Grant awarded from Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority
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CHESHIRE—Thursday, July 16, 2020—The Community Health Center Association of Connecticut (CHCACT) is the recipient of a $486,000 grant in support of the ongoing fight against COVID-19 by the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA). The grant will help the state’s community health centers increase COVID-19 testing, purchase medical equipment, and develop patient health kits.
The state’s 17 community health centers, also known as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), are located at more than 100 locations throughout Connecticut. They provide primary care, dental care, behavioral health care and more to nearly 400,000 Connecticut residents each year, regardless of their ability to pay.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Connecticut and the public health crisis that ensued in early March and continues today, Connecticut’s community health centers have served as the frontline providers of care, testing, and medical services in the fight to keep people healthy.
According to CHCACT CEO Ken Lalime, “This is tremendous news; this grant from CHEFA will go a long way in helping us in our round-the-clock efforts to flatten the curve and, hopefully, bring this crisis to an eventual end sometime soon,” Mr. Lalime added, “The efforts on the part of Connecticut’s medical community—doctors, nurses, providers, and health care workers—have been heroic during this unprecedented crisis, and we sincerely thank our friends at CHEFA for recognizing the need and for awarding us a grant that will no doubt help to save lives.”
“CHEFA is proud to support the Community Health Center Association of Connecticut with this significant grant from CHEFA’s FY 2021 CHEFA COVID-19 Grant Program. The grant will have a meaningful impact on Connecticut residents during this challenging time. CHEFA is one of only a few statewide entities providing philanthropic resources to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. We value our partnership with the nonprofit community, as we seek to facilitate important efforts addressing the pandemic” stated Jeanette W. Weldon, CHEFA’s Executive Director.
A complete list of all of Connecticut’s community health centers is available on the CHCACT website, and Mr. Lalime said he continues to encourage everyone to visit or contact a community health center if they have any COVID-19-related concerns.
About CHEFA
The Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) is a quasi-governmental agency created to help Connecticut-based non-profit organizations raise the funds needed to meet their goals of improving the health and education of Connecticut citizens. CHEFA accomplishes this by providing tax-exempt financing and other financial assistance to educational institutions, health care providers, childcare providers, and other eligible non-profit entities. Since its inception in 2002, CHEFA grant programs have provided more than $33 million to Connecticut non-profit organizations. CHEFA grant programs are made possible through the fiscally responsible management of the organization by CHEFA Officers and the CHEFA Board of Directors, and utilize no State of Connecticut funds. https://www.chefa.com/home
About CHCACT
Incorporated in 1989, the Community Health Center Association of Connecticut (CHCACT) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting the clinical and administrative operations of community health centers across Connecticut. CHCACT’s mission is to advance and align the work of health centers, with stakeholders, to improve the health and wellness of all.
Contact
Dan Tapper
Sullivan & LeShane Public Relations, Inc.
860-573-4236 (Mobile)
