Massachusetts Medical Society, Hampshire District Medical Society make charitable grants to 3 Western Massachusetts agencies

Physicians in Massachusetts, through Medical Society Foundation, make charitable grants for homeless, hunger programs in Western Mass.

Grants made to three agencies for homeless, hunger programs in Western Massachusetts

Waltham, Mass. (PRWEB) June 19 -- The Massachusetts Medical Society and Alliance Charitable Foundation and the Hampshire District Medical Society today announced the allocation of charitable grants totaling $25,000 to three nonprofit agencies serving residents in Western Massachusetts.

Receiving grants were Jessies House in Northampton, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Hatfield, and the Interfaith Community Homeless Shelter in Florence.

The allotments were made possible by a directed grant from the physicians of the Hampshire District Medical Society, one of 20 district medical societies that comprise the statewide organization, to the MMS and Alliance Foundation. The Massachusetts Medical Society has some 18,000 physicians as members; the Hampshire District has some 200 physician members.
   
The Foundations mission is to support the charitable and educational activities of the Society and Alliance and address issues affecting the health, benefit, and welfare of the community.

The Hampshire District Medical Society and the Massachusetts Medical Society are pleased to be able to help citizens in our local area," said Hampshire District President Donald Sonn, M.D., a physician with the Urology Group of Western New England in Springfield. In the best of times, some families need help. In poor economic times, as more families need help, it becomes even more imperative for those who can do so to reach out and help the less fortunate among us."

Dr. Sonn presented the awards to the agencies with David R. Jackson, M.D., of Florence, a Northampton surgeon who is a director of the Medical Societys Foundation and a former two-term president of the Hampshire District Medical Society.
   
The agencies receiving awards:
Jessies House in Northampton, the only shelter for homeless families in Hampshire County, received $10,000. Established in 1983, the agencys mission is to provide support for homeless families to help them become self-sufficient. The grant was provided to strengthen parenting skills and child development within families living at the shelter. Jessies House is part of The Center for Human Development in Springfield, now in its 30th year, which provides some 60 social service programs for the most vulnerable residents in the region.

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Hatfield received $10,000. Established in 1982, the Food Bank is a member of Americas Second Harvest and provides food to those in need in Hampshire, Hampden, Berkshire, and Franklin counties in western Mass. The agency has some 420 member programs and annually distributes some 6 million pounds of food every year.

The grant will help to support the Youth Against Hunger Program, a community service learning program for students K-12 that helps youth understand the local issues of hunger and poverty.

The Interfaith Community Homeless Shelter in Florence was awarded $5,000. Opened nine years ago in response to growing waiting lists at the county emergency shelter, the shelter resulted from the collaborative effort of local churches, Service NET and the City of Northampton. The shelter provides a safety net for individuals at risk during the cold months of November through April. The grant was awarded to create a fund to cover the emergency health needs of those who seek services at the shelter. The fund will help to provide emergency care in the absence of MassHealth, eye or dental care coverage.

Established in 2000, the Massachusetts Medical Society and Alliance Charitable Foundation is a supporting organization of the Massachusetts Medical Society, the statewide membership group of physicians, and the MMS Alliance, the organization of physicians spouses committed to promoting good health among the citizens of Mass. and to advancing the health and well being of the medical family. Since its inception, the Foundation has made more than $300,000 in allotments, supporting such services as medical care for the uninsured and underserved, childhood injury prevention, rape crisis and services for battered women, and medical interpreters.
   
The Massachusetts Medical Society is dedicated to educating and advocating for the physicians and patients of Massachusetts. Founded in 1781, the MMS is the oldest continuously operating medical society in the country. The Society owns and publishes The New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal Watch family of professional newsletters, AIDS Clinical Care, and produces HealthNews, a consumer health publication.

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Contact: Richard P. Gulla
June 19, 2003
781-434-7101 rgulla@mms.org