citizen Services and other organizations," he said.  "The Center is a vital part of the safety net in the Southeastern part of the county."

Krieg also announced that the Foundation has awarded $15,000 to the Salvation Army to help with eviction and utility turnoff assistance and $20,000 to NAMI of Howard County to assist families confronting mental health issues.

"The Foundation is also giving $23,000 to Neighbor Ride," Krieg said. "This innovative program has proven to be invaluable in helping seniors and the foreign-born get to the services they need."

Krieg explained that more outreach needs to be provided to families requiring services. "The Foundation has developed a free web-based system called HorizonHelp that operates from our office," he said. By going to www.horizonhelp.org, families can locate service providers and find out what they offer." He noted that with the help of local nonprofits and government agencies, the system is constantly updated to provide the most recent information about local service organizations.

"We're also awarding $20,000 to the Arc of Howard County to expand their web outreach," Krieg said, "and $10,748 to Running Brook Elementary School to outreach to parents who are new to that community, including new Hispanic residents."  He added that $10,000 will go to the Korean American Association and $25,000 to the Volunteer Center Serving Howard County to improve their community outreach in specific areas.

The Horizon Foundation, Howard County's largest philanthropy, promotes community health through program development, planning, public policy activism, organizational and community capacity building and a number of grantmaking programs.