The Colorado Trust Awards Health Grants to Rural Philanthropy Days Participants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Julian Kesner, Director of Communications
303-539-3147; [email protected]

DENVER, COLO.—The Colorado Trust today announced it has made $30,000 in grants to strengthen the work of five nonprofit organizations working to improve the health and well-being of rural Coloradans. The Colorado Trust, a grantmaking foundation dedicated achieving access to health for all Coloradans, made the grants after meeting with nonprofit organizations at Rural Philanthropy Days in Morgan County, Colorado.

Rural Philanthropy Days (RPD) connects funders with nonprofit organizations that serve rural Colorado. This three-day event, which takes place twice each year, was created in 1991 by the Community Resource Center (CRC) to strengthen nonprofit-funder relations and to address critical needs in rural communities across Colorado.

“Growing up in La Junta, Colorado, I know firsthand how important access to health is in rural communities,” said Ned Calonge, MD, President and CEO of The Colorado Trust. “Rural Philanthropy Days offers us a unique opportunity to learn about the needs of the community and the essential work of the nonprofits serving their communities. We are proud to continue our long-time support of rural Colorado through this important program.”

In addition to providing $10,000 to support the CRC to manage the RPD events, The Colorado Trust also awarded grants of $5,000 each to the following four nonprofit organizations that participated in the event:

• Baby Bear Hugs – funding will support services for families with children ages birth to three-years-old including parent education, nutrition classes and Cavity Free at Three services
• Community Caring Hands, Inc. – funding will help purchase materials to build wheelchair ramps, hand rails and make minor home repairs for seniors and people with disabilities
• Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center – a skilled nursing long-term care facility, funding will support the expansion of in-home services for chronically ill patients
• Freedom to Cowboy Up – funding will support general operating costs associated with the therapeutic riding center providing healing opportunities for children and adults with learning disabilities, spinal cord injuries, autism and other physical challenges

The Colorado Trust will be participating in the Heart of the Rockies Rural Philanthropy Days in Salida on Sept. 26-28.

For additional information about The Colorado Trust and its grantmaking, visit www.coloradotrust.org. For additional information about RPD, please contact the Community Resource Center at www.crcamerica.org.

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